San Fancisco

San Francisco, California, is a spectacular peninsula surrounded by water on three and this modern city has become one of America's favourites and is visually spectacular, with many world-famous steep hills offering incredible views of San Francisco Bay and the breathtaking Golden Gate Bridge.

San Francisco is regularly classed as one of the top tourist destinations in the world and it is easy to see why. With top attractions such as Alcatraz Island - the 'Rock in the Bay' which was once the most notorious prison in existence, housing some of America's most dangerous offenders; Pier 39 on Fisherman's Wharf - a lively bay area with numerous shops, arcades, seafood restaurants, cafés, fairground rides, ocean views and its own colony of sea lions; Lombard Street - probably the world's most bendy street; and of course the famous San Francisco cable cars, which provide cheap and easy access to the whole city and its many steep hills
San Francisco is a wonderful city to visit at any time of the year and the Bay Area of the city has an unusual collection of micro climates. This is a direct result of the famous San Francisco fog, which is often redirected by the city's many steep hills and can be quite an attraction. Watching the fog roll in through the Golden Gate Bridge, headed towards the city, is a sight well worth seeing.

Destination Information:

Getting There

Select Vacations offers business and economy flights with Qantas Airways, United Airlines, Virgin Australia, Delta Airways, Air New Zealand and Hawaiian Airlines.

Visa

All Australian passport holders visiting or transiting the United States under the Visa Waiver Program must apply for an ESTA, preferably at least three days (or 72 hours) prior to travel to the United States, at a cost of USD14. ESTA is a web-based system administered by the United States Government that determines the preliminary eligibility of visitors to travel under the Visa Waiver Program prior to boarding a carrier to the United States. Travellers who do not have a valid ESTA may be denied boarding in Australia by the airline. To obtain a travel authorisation, each family member travelling is required to complete the ESTA application using the online system.

Go to http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/esta/.

Passport

Valid passport required by all Australian nationals. The passport must be valid for at least six months from the date on which the holder enters the USA. If not, the holder will be admitted until the expiration date on the passport.

Currency & Credit Cards

The local currency is the United States Dollar (USD) The  banknotes are in denominations of $1, $2, $5, $20, $50 & $100. Coins  are in denominations of US Dollar $1, and 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1 cents. Credit cards are accepted everywhere.

Getting Around

San Francisco has an extensive public transport system including trains, light rail, buses and ferries. Always a popular experience is the cable cars which offer regular services throughout the city.

Car hire is popular only when you plan to go out of town to Sausalito, the Napa Valley and the Muir Woods, Carmel and 

Weather

San Francisco’s temperate climate yields mild weather year-round. Temperatures rarely top 22C or dip below 10C. In the summer, the city’s famous fog rolls in mornings and evenings, creating a misty chill in the air. September and October are San Francisco’s warmest, sunniest months and it isnot unusual to see rain from November to March.

General Hints

Visit Alcatraz Island & the Golden Gate Bridge

Take a day trip to the Napa Valley.

Ride a cable car.

Visit Lombard Street which is known as the "Crookedest Street in the World".

A visit to Fisherman's Wharf where you shop, dine and enjoy an afternoon or evening.

Take a San Francisco Bay cruise.

Visit the Golden Gate Park  - 1,017 acres and a lovely way to spend a weekend day.

Visit the Exploratorium at The Palace of Fine Arts- a great place to take the kids - an interactive museum with hands on exhibits.

See a ball game at Candlestick Park or in winter see an American football game.

Visit the Walt Disney Family Museum.

Take an “Urban Safari” tour which has to be the best tour in town and they can arrange tickets to visit Alcatraz at the end of the tour.

  Always dress in layers and take a sweater or a light jacket with you as the weather changes hourly some days.