3 Best Landmarks in San Francisco, CA

“Alcatraz Island is located in San Francisco Bay, 1.25 miles offshore from San Francisco, California. The site is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and received designation as a National Historic Landmark in 1986. The small island was developed in the mid-19th century with a lighthouse, a military fortification, a military prison, and Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, a federal prison. The island was converted into a federal prison, Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, in 1934. Park rangers take tours revealing the facility's fascinating past, along with exciting stories about Al Capone and other notable figures. The island received designation as a National Historic Landmark in 1986. Alcatraz Island offers free admission for all visitors.”

Read more

“The Golden Gate Bridge spans the Golden Gate, a one-mile-wide strait that connects San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. Joseph Strauss designed it in 1917. The bridge has been declared one of the Modern Wonders of the World by the American Society of Civil Engineers. The bridge has colossal 746-feet-high towers, sweeping central cables, an International Orange paint color, and Art Deco styling. The welcome center at the bridge provides merchandise and historical facts. Each year, the Golden Gate Bridge attracts over 10 million visitors to take in its tremendous sweeping main cables, signature International Orange color, and Art Deco styling. You can go biking, walking, motorcycling, shopping, or take a guided tour. The bridge gives a vivid look at the bridge's history and the original stainless steel 12-foot (3-meter) check tower used in 1933.”

Read more

“Coit Tower is a 210-foot tower that was built in 1933 using Lillie Hitchcock Coit's bequest to beautify the city of San Francisco. The tower was designed by architects Arthur Brown Jr. and Henry Temple Howard. The tower provides 360-degree views of the city and bay, including the Golden Gate and Bay bridges. Coit Tower's interior features fresco murals in the American Social Realism style, painted by 22 different onsite artists and their numerous assistants. Three artists preferred oil on canvas and worked off-site, and one artist preferred egg tempera rather than fresco. Coit Tower offers free admission for children under 4.”

Read more