The ABC’s of Touring San Francisco
Historical place at San Francisco
Thinking of touring San Francisco? There are actually a million reasons and more for you to get yourself out here to this sunny, spunky Californian state. Rich with nature’s wonders, cultural spots, historical places, and simply breathtaking sights, San Francisco is actually one of the most frequented cities in the United States by tourists. If you’re not yet joining in the bandwagon, here are some reasons why you ought to.
A) Alcatraz. A tiny island sitting quietly in the middle of San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz now serves as the site for the oldest lighthouse in the entire Western Coast of the country. It is also where the infamous Alcatraz prison, known for the notoriety of the prisoners who spent the last of their lives in its dark, musty cells, is located. The powerful Italian-American gangster Al Capone served a portion of his sentence in Alcatraz before being moved to Terminal Island in Los Angeles when the prison doctors diagnosed him of having syphilis. George ‘Machine Gun’ Kelly also served a part of his sentence in Alcatraz. He was known as a prominent kidnapper, smuggler, and robber during the late 1920s and early 1930s, but surprisingly, the Alcatraz prison guards regarded him as a model inmate. Alcatraz Island is now known to be one of the strangest places in the United States because of the reports of haunting by prisoners who died right inside their cells. Aside from that, it has also become a habitat for different kinds of sea birds, unique plants, and species that have never even been discovered. It has cliffs as high as 30 meters, where Western gulls, Heermann’s gulls, cormorants, and pigeon guillemots can be found nesting. It also has a steep ridge where grassland and wild rye serve as habitat for deer mice.
B) Baker Beach. Planning to be a little adventurous on your next holiday? Baker Beach is (in)famous for its several strips of nude beaches. It is located just south of the Golden Gate Bridge and covers roughly half a mile of white, sandy beaches and clear, blue waters. Still, even if you’re not the type to ogle at topless ladies, Baker Beach may still be worth a visit because it is one of the few sites in the world where the beautiful but endangered Marin Dwarf Flax can be found. All things considered, Baker Beach is a place where you can see many things you rarely see in your life.
C) Chinatown. Experience the colors and culture of China right in here in the United States. San Francisco’s Chinatown is the biggest all over the world, of course, excluding China itself. Marvel at the Chinese buildings as you walk down its alleys and streets. Get a taste of authentic dimsum, moon cakes, fortune cookies, and Chinese tea prepared by a native himself. There are also stores where you can buy your favorite Chinese delicacies and other souvenirs. You can choose from Ching Kee egg roll cookies, botan rice candies, garden wafers, fortune cookies, ginseng extract, and literally thousands more if you only have the patience to scour the streets.