San Francisco: Modern California Style and Elegance by the Sea

 

By Kit Herring

As a great American city, San Francisco combines both modern California style with an elegance born of its unique location near the sea.  Its skyline is recognized world-wide and the iconic Golden Gate Bridge is a testament to American ingenuity and engineering. The city is a melting pot of styles and cultures from the Old World and the New.

The casual visitor cannot help but be awed by the scale of the scenery. The water of its bay recalls the city beginnings as a gold-rush seaport.  Yet one of the first Europeans to sail the northern California coast, Captain James Cook, missed San Francisco’s deep-water harbor altogether.  From one of a thousand vantage points one can look past the mighty Golden Gate to the Pacific Ocean while sailboats cross back and forth on the waters, their silhouettes a counterpoint to the austere island fortress of Alcatraz, at one time home to America’s toughest criminals.

In more recent years San Francisco became a magnet for the disaffected youth of America who gathered at Haight-Ashbury to celebrate the hippy lifestyle, even as Tony Bennett, the crooner from an earlier, straighter era, put the town on the map by leaving his heart there.

Epicureans will delight in the pleasures of the many open-air markets the city offers and the many kinds of cuisine that contribute to the city’s gastronomic offerings.

More culturally-inclined travelers will be inspired by the nightlife scene with its clubs and theatres.  And there’s no end to San Francisco city breaks at a low cost.

Take a walk to Fisherman’s Wharf and mingle with the throngs of tourists and locals who gather to watch the action and to watch each other.  Enjoy Telegraph Hill and its famous parrots, or tip your car down the cobblestones of Lombard Street, the country’s official winding road. You can choose an affordable Bed and Breakfast or other accommodations at your leisure.

Join in the fun and experience an urban center that rivals any of the world’s metropolises.

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