DK Travel : San Francisco

San Franciscans will, rather candidly, admit that they are the most fortunate people on earth, the occasional earthquake notwithstanding; and most visitors, after a few days of taking in the sights and sounds of this magnificent city, will agree. Ask anyone who has been here and they will tell you it’s their favorite US city. The geographical setting evokes so much emotional drama, the light seems clearer, the colors more vivid, the cultural diversity of the ethnic neighborhoods so captivating and inviting, that it’s a place almost everyone can fall in love with at first sight.

Mrs. Madrigal

Olympia Dukakis brought this wonderful Tales of the City character to vibrant life in the mini-series based on Armistead Maupin’s books. Anna Madrigal is a transsexual landlady who rents out apartments to young singles, both gay and straight, and tends to her marijuana plants and her charges with equal wisdom and spirituality.
Muir and Red Rock Beaches

These two beaches, just south of Stinson, are the most famous nude beaches north of San Francisco. Both are sandy curves within their own coves, protected from wind and prying eyes by rocky cliffs. The only caveat is that you’ll need sturdy walking shoes to get down the rough paths that lead to them from the parking lots.
Muir Woods

At the foot of Mount Tamalpais, this 550-acre woodland is home to one of the few remaining first-growth groves of redwoods. The oldest of these giants is at least 1,000 years old, and such trees once covered the coastal area of California. The woods are named in honor of John Muir, the 19th-century conservationist. The peace and beauty of the shaded habitat are profound.
Musee Mechanique

Some people (such as my husband) think that this Mechanical Museum is just a tarted up video arcade. Those people are wrong. Also, they are killjoys

The Musee Mechanique is one of the world's largest privately-owned collections of mechanically operated musical instruments and antique arcade machines.

Admission is free, but be prepared to drop lots and lots of quarters into machines that dance the Can-Can, tell your future, and show you slide shows of old San Francisco.

My kids spent most of their money on foot massage chairs, baseball game machines, and an old fashioned boxing game (think Rock'em Sock'em Robots, but metal).

The location on Pier 45 can be a little tricky to find the first time. Go to the giant, famous Fisherman's Wharf crab sign, and head back toward the bay.

The museum opens daily at 10am, and I'd suggest going early to beat the crowds.
Musée Mechanique and Holographic Museum

A quaint, time-warp experience awaits you here. As you approach the lower level, you’ll be greeted by the loud guffaws of Laughing Sal, the enormous, buxom figure that is a relic of the old Playland at the Beach. There are also many other often ingenious mechanical devices that once crowded the arcade, so have your quarters handy – and don’t miss the re-creation in miniature of a Chinese opium den. In addition, there is a small collection devoted to the art of holography.
Museo ItaloAmericano

Not only a museum and gallery, but also a community center for San Francisco’s Italians. Temporary exhibitions might focus on the work of an Italian artist, or on some aspect of Italian culture. Classes are also offered in the Italian language, art and architecture, and cookery.
Museum of Craft and Folk Art

The emphasis here is on the varieties of non-mainstream ways that people find to be creative – to see things afresh and make something new out of them. This may include traditional folk art from all over the world.
Museum of the City of San Francisco

This burgeoning collection traces the city’s history, from its low-key Spanish beginnings, to the ‘49er boom town hoopla, to the modern, complex metropolis it is today. The mementos consist of photos, old newspapers, scale models of buildings, and posters, but one of the most arresting relics is the 3.5-ft (1-m) head of the Goddess of Progress. Her full figure, with electrically illuminated crown, adorned the old City Hall until the 1906 quake toppled her.
N.F.L. Shop

Officially licensed to sell products for all major league sports, so here’s your chance to stock up on the jerseys and caps of all your favorite teams – especially, of course, the SF 49ers and the SF Giants.
Native Americans

There were settlements in the Bay as early as the 11th century BC, made up of hunters and gatherers who enjoyed a rich diet of seeds, shellfish, and game. Historians group these peoples into the Coast Miwok, the Wintun, and the Ohlone.