San Francisco itineraries

Cable car to Alcatraz

Catch a cable car at the Powell Street turntable, roll over the hill, walk down Lombard, pass the sea lions and a sourdough bowl, then take the afternoon boat to Alcatraz. It's every postcard view of the city in one day.

Bridge by bike, hills on foot

Base yourself at Fisherman's Wharf. Day one: cycle across the Golden Gate, lunch in Sausalito, ferry back. Day two: a North Beach breakfast, then Coit Tower, Chinatown and SFMOMA on foot.

Three days, neighbourhood by neighbourhood

Sleep near Union Square. Day one: Alamo Square, Mission burritos and ice cream, sunset from Twin Peaks. Day two: Golden Gate Park museums, the Lands End coast and the bridge. Day three: the Ferry Building, the Exploratorium and a last cable car.

Festivals & seasons

• 2 — Chinese New Year Parade
• 4 — Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival
• 5 — Bay to Breakers
• 6 — San Francisco Pride
• 7 — Fourth of July fireworks
• 7 — Summer fog season (Jun-Aug)
• 8 — Outside Lands
• 9 — The real summer (Sep-Oct)
• 10 — Hardly Strictly Bluegrass
• 10 — Fleet Week & Blue Angels air show
• 11 — Dungeness crab season opens
• 11 — Ghirardelli Square tree lighting

Souvenirs

• Ghirardelli chocolate squares in a cable car tin
• Boudin sourdough shaped like a turtle or crab
• Dandelion single-origin chocolate bars
• Blue Bottle beans and dripper
• Local honey and Cowgirl Creamery cheese
• Alcatraz inmate-number T-shirt and tin mug
• Fresh fortune cookies
• Cable car models and 'International Orange' bridge goods