Perhaps Tony Bennett said it best: "I left
my heart in San Francisco..." If you have been there, you surely know
to what he refers. My mother spent some time there during World War II and I believe that she too left her heart there. And on my
very first visit, I succumbed as well, to the magic that requires your heart
in exchange for the experience. The Golden Gate Bridge, trolley cars,
sourdough bread, Ghirardelli chocolate and hills only a mountain goat
could love -- these are but a few of the infinite number of things that
define one of the greatest cities in the country. Read more
More About San Francisco...
If you are in fairly good physical shape and up for a
hike, I would suggest a walking tour that starts at the new Pac-Bell
Baseball stadium. Follow the Embarcadaro around the Bay to
Fisherman's Wharf and all its visual, auditory and olfactory sensations.
Check out the farmer's market and have some fresh crab at Aliotto's.
Then head over to Pier 39 to enjoy the sounds of seals and gulls as you gaze
out across the frigid waters toward Alcatraz. Stop for a soothing
Irish Coffee at the Buena Vista Cafe. Then, if you don't stay too long, walk
straight up over the hill -- following the Powell-Hyde cable car route --
and down the other side to the shopping district in the heart of the
city. Your heart may be pounding but the view from the top of the hill
-- near Lombard Street -- is sensational. Besides, you can stop
the trolley almost any time and climb aboard to enjoy the view and
the ride as well as the rhythm of the bell-ringing conductor.
There are more sights, sounds and things to do than you
could ever squeeze into a single afternoon. Heck, stay a few days.
Take a ferryboat ride out into the bay and underneath the engineering marvel
called the Golden Gate Bridge. But be very careful. When you
pack up to head home, you may just find that you have left your heart in the
City by the Bay. But that's an excellent excuse to return.
