When it comes to San Francisco sites, anything is possible. The city is liberal, diverse and has some of the most Instagrammable locations in the U.S. If you have 24 hours in the city, you can spend it visiting some Black-owned locations or eating at Black-owned restaurants.
There are numerous historical sites and tourist attractions in San Francisco. For the culinary enthusiasts, there are more dining options than you can enjoy in a single visit. If you are looking for the perfect place to work up a sweat, there are tons of natural landscapes to hike, such as Telegraph Hill, Russian Hill and Nob Hill. San Francisco is also home to the Golden Gate Park, The Presidio and Dolores Park.
The downtown area has art galleries, hotels, theaters, malls and entertainment megaplexes. Chinatown and North Beach are electric, while The Haight has a countercultural vibe filled with street musicians, anarchist comic books and psychedelic murals. Fisherman’s Wharf, which overlooks the water, is jam packed with a dizzying amount of restaurants, bars and family-friendly activities. Chocolate lovers can enjoy Ghirardelli Square, which is the perfect place to gorge yourself on chocolate, ice cream sundaes and other decadence.
There are so many San Francisco sites to see, and they all have the potential to serve as a great background for your next Instagram post. Travel Noire’s compiled five sites to check out during your trip.
Golden Gate Bridge — Capture the San Francisco Golden Hour
The Golden Gate Bridge is to San Francisco what the Eiffel Tower is to Paris. On Instagram, there are tons of pictures of what may be the city’s most celebrated landmark.
You can get across the bridge by vehicle, bike or on foot. Upon its construction in 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge set the world record for the longest bridge span and the tallest towers. The distance of the bridge covers 4,200 feet, and fog can appear out of nowhere. However, don’t let that stop you from this amazing experience.
The next time you’re in San Francisco, consider a bike ride into Sausalito. Your legs will be screaming, but the views are worth it.
Keep an eye on the time, if you don’t plan to stay overnight. It’s safer to take the ferry back when darkness falls.
The Castro District
San Francisco is a LGBTQ-friendly city, and the Castro District is especially proud of that.
This San Francisco site immediately is recognizable for its giant gay pride flag, the rainbow crosswalks and the countless LGBTQ shops, bars, clubs and other businesses.
If you are craving something sweet with a naughty twist, go to Hot Cookie on Castro Street. Be sure to take a picture of the tasty appendage you buy.
The Japanese Tea Garden
This beautiful garden is sure to be a light on your Instagram page. It’s on Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive in Golden Gate Park. The garden is filled with colorful flowers, statues, decorative hedges and stunning architecture.
Here, you’ll find hedges pruned into depictions of Mount Fuji and dragons. There is a replica of a Buddhist Shrine called the Pagoda. It features five stories of architecture and sits in front of a Zen garden. The garden has a small waterfall, bonsai trees and azaleas.
The Mosaic Tile Stairs Crafted by the San Francisco Art Community
The mosaic stairs are artsy and functional. You’ll find them on several streets, including 16th Avenue and Moraga Street, and 15th Avenue and Kirkham Street.
Some of the stairs were commissioned by established artists and architects, while others were community art projects.
On the 16th Avenue stairs, there are many opportunities to snap an Instagram-worthy photo. The scene of brightly-colored birds, fish and animals adorns the stairs.
Chinatown
Did you know that San Francisco has the largest Chinatown outside of Asia? It’s also, according to the website, the oldest Chinatown in North America.
There’s plenty to do here. There are mom-and-pop restaurants, churches, herbal shops and cultural centers, such as The Chinese Cultural Center and The Chinese Historical Society of America.
This area is also home to the Old Chinese Telegraph Exchange. At this site, operators use to route calls to every business and residence in the neighborhood for decades. They would memorize the directory and speak different Chinese dialects. This pagoda-style building is now a bank.