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When San Franciscans refer to "the park", there's only one that gets the definite article: Golden Gate Park. Everything San Franciscans hold dear is here: free spirits, free music, redwoods, Frisbee, protests, fine art, bonsai, and buffalo. Check out the range of attractions listed below, or just follow your bliss from east to west.

Start on the east end, where you pass the Conservatory of Flowers and the sheltered contemplative valley of the AIDS Memorial Grove. As you near the Academy of Sciences, pass by the Shakespeare Garden, featuring 150 plants mentioned in Shakespeare's writings. Nearby are the Japanese Tea Garden, the San Francisco Botanical Garden, and Strybing Arboretum. Head toward Martin Luther King Drive to pass the Polo Fields, where the 1967 Human Be-In took place and free concerts are still held in summer.

Perched on the top of Telegraph Hill in San Francisco's Pioneer Park, Coit Tower is one of the best panoramic views of the city. From the top of the art deco tower, you can spot the colorful flocks of parrots, which paint the treetops red and blue; further out, you can see the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Pier 39, Angel Island, and Lombard Street.

Before heading to the top, enter the lobby to admire the 1930s murals inside the tower's ground floor. The 26 murals tell the story of California history, with frescoes depicting the rise of the state's industry. Indeed, some of these left-leaning murals, many of which were painted by artists who studied under Diego Rivera, were considered controversial when the tower first opened.

Technically speaking, the Embarcadero (Spanish for “Wharf”) is the eastern waterfront and roadway of the Port of San Francisco. More to-the-point, the Embarcadero is the glittering waterfront and a cultural center of one of America’s greatest cities. Running from the end of Market Street and Fisherman’s Wharf on the northern end down to South Beach Park on the southern end, the Embarcadero is not only a beautiful stretch of some of the most iconic San Franciscan waterfront; it acts as a home to joggers and bicyclists, as well as bustling port tourist attraction and regional icon.

Catch a good time at Pier 39 or the nearby Fisherman’s Wharf for some excellent seafood, trendy spots with local bands, and souvenir hunting. Many festivities begin and culminate with the Embarcadero, so if you happen to be in town don’t forget to stick around for the fireworks and the always photogenic Golden Gate.

This leisurely winding block of Lombard Street is called the "crookedest street in the world.” Truthfully, though, Vermont Street in Potrero Hill deserves this accolade, but Lombard is much more scenic, with its red-brick pavement and lovingly tended flowerbeds, which bloom in full color during the warmer months. The angle is steep, for sure, so much so that the road has to zig-zag back and forth to make descending it possible.

Still, Lombard Street is fun to go down. If you drive, take the curves slowly and in low gear. If you’re walking, take staircases (without curves) up or down on either side of the street. Bring a camera, not only for picturesque view from the top, but also view looking up from the bottom.

Standing at the apex of the Filbert Street Steps, you can understand what Italian fishermen and beat poets saw in North Beach: tough climbs and giddy vistas, a place with more sky than ground, an area that was civilized by not entirely tamed.

A vibrant Italian community thrives in North Beach, which is home to dozens of Italian restaurants and coffeehouses. Columbus Avenue, the neighborhood's main street, is lined with many eclectic shops and one-of-a-kind fashion boutiques - perfect for an afternoon stroll.

You won’t find an actual beach in North Beach, though you will discover natural beauty atop Telegraph Hill, the neighborhood’s bucolic centerpiece. A hike up the Filbert or Greenwich street steps will put you at the top, where you can take in panoramic views of the city from Coit Tower. Or forego the climb and watch wild parrots frolic in the treetops from the friendly confines of a park bench in Washington Square.

Haight-Ashbury is one of the most famous neighborhoods in San Francisco. The neighborhood is most famous for its role as a center of the 1960s hippie movement, reaching a peak in 1967, the "Summer of Love". With this liberal backdrop, modern American counterculture has been synonymous with San Francisco and the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood ever since.

The area still maintains its bohemian vibe, and it's fun just to people watch. In one afternoon you can see a mix of aging flower children, former Dead-heads, musicians, tourists, homeless people, and hip urban professionals going about their day.

The neighborhood is also a thriving center of restaurants, bars, trendy clothing boutiques, booksellers, head shops, and record stores. It's also home to the famous Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream shop, located at the intersection of Haight and Ashbury streets.

The newly paved grounds of Union Square, bordered by brightly lit department stores and hotels, may not at first seem like an inviting place to hang out. But perch awhile on a skinny bench or grab a coveted seat at the café in the square, and you’ll discover some of the best people-watching in the city.

For in one day, you’ll see theater-goers debate the merits of the latest David Mamet productions, Nob Hill society dames in dark glasses duck into Maiden Lane spas for facials, and giddy teens wear out their parents while shopping for prom dresses.

But the real reason to come to Union Square is to shop. The square is home to six major department stores: Macy’s, Bloomingdales, Barney’s, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Neiman Marcus. Boutique shoppers will find plenty of spots to browse the latest designer fashion. High-end emporiums surround the square, including Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Bottega Veneta, Dolce & Gabbana, Burberry, Prada, and Giorgio Armani.

In a select few blocks of San Francisco’s bustling downtown lies the beautiful Civic Center. Known for housing some of the city’s main governmental and cultural institutions, the Civic Center is a hub of activity and not just for municipal officials – there’s really a lot to do and see. Take a look and you’ll find the impressive City Hall and War Memorial Opera House built in the beautiful Beaux Arts style. The San Francisco Public Library houses millions(!) of books, and on Sunday mornings the UN Plaza Farmers’ Market has more fine nibbling you could hope to wish for. After touring the buildings, consider the adjacent Hayes Valley for wandering the antique shops, restaurants, art galleries, and book stores.

The finest restaurants in town can't provide views as spectacular as the picnic tables atop Alamo Square Park facing Steiner Street's Postcard Row, a row of pastel Victorian houses, known as the Painted Ladies. In fact, the lavish gingerbread detailing, look-at-me bay windows, and frosting flourishes that adorn the houses may leave you craving dessert.

This collection of candy-jar colored Victorian houses is one of San Francisco's most famous assets. Though many exist throughout the city, this is where you’ll find the greatest concentration of these restored gems. At the corner of Fulton and Steiner streets, in Alamo Square, you can see the crisp edges of the Financial District skyscrapers behind a row of Victorians - it's one of the most famous views of San Francisco. You can even see City Hall.

Walking down San Francisco’s beautiful Marina District it’s hard to believe that the area was once a marshy swampland. Dredged, developed, and beautified for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, after decades of renewal, today the Marina itself is full of joggers, bicyclists, and chic young 20-somethings either out at the numerous bars and restaurants or window shopping the upscale waterfront boutiques.

Struck hard by an earthquake in 1989, the urban renewal in years since has left the Marina with an upscale trendy feel. Combine that with great ocean views and some of the nicest parks and walkways in San Francisco and you’ve got a neighborhood with just about everything – and the price tag to match.

For sunny days, head to Crissy Field or Fort Mason and the Presidio for scenic strolling and some of the best views of the Golden Gate. For a fun night-time bar scene, head to “The Triangle” at Fillmore and Greenwich, but be prepared for a crowd.

Madame Tussauds around the world are famously home to wax recreations of famous figures, including celebrities, politicians, and athletes. Modeled after the original Madame Tussauds in London, the San Francisco Wax Museum was converted in the 17th Madame Tussauds worldwide in 2014. Life-size wax versions of Tiger Woods, Muhammed Ali, Abraham Lincoln, Michael Jackson, and Marilyn Monroe can be found here, among many others. Contemporary figures such as Barack Obama and Lady Gaga are also brought to life.

Madame Tussauds San Francisco is home in particular to an area called “The Spirit of San Francisco,” which celebrates local artists, politicians, and activists that have played a role in the city’s history. It is a chance to specifically see icons of the Bay Area in one place. The figures are set against realistic backdrops, making them all the more lifelike!

San Francisco has one of the only remaining historic World War II Liberty ships docked in its bay, and it is open to visitors. Named for American Revolutionary War ship captain, the SS Jeremiah O’Brien is one of only two currently operational World War II Liberty ships afloat of the 2,700 built during the war. The ship survived the storming of Normandy on D-Day in 1944, and is now a National Historic Landmark visitors can tour near Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco.

The preserved Liberty ship is completely unaltered, allowing for an authentic and accurate historical experience of exploring the ship just as it was made. Walking through the hallways and on deck, one can truly experience a time and place of being on the ocean in wartime decades ago. Everything from the engine room to the flying bridge is accessible to visitors, allowing a rare glimpse into life at sea and at war at that time.

The Castro District, known otherwise as simply, "the Castro," is widely considered the United States' gay capital. Not only is it the largest, but also the country's first.

Regardless of a visitor's sexual orientation, the Castro is full of wonderful attractions, including the Castro Theatre, one of San Francisco's more popular movie palaces, complete with a world-class interior chandelier and designed with a colonial Spanish Baroque facade.

Perhaps the area's most culturally significant landmark, the GLBT Historical Society includes a museum and archives documenting the history of the gay and lesbian communities in the U.S. Aside from its core purpose, the building also houses other interesting institutions including the Cartoon Art Museum, which features well over 6,000 different cartoons and comics, and the Catharine Clark Gallery, an exhibition including different forms of media for contemporary, living artists.