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The USS Hornet Museum in Alameda is a Floating Museum and Important Part of History
There have been several warships in the U.S. Navy named Hornet since the nation was founded, but when it comes to distinguished wartime service and participation in significant milestones in our nation’s history, none can match the current (and likely, last) version now moored on the east side of San Francisco Bay in Alameda. Rightfully listed as a National Historic Landmark, the USS Hornet is now a floating museum with lots of things to see, do, and learn whether you are a military history buff or not.
Visit San Francisco’s de Young Museum for Art’s Sake!
Ars gratia artis. L’art grace a l’art. Art for art’s sake. No matter what your first language may be, this enduring quotation captures the elusive nature and (somewhat) unquantifiable value of art in our lives very well. If you love artistic expression in some or all of its forms, it’s likely that you already know about the de Young, as it is one of the best art museums in the world and one of the most visited. Located in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, the de Young is one of several San Francisco art museums that draw and delight visitors from all over the world each year.
Each May, the Bay to Breakers Footrace is a Bay Area Tradition
The annual Bay to Breakers footrace in San Francisco is the longest continuously run footrace in the world. The inaugural race was run in May 1912 as a way to increase civic pride and boost the spirits of residents after the disastrous Earthquake in 1906, which leveled much of San Francisco. Today, the event is one of the highlights of the year for Bay Area runners and many people plan a visit to the area around the third Sunday in May each year to participate in this fun, competitive and challenging race.
You Don’t Have to Love Opera to Love Opera in the Park in San Francisco
Soaring arias delivered by coloratura sopranos and resonant baritones may not be your thing, but if you’re not a fan of opera, an afternoon spent with the San Francisco Opera in Golden Gate Park’s Sharon Meadow might inspire you to re-think your position. Each September, the SFO kicks off their season with a free outdoor concert that attracts people from all over the Bay Area and the world to hear world-class sopranos, altos, tenors and bass singers deliver some of the most beautiful music ever written. Since the first Opera in the Park was held in 1971, this annual event has become the official start of the opera season and attracts more than 20,000 people every year.
The Great American Music Hall is San Francisco’s Oldest and Grandest Live Music Venue
The Great American Music Hall in San Francisco’s Tenderloin District is one of the best places to see and hear live performances of all kinds in the Bay Area. No matter your taste in music, you’re likely to see at least several bands that you like in the venue’s busy performance schedule. Although the line-up also frequently offers stand-up comedy, theatrical productions and many other types of live performance, live music fills the intimate room on most nights, with good reason. The GAMH is widely regarded as a “musician’s room,” with great sound, the ability for performers to perform quite close to audience members and the inimitable atmosphere of a facility that was built in 1907.
Schedule a Visit to San Francisco’s Castro Theater for a Unique Bay Area Experience
If you’re the type of moviegoer who longs for the days when the movie theater itself was an important part of the movie-watching experience, then you should definitely plan on attending at least one showing at the Castro Theater in San Francisco’s Castro neighborhood. The Castro is one of the finest examples of the way that movie palaces used to be built, complete with huge lighted marquees and architectural flourishes. Inside, the lobbies and theaters were elegant, with wall sconces, grand staircases, chandeliers, decorative ceilings, loge boxes and many other ornate details.
Playland Japan is a Great Destination for Video Game Fanatics
Not so long ago, video game parlors were the place to be if you had extra time, extra quarters in your pocket and a love for video games. Few malls across the country didn’t have at least one dimly lit video game parlor with pinball machines, change machines and lots of video games playing 16-bit graphics and sound. The explosive popularity of PC gaming and home gaming consoles have driven the majority of video game parlors out of business but a few still remain, including a very unique one in San Francisco’s Japantown neighborhood.
Randall Museum
There are children’s museums in many cities and towns across the United States but few can rival San Francisco’s Randall Museum for captivating, entertaining and educating young children. Located smack-dab in the middle of the city at 199 Museum Way in Corona Heights Park, this San Francisco museum may be a bit difficult to find but is well worth the effort to get here. The Museum was started by a remarkable woman named Josephine D Randall, who had an uncommonly strong sense of civic responsibility and a love of children.
Take a trip to San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum with Nationwide Limousine Service
San Francisco has so many unique, wonderful and interesting museums that some are easy to overlook. One of the museums that is less well-known but exceptional nonetheless is the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco’s Civic Center District. Located just off Market Street at 200 Larkin St., this museum is one of those rare places where you can fully immerse yourself and lose all track of time and perhaps even your location. After a few steps in this museum, it would be easy for a guest to think they had been transported to India in the 14th Century, China during the Ming Dynasty, heading to Mecca on a hajj with other pilgrims in the Fourth Century A.D. or standing in Angkor Wat in Cambodia in the 1600s.
San Francisco’s Neighborhoods: Pacific Heights
If you want to see San Francisco as it is portrayed in the movies and on TV, then make your way to the Pacific Heights neighborhood. Here you will find the city’s famous streets lined with Victorian mansions, not to mention the very best views of the Bay and Golden Gate Bridge. The neighborhood today remains rather residential and has a tendency to favor all things luxurious. That being said, it is a great day destination for those looking to do some upscale shopping and people who simply like to eavesdrop on ‘how the other half lives’.
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