Facts About San Francisco

San Francisco, city in western California. Famous for its beautiful setting, San Francisco is built on a series of steep hills located on the northern tip of a peninsula at the entrance to San Francisco Bay. The bay and its extensions, which include San Pablo Bay and Suisun Bay, constitute one of the great natural harbors of the world, embracing nearly 1,200 sq km (more than 450 sq mi) of water. Because of this, San Francisco was once the major Pacific Coast seaport of the United States. Today the city is an important center for finance, technology, tourism, and culture.

The cool waters of the ocean and bay surround San Francisco on three sides, moderating the climate, which is characterized by mild, rainy winters and cool, dry summers. Average daily temperatures in the city range from 5° to 13°C (42° to 56°F) in January and from 12° to 22°C (54° to 72°F) in July. September and October are the warmest months in the city. San Francisco averages 500 mm (20 in) of rainfall per year, most of it coming between November and March. Temperatures rarely fall below freezing and snow is uncommon, although San Francisco is well known for the thick blankets of fog that often cover the city in the summer.

• Alcatraz Island: From Pier 41, the Blue and Gold ferry boat sails to Alcatraz Island. This San Francisco tour features the major attractions of San Francisco including The Golden Gate Bridge, Twin Peaks, Pier 39, Fisherman's Wharf and more.
• Cable Cars: The Powell-Hyde line begins at Powell and Market streets, terminating at Victorian Park near the Maritime Museum and Aquatic Park; the Powell-Mason line also begins at Powell and Market, but ends at Bay and Taylor near Fisherman's Wharf.
• Chinatown: Enter at "Dragon's Gate" at Grant Avenue and Bush Street. San Francisco's bustling Chinatown is a tightly-packed warren of Chinese restaurants, shops, temples and street vendors. Great for gifts, and fireworks on Chinese New Year.
• Golden Gate Park: Larger than Central Park, the 1,000-acre Golden Gate Park;s treasure trove of attractions includes Stybing Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, a biodiversity hub where 6,000 plant species, including a towering display of California redwoods, thrive; the ethereal Japanese Tea Garden; a children's playground; the Asian Art Museum; MH de Young Memorial Museum; and the California Academy of Sciences, with its aquarium, Morrison Planetarium and laserium.

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