Surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and the San Francisco Bay, San Francisco is a hilly city sited on the tip of a peninsula in the heart of northern California. It is nicknamed as “Golden Gate City”. This commercial, cultural, and financial center encompasses an area of 46.89 square miles. It is marked as the fourth-most populous city in California and thirteenth most populous in the United States and has an estimated population of 884,363. Along with its mesmerizing and friendly atmosphere; it always welcomes all kinds of people, from all over the globe belonging to incompatible ethnicities and states.
History
San Francisco has a long and colorful history with a lot of interesting facts. San Francisco is in fact, the given name city and region’s county. It became a part of the United States in 1848, through the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. In 1906, San Francisco was completely demolished by a great earthquake and fire but was quickly maintained and rebuilt. It emerged as a major business city throughout the first half of the 20th century.
Charms of San Francisco
San Francisco is a place where life slows down and progressively becomes interesting and thrilling, where there is no such thing as anxiety. Over the recent years, it has become an increasingly alluring tourist destination as it offers tons of popularized tourist attractions such as:
- Golden Gate Bridge: The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge, linking San Francisco to Marin County. It was described as “possibly the most beautiful, certainly the most photographed bridge in the world” and is labeled as one of the Wonders of the Modern World. It was the largest and tallest bridge in the world at the time of its opening in 1937, with a total height of 746 feet and the main span of 4,200 feet. Tourist can walk and cycle here and enjoy the mesmerizing views of the Pacific Ocean.
- Golden Gate Park: Golden Gate Park is the largest park of metropolitan in the world occupying an area of 1,017 acres. The park constitutes of several grounds, parks, trails, picnic places, monuments, and many significant points of interests such as de Young Museum, California Academy of Sciences, Conservatory of Flowers, San Francisco Botanical Garden, Japanese Tea Garden, Dutch and Murphy Windmills, Rainbow Falls, Hippie Hill, and Stow Lake. It attracts 13 million visitors per year and is marked as one of the most popular tourist attraction in San Francisco.
- Alcatraz Island: Ranked as the 7th most popular landmark in the world, Alcatraz Island is a small island located on the San Francisco Bay. It holds the first lighthouse built on the West Coast. From 1934 till 1963, it was developed with facilities such as a military prison, military fortification, and a federal prison. This island is greatly adored by the bird watchers and history buffs who are interested in the old cells.
- Marin Headlands: A perfect spot to spend vacations with family, Marin Headlands is a hilly peninsula in California. It is located across the Golden Gate Bridge and is popular for the majestic views of the Bay Area. The Headlands houses a diversity of bird and animal species. It provides its visitors with several campgrounds, allows hiking and wildlife viewing with special ranger programs.
- Ocean Beach: Ocean Beach borders Pacific oceans and is adjacent to Golden Gate Park, Sunset District, and Sunset District. The place is renowned for its comprehensive shops and markets with a historic atmosphere. Visitors here can enjoy the beach with their families or friends, can play sports such as surfing or volleyball, Fish of the pier, observe wildlife, and tour the lighthouse and visit the zoo. Children can enjoy the nearby amusement park.