San Francisco Visitors Planning Guide - 2025 VPG

Those little cable cars that climb halfway to the stars in Tony Bennett’s “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” are climbing Nob Hill. This classic neighborhood offers famed hotels, landmark architecture and million-dollar views.

SEE & DO

Explore the neighborhood via cable car, then learn about the history of these world-famous vehicles at the Cable Car Museum. In nearby Russian Hill, take a winding walk down Lombard Street, famed for its hairpin turns. The Gothic-style Grace Cathedral presides over Huntington Park, a refuge for families, dog walkers and lovers of green space. In the evening, catch a concert or comedy show at The Masonic, which regularly welcomes national headliners to its stage.

EAT & DRINK

Tiki culture began in San Francisco and one of the earliest bars to embrace it, the Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar, still slings cocktails amid the backdrop of an indoor rainstorm. Keep up the tropical theme at Liholiho Yacht Club, whose modern Hawaiian menu makes for an adventurous night out. Indulge in buttermilk fried chicken and grilled lamb at the family-owned Aliment, or sample scrumptious wood-fired pizzas on the patio at Del Popolo. The Italian cuisine at Acquerello, with its two MICHELIN stars, always satisfies for a special occasion.

WHERE TO STAY

If you stay at the luxurious InterContinental Mark Hopkins, take the elevator up to Top of the Mark cocktail lounge for one of the city’s most iconic views. Live like a celeb at the Fairmont San Francisco, whose rooms have been graced by Elton John and the Rolling Stones. Or snuggle up at the sumptuous, British-themed White Swan Inn.