The city of San Francisco is renowned for its rolling hills and visitors can expect an interesting mix of the traditional and the modern. Its most famous landmark is undoubtedly the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, which spans the opening into San Francisco Bay from the Pacific and attracts an estimated 9 million visitors each year (San Francisco Visitor and Convention Bureau).

Home to some of the best bars and restaurants in the US, San Francisco is also a dream come true for shopping addicts. San Francisco offers unique style, with one-of-a-kind shops. Check out Chinatown for a kitsch-out, or the Westfield San Francisco Centre for urban chic. You'll find up-market bars with up-to-the-minute DJs in the trendy South of the Market (SOMA) district and a laid-back street scene in Haight-Ashbury.

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art claims to be one of the world's most innovative contemporary art museums. Here you'll find a tribute to all things modern, from the photographs of Ansel Adams to the work of Jackson Pollock.

Meanwhile, an amazing tribute to dignitaries and celebrities at the Fisherman's Wharf Wax Museum also draws the crowds with the intrigue of its ghoulish chamber of horrors.

Marine life is an important theme in San Francisco and there are a number of attractions offering visitors the chance to immerse themselves in the underwater world.

Visitors can enter into the aquatic spirit at the Six Flags Waterworld Concord, a refreshing oasis in the bay area and a great way to beat the summer heat. Here you will find exciting water slides, raft rides and activity pools for all ages.

Within the walls of the California Academy of Sciences, the Steinhart Aquarium is the oldest operating aquarium in America. Expect to find species which cannot be seen elsewhere in the world, some now extinct in the wild; this is a must-see.  The museum also hosts varied exhibitions and events with the whole family in mind from behind-the-scenes tours and local bird watching talks to penguin feeding and story-telling sessions.

The Fisherman's Wharf area is buzzing with boats and tourists, and makes a great spot for a fish supper; a steaming bowl of chowder is, of course, compulsory.  One of San Francisco’s most visited districts, start your visit at the California Welcome Centre on Pier 39 for local maps and details of the “Port Walk”, a self-guided tour from Ferry Arch to Hyde Street Pier. Then hop aboard one of San Francisco’s famous street cars and ride the historic F Line.

In fact, a ride on one of the cable cars which clatter up and down the famously precipitous San Francisco streets is an absolute must; you'll get a great view of San Francisco's eclectic Victorian architecture and these are something of a city icon.

Then escape to Alcatraz - the small island in the middle of the bay was famously used to house a high-security prison until the 1960s. It is now part of the National Park network and open to visitor tours, with boats departing daily from Fisherman's Wharf

It is now part of the National Park network and open to visitor tours, with boats departing daily from Fisherman's Wharf

A little further afield is the Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (30 miles north of San Francisco) which offers a great day out for the whole family.  Divided into Land, Sea and Sky themed “lands”, the Park boasts an impressive animal park and a breathtaking array of marine life, along with the tallest rollercoaster in northern California.  Get up close to dolphins and stingrays, wander through the shark tunnel and watch the antics of the Pacific Walrus.  Thrill seekers will be delighted by the Medusa “Sea Serpent” ride or the “V2” vertical velocity experience whilst families with younger children may prefer “Tava’s Jungleland” or the new “Thomas Town” where fans can meet Thomas the Tank Engine and friends.

San Francisco Bay is lauded by many as being "like no other place on earth". Here you have the world-class shopping and five-star dining of the city, coupled with the stunning Napa Valley and its much-celebrated wines. You can also expect a breath of fresh sea air, whether you're hanging out with eclectic free spirited beach communities or playing the urban sophisticate.