When you find yourself in a new city, it’s easy to tell yourself that you’re not going to be “one of those tourists.” So you go to the smaller art museum, the second trendiest restaurant, and the slightly shorter skyscraper. Then, at some point, you realize you’re not fooling anyone. Every city has its must-experience tourist spots, and that includes San Francisco. They exist for a reason. Sure, it may be “lame” to visit the Golden Gate Bridge, but long after the snide looks leave the faces of local snobs, you’ll still have the memory of visiting a beautiful place. Here are some of the best places in SF to be a tourist.
Fisherman’s Wharf
Everything is expensive, there’s a trinket shop every 100 feet, and every other restaurant claims they have the best clam chowder in the city. Yet there’s still a charm to this place. It’s a great place to grab a bread bowl, look at the Bay, and watch sailboats crawl by. Remember to respect the seagulls, or bring an extra shirt.
Haight-Ashbury
What was once the epicenter of counter-culture is now the epicenter of commercializing said counter-culture. This famous intersection is now home to a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream shop and a tie-dye store. Still, it’s a great place to spend an afternoon poking around odd shops and buying offensive t-shirts.
Union Square
Union Square is a bit like going to a mall, but everything is bigger. If you’ve ever wanted to go to a three-story Levi’s store, now is your chance. In all honesty, it’s not a terrible place to shop, especially if you want to see everything a brand has to offer.
Alcatraz Island
It’s a pain to get there, and it’s full of tourists, but it’s still pretty darn fascinating. Once the home of the country’s most notorious criminals, Alcatraz was designed to be escape-proof. Of course, that didn’t stop people from trying. If there’s a prison worth visiting, it’s this one.
Avoid the crowds if you can, but know that interesting places attract more people than boring ones.
Join us for TIBCO NOW and explore these tourist destinations and more while you are in San Francisco.
