Play tourist for a day in San Francisco

Image courtesy of sftravel.com.

Whether you’re a longtime resident or visiting just for the day, you already know the city of San Francisco is the home of hundreds of educational and awe-inspiring tourist activities scattered about its 49 sq. miles. That is, admittedly, a lot of ground to cover – especially in a single day. To simplify your agenda, we’ve compiled our favorite touristy activities around the city that are accessible by BART. Load up your Clipper card and grab your walking shoes for this guide to SF in a day!

Image courtesy of sftravel.com.

First stop on our agenda: San Francisco’s celebrated Chinatown. To get there, we’ll take BART to Montgomery St then meander down Sansome St, past the Four Seasons Hotel and Transamerica Pyramid, before turning left on Clay St and landing on Grant Ave. The entire walk should take about 11 minutes all told. Once you arrive, the delights of Chinatown will immediately unfold before your eyes. Grab a delicious sweet from Eastern Bakery (720 Grant Ave) or treat yourself to an opulent Cantonese meal at Empress by Boon (838 Grant Ave). Don’t forget to duck into the stores along Grant Ave for affordable souvenirs.

Image courtesy of thetourguy.com.

Our next attraction has wheels: the San Francisco Cable Car, of course! From Chinatown, walk to Mason St and Pacific Ave (drop into the Cable Car Museum on your way, at 1201 Mason St) and ride the line down a scenic route to Taylor St and Bay St, which is nestled in Fisherman’s Wharf. Arguably the San Francisco tourist attraction to rule them all, Fisherman’s Wharf is a constant bustle of activity. Visit the sea lions basking on Pier 39, gaze at the fish and marine mammals at the Aquarium of the Bay (Pier 39 Embarcadero and Beach St) and chow on Dungeness Crab at Crab House (203 C Pier 39).

Image courtesy of sftravel.com.

We’ll hop back on the cable car at Jones Street Station to head to our next stop: the beloved Ferry Building Marketplace (1 Ferry Building). If you happen upon the Ferry Building on Tuesdays, Thursdays, or Saturdays, you can catch the impressive Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, which is home to a bounty of local farm products and artisan treats (find a list of vendors on foodwise.org). If you visit when the market isn’t active, fret not! There are more than 30 vendors in the building itself, slinging everything from gourmet caviar (Tsar Nicoulai Caviar) to fungi (Far West Fungi).

Image courtesy of sftravel.com.

Once you’ve eaten your fill, walk about two minutes to Embarcadero Station, where we’ll catch a SFO-bound train and exit at the next stop, Montgomery St Station. From here, it’s a short walk to a handful of world-class museums, most of which are clustered on or around Mission St. For the finest in contemporary and modern art, visit SFMOMA (11 3rd St). For thought-rousing exhibitions on Jewish life and art, head for the Contemporary Jewish Museum (736 Mission St) and for insight and history on the African diaspora, visit the Museum of the African Diaspora, or MoAD (685 Mission St).

Image courtesy of sf.gov.com.

We’ve got one more must-see museum on our list, but it requires a few additional minutes of travel. Head back to Montgomery St Station and ride BART two stops to Civic Center Station. From there, it’s a three-minute walk to the Asian Art Museum (200 Larkin St), which features one of the most comprehensive collections of Asian art in the world. Museumed-out? From the Asian Art Museum, walk about two minutes to San Francisco City Hall (401 Van Ness Avenue). Known as the “People’s Palace”, City Hall is a prime example of Beaux-Arts style, merging elements of French, Roman, and Greek design. The building’s fabulous rotunda is also 42 feet taller than the dome of the Capitol Building in Washington D.C. and you might catch a wedding or two while you’re there!

Image courtesy of sftravel.com.

Just a few more stops ahead. Walk five minutes back to Civic Center Station and take the SFO-bound line one stop to 16th St Mission Station. The sunniest neighborhood in San Francisco, the Mission District is full of incredible food, art and culture. We’ll start things off with a visit to Clarion Alley, a three-minute walk from the station. The street, which sits between Mission and Valencia streets and 17th and 18th streets, is known for the incredible murals that line its walls, painted by the Clarion Alley Mural Project. More than 900 murals have graced the street since 1992.

Image courtesy of sftravel.com.

From Clarion Alley, walk about nine minutes to Mission Dolores Park (Dolores St and 19th St). One of the city’s most popular parks, Dolores Park is the perfect place to cap off a day of adventure. The goal here is to relax, soak up the sun and people watch, of course. There is also a soccer field, tennis courts, a basketball court, playground and two off-leash areas for dogs. When you’re done for the day, walk about 20 minutes to 16th St Station, and you’ll be on your way in no time.

How do you spend a day as a tourist in San Francisco?

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