California

Fisherman's Wharf is a classic San Francisco tourist attraction. Once a few hundred fishermen, mostly... Italian, used to moor their boats here; now there is a daily flood of tourists over the wooden piers and along the harbour side, The Embarcadero. Fisherman's Wharf along piers 45 to 39 is now the preserve of the idle and curious. Countless souvenir shops, bric-a-brac shops, restaurants, bars, small carousels, street acrobats and jugglers - there is a scene of lively bustle and happy jostling throughout the day. You can find the odd curio for a party or children's room, and eat fish or shellfish. The fresh sea breeze, the mewing of the seagulls, and a colony of sea lions at the end of pier 39 create a real seaside feel. You can also admire the flora and fauna of the Pacific in Underwater World, one of the most modern aquariums in the world (http://www.aquariumofthebay.com). more

This mansion was built in the 1920s by the newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst on a hill in the... Santa Lucia Range. The estate, which consists of the main house ‘La Casa Grande’, three guest pavilions and a 127 ha park, cost 37 million dollars to build. Hearst spared no expense when it came to his fantasy castle: he collected artworks from all over Europe, decorated the Neptune Pool with ancient Greek-style statues, and fitted the Roman Pool with Murano glass tiles. The newspaper magnate was happy to share this luxury with Hollywood stars, whom he had flown in for parties in the 1920s and 1930s. These stars included Charlie Chaplin, Cary Grant, Joan Crawford and Clark Gable. Hearst Castle was donated to California State Parks in 1958 and has been open to the public ever since. more

The Museum is in the Washington/Mason Cable Car Barn and Powerhouse, built in 1887. This is also the... place where the cables of the cars are driven to keep the famous cable cars in motion. The story of the transport, so typical of the city, is shown in a vivid way. The drive station, the workshop, the depot and historic wagons, partly deriving from the 1870s, can be seen here. One can watch, from a gallery, how the round about 4.6 mi (7.5 km) long and 1.3 in (3,3 cm) thick cables are sent electronically to the streets via a system consisting of wheels, rolls and guide channels. Furthermore, pictures, models and a film educate on the operation and history of the Cable Cars. more