Day 4 – San Francisco

Apr 9, 2011 by Joel

It was another late start to the day after attending another CouchSurfing event last night. It is so great to meet a group of new people with travel as either a part of their daily lives or something that they want to be doing. Even though this being the case I managed to get around and see quite a bit today.

California Academy of Sciences

The California Academy of Science is a little different to some of the other science centers that I have been to. For one it is not just general all of the science thing’s. It kind of mixes it up a little bit.

In reality what it is, is a Science Museum, Planetarium, Aquarium, and they also have a living rain forest. The thing is that it does to some extent almost do most of these better then the individual places that would normally do them.

They do not have the greatest range of hands on science things to give a go, however they do have quite a range of information around the exhibits they do have. One of the ones that is kind of boring but that caught my attention the most was a swinging pendulum, that basically proves the earths rotation. About every hour it will knock down one of these silver rods standing around a circle.

Golden Gate Bridge

After the academy of science, I found my way to the bus which goes to the wharf, via Golden Gate Bridge. There are literally so many different angles that you can photograph this bridge from, yesterday on the bay cruise I was able to photograph it from the water and from directly underneath, while today I was able to see it from the southern side on the bluffs.

For the time that it was built it is an amazing piece of engineering. Just thinking about the pillions straight down into the incoming water channel, with the tides and currants flowing through there. Combined with the sort of weather conditions that are frequent on the bay here in San Francisco it is a surprise that it made it to completion, yet it has also lasted all these years.

De Young Museum Observation Tower

If you are looking for a good view of the city that does not cost the earth like many of the observation decks do around the world. This is one for you. It only needs to be nine stores high, as the location is relatively high to most of the other area’s of the city.

Palace of Fine Art

Rather then get public transport back to Fisherman’s Wharf, I decided to take the slightly more difficult route of walking back. One of the three stops on this 5.4 Mile (8.6km) walk. The Palace of Fine Arts is located right near the Exploratorium, which is one of the stops I still have to make.

Basically what it is, a group of columns, around a central structure with columns, and a dome. As previously the pictures will most likely describe it better than I can.

Lombard Street

Famous in at least one way, Lombard street has what is known as the crookedest street in the world. In addition it is also part of US Highway 101. However a lot of people visit the block between Hyde and Leavenworth streets, where a series of switchbacks helps to ease up the impossible grade of the hill.

The pictures are not great, but if you imagine traversing a series of Switchbacks totally about 8 or 9 in a 1/4 mile (400metres). Not an easy challenge but it is almost like a tourist attraction, to just be able to drive down this small windy piece of road.

Coit Tower

When you continue along Lombard Street towards the bay, you end up walking up Telegraph Hill. Which has on top Coit Tower. This tower was erected in 1933, with a bequest from Lillie Hitchcock Coit, to beautify the city of San Francisco. This tower is quite a prominent feature on the skyline, and they also allow you to go to the top. Which gives a good view over the Wharf, bay and city.