I couldn’t spend time in my favourite city without snapping a few classic San Francisco images. My favourite is still a few years old, shot on our last visit:
The Golden Gate Bridge as seen from Marin County, looking across to the city of San Francisco.
More classic San Francisco Images:
Sitting in the middle of the bay, Alcatraz gave it’s prisoners a view of freedom out its windows. Now it is a National Recreation Area. It was once “home” to Al Capone and George “Machine-Gun” Kelly.
This Dragon Gate welcomes tourists to Chinatown along Grant Ave (at the intersection with Bush Street.) Locals tend to do everyday shopping one block to the west on Stockton Street.
Another of the classic San Francisco images: visitors (in this case, us) with an Irish Coffee from the Buena Vista Cafe
Hands down, my favourite place in San Francisco is the Palace of Fine Arts
The Cannery is now a mall with several eateries. It was originally built in 1907 (after the big earthquake) by Del Monte as the world’s largest fruit-canning plant.
Two classic San Francisco images: The Transamerica Pyramid Building (white) is the tallest building in San Francisco. The green building in the foreground is the Sentinel Building, home to American Zoetrope – the film studio founded by Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas.
Angelic or creepy? These 12-foot faceless, hollow statues are on the 23 floor in the city’s financial district. There are 12 of them in total.
More classic than these lanterns seen in Chinatown is the drama surrounding my taking of the photo. Ignoring everything else in the alleyway including my friend’s encouragement to move on, I stopped to take a photo. As it turns out, just outside my photo to the right was a drug deal in action.
The San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge crosses the San Francisco Bay. A section of this bridge collapsed during the earthquake of 1989.
Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill is named for Lillie Hitchcock Coit. She left a substantial bequest “for the purpose of adding to the beauty of the city I have always loved.”
The world-famous San Francisco Fisherman’s Wharf is still popular with tourists and locals. It’s also home Boudin’s Sour Dough bread, a personal favourite of mine despite the sourdough mishap we had this past visit.
I think it is the cable car that comes to mind first when people think of classic San Francisco images. I was thrilled to find unlimited cable car rides on my San Francisco CityPASS.
I know we missed a few, like Lombard Street and the Painted Ladies. But overall, I think we got a good collection of the classics. We got around San Francisco on public transportation that was included on our San Francisco CityPASS.
Less classic, and more of a secret: We stayed at the Sir Francis Drake, a Kimpton property with a secret prohibition room. If you want to stay in the perfect spot, check for deals and low prices at booking.com.
For me, any visit to San Francisco will always be an around the world travel highlight.
Did I capture your favourite classic San Francisco images?
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Have you seen the murals of the Mission District? If not, check them out on your next SF visit. Off the standard beaten tourist path, but they are amazing! Nearby Dolores Park and Mission Dolores are also fantastic.
I used to live in San Francisco, so most of what we do isn’t touristy. I will add this to my mental list for my next visit.
Oh yes 🙂 Went there and took these pictures back in 1979!
Yes, classic pictures. Some things really don’t change much.
San Francisco is a beautiful city!! You captured snippets of it well! Love your Golden Gate Bridge photos!
I took the photo of the Golden Gate Bridge on the side across from the city.
Great views of San Francisco, brought back many memories.
Thanks Martha. It brought back memories for me too.
Great shots! 😀 I love seeing the classic shots (that I know) as well as the others. 😀
There is no shortage of photo opportunities in San Francisco. Although I didn’t get to take a shot of my sourdough rolling down the hill. I was in shock and disbelief.
classic but beautiful, Rhonda..I can’t never get bored with it 🙂
Thanks. There is so much to see in San Francisco.
Lovely photos and the Architecture ones are my favorites!
Thanks Merlinda.
Definitely The Golden Gate Bridge image is one of San Francisco must have shots. Not to say you did get some really nice pictures all together.
We have never been to San Francisco but it’s a place that I would like to visit one day.
Thanks for sharing !
I agree, that’s why I added the older shot.
one of my favorite places- we’ll be there in August!
Have fun, and remember a jacket. The fog rolls in on August afternoons.