SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
May 4, 1996 to Present

 
San Francisco is beyond a doubt my favorite city to visit - and I may just live there one day.  The densely packed metropolis sits on a small peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and the San Francisco Bay.  To the north, the hilly Marin Peninsula; to the east, Oakland and its hills; to the south, the nouveau-riche style of Silicon Valley.  The city is incredibly beautiful and cosmopolitan with a wealth of sights and sounds, and many attractions, such as Muir Woods, Napa Valley, Yosemite National Park and the Monterey Peninsula are within a short drive.  Due to the wealth of pictures that I have accumulated, I separated the photos into four pages, so click on each thumbnail to jump to those pages.
 

THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE - 10 Photos
This is undoubtedly the most famous bridge in the world and it defines the city of San Francisco.  The incredible length between columns, the distinctive orange color, the suspension cables and the art-deco scansions make the bridge worthy of the "eighth wonder of the world" status.
 

ALCATRAZ ISLAND - 8 Photos
The famous former federal penitentiary is now a popular tourist attraction with guided and self-guided tours.  "The Rock" sits just north of the city and seems to be easily within swimming distance of shore.  However, the strong winds, fast currents and cold bay waters made Alcatraz nearly impossible to escape.
 

UNIQUE PICTURES FROM THE BAY AREA - 10 Photos
There are so many sights in and around San Francisco that I could never show pictures of them all.  However, I think I have compiled a few unique photos of attractions such as Lombard Street (the crooked street), the Transamerica Building, the Palace of Fine Arts and others.
 

CABLE CARS AND COIT TOWER - 8 Photos
The famous Cable Cars of San Francisco nearly went extinct, but they now serve thousands of citizens and tourists each day with a unique ride around the city.  Coit Tower is a monument to fire fighters that sits high atop Nob Hill and provides a birds-eye view of the city and its surroundings.