Tours

San Francisco is a unique city of steep hills and beautiful architecture, bordered by the Muir Woods, the Bay and the Pacific. Seeing everything is possible; the city is rather small, but the terrain can make it a challenge. Be sure to have a schedule in mind, and take advantage of the public transportation options as well.

Union Square

Union Square is a haven for shoppers: look in any direction and you will see upscale department stores. Nearby, visitors can hop onto a cable car on Powell Street, or walk up Stockton Street to the pagoda-style roofs of Chinatown. The St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral can be found here. Explore the many shops with their inexpensive wares and souvenirs, then grab a bite at the nearby Imperial Palace.

North Beach

The Sts. Peter and Paul Church is North Beach's defining feature, and its lawn is the site of many summertime picnics and pickup football games. City Lights Bookstore, a shrine of "Beat" culture, can be found nearby. The store features a collection of literature, poetry, and avant-garde theory and criticism, some of it published under the City Lights label, which you just don't find anywhere else. The Tosca Cafe and the Caffe Trieste, are all former Beat hangouts that offer tasty dining options. You'll also find the sign for the Beach Blanket Babylon Boulevard close by.

Coit Tower

The climb to Coit Tower is very steep, be warned. You can stop at the Liguria Bakery for a bite. At the top of Coit Tower, take in the spectacular panorama from Nob Hill past the Golden Gate, Alcatraz, and the East Bay. Then hop on a bus and visit Fort Mason and the Ghirardelli Square.

Fisherman's Wharf

A trip to Fisherman's Wharf on the Embarcadero is on every visitor's to do list. Shop at Pier 39 and be sure to try the fresh seafood at Lou's Pier 47. Ferries embark to Alcatraz Island and Angel Island State Park from the Ferry Building Marketplace. Be sure to check out the culinary shops and restaurants while you wait for your ferry.

Yerba Buena Center

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is located in the area south of Market Street. The unique temporary exhibitions here draw huge crowds. If you are in San Francisco for a convention or other event at the Moscone Center, it's just around the corner. Above the Moscone Center, whose business end is underground, is the successful Yerba Buena Center complex and Yerba Buena Gardens. The Yerba Buena Ice Skating and Bowling Center features a year-round, indoor skating rink, a handsome and airy facility with a glass wall onto the skyscrapers downtown. Across Howard Street you can see the back end of the imposing Metreon, Sony's four-story, sixteen-screen entertainment megalith.

If you're looking for an affordable way to hit all San Francisco's hotspots, try one of these tour companies.

Walking Tours

Barbary Coast Trail ( +1 415 454 2355/ http://www.barbarycoasttrail.org/ ) Alcatraz Island ( +1 415 705 5555/ http://www.nps.gov/alcatraz/ ) A San Francisco Walkabout with Gary Holloway ( +1 415 357 1848/ http://www.californiahistoricalsociety.org/programs/index.html/ ) City Guides ( +1 415 557 4266/ http://www.sfcityguides.org/ ) Heritage Walks ( +1 415 441 3000/ http://www.sfheritage.org/ ) San Francisco Parks Trust Golden Gate Park Tours ( +1 415 750 5105/ http://www.sfpt.org/ ) Flower Power Haight-Ashbury Walking Tour ( +1 415 863 1621/ http://www.hippygourmet.com/ ) S.F.African-American Historical and Cultural Society Walking Tour ( +1 415 441 0640 ) Dashiell Hammett Walking Tour ( +1 510 287 9540/ http://www.donherron.com/ ) Ultimate City Tour ( +1 415 777 2288 / +1 888 868 7788/ http://www.supersightseeing.com/ )

Boat Tours

Farallon Islands Nature Cruises ( +1 800 326 7491/ http://www.oceanic-society.org/pages/wwd.html/ ) Blue & Gold Fleet ( +1 415 705 8200 / +1 415 705 5555/ http://www.blueandgoldfleet.com/ ) San Francisco Duck Tour ( +1 415 435 3825/ http://www.bayquackers.com/ )

Bus Tours

Mr. Toad's Tours ( +1 877 467 8623/ http://www.mrtoadstours.com/ ) Yosemite with Green Tortoise ( +1 415 956 7500/ http://www.greentortoise.com/yosemite.national.park.html ) Gray Line Tours ( +1 888 428 6937/ http://www.sanfranciscosightseeing.com/ ) Starline Tours ( 1-800-959-3131/ http://www.starlinetours.com/ )

Bike Tours

Adventure Bicycle Company ( +1 415 771 8735/ http://www.adventurebike.com/ )

Kayak Tours

California Canoe & Kayak ( +1 510 893 7833/ http://www.calkayak.com/ )

Segway Tours

Segway San Francisco Electric Tour ( +1 415 474 3130 / +1 877 474 3130/ http://www.electrictourcompany.com/ )

Brewery Tours

Anchor Brewing Company ( +1 415 863 8350/ http://www.anchorbrewing.com/ )

Factory Tours

Jelly Belly Factory Tour ( +1 707 428 2800 / +1 800 522 3267/ http://jellybelly.com/Cultures/en-US/NewsEvents/Stores/ )

Fire Engine Tours

San Francisco Fire Engine Tours & Adventures ( +1 415 333 7077/ http://www.fireenginetours.com/ )

Culinary Tours

Wok Wiz Chinatown Tours and Cooking Company ( +1 650 355 9657/ http://www.wokwiz.com/ )

Sports Tours

Big League Tours ( +1 866 619 1748 / +1 317 534 2475/ http://bigleaguetours.com/ )

Ghost Tours

San Francisco Ghost Hunt Walking Tour ( +1 415 922 5590/ http://www.sfghosthunt.com/ ) Haunted Presidio ( +1 415 561 4323/ http://www.parksconservancy.org/calendar/index.asp?event=959/ )