The Super Bowl is all set and San Francisco 49ers are not playing in the big game at Levi's Stadium…read morein 2026. There is a place which has documented contribution of the history of San Francisco from this year Super Bowl teams cities and regions. The city of Seattle ( Rainier Beer) and Boston ( Ship Bank) via New England are represented inside . Although I am not fans of either teams, I do appreciate any contribution of other cities to San Francisco . This museum is the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park Visitor Center and even has a sign posted which refers to the city of San Francisco as Frisco. Some locals call it Frisco and some cringe over it and some debate over it ( the endless online debate). This place has embraced the city reference as Frisco at a historical and federal level. On a Winter January stroll at Fisherman's Wharf by the sea boats and ships on Jefferson street in San Francisco you will find a museum with free admission. Inside you will see the history of San Francisco water front before it became a tourist trap. You will see inside items like historical hats and props of seafood in SF. There are displays of even historic bottles of beer and whiskey. They also have statues and a ship inside . The Maritime National Historic Museum Visitor Center is a good place to learn and appreciate how the water front transformed Fisherman's Wharf and San Francisco also known as Frisco by some. When you "enter " the "Maritime National Historic Museum Visitor Center " you will be transported in a time when ships were the main source of transportation when trade was legal "tender" to buy goods over a century ago from merchants or a "vendor" This museum has history of San Francisco when it started with "Spain " before it became USA " terrain" and then ended with the 1898" Spanish American Campaign"and some historical artifacts of the past inside the Maritime National Historic Museum Visitor Center still "remain"

Free museum to look at. Lots to read and no hurry to move. Clean and nice workers they are there to…read moreanswer questions. Nice place to bring students or walk through with kids. Clean bathrooms ADA accessible, etc...nice place to slow down and take a break from the outdoor sun or crowds of tourists.

We have been meaning to go to the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center for a while. We stopped by on…read moreour way back from Sausalito. It was really busy and there isn't a ton of parking. Luckily, people were coming and going constantly. So we were able to get a parking spot right by the welcome center. Once you park you have to pay for how long you intend to park there. We thought we would need only 45 minutes, which worked out perfectly. It was a little over $3 for 45 minutes. The welcome center is big inside and offers information about the bridge's history, science, and engineering through displays, photo's and videos. They sell tons of souvenirs all related to the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco. I found a nice navy blue zip-up hoodie that I bought for myself. Checkout was fast and easy and all the employees were very nice and helpful. You can get a lot of nice photos, outside, of the Golden Gate Bridge. We took a few selfies. There is a coffee shop called the round house cafe across from the welcome center that sells coffee, beverages and food. There are also public restrooms available there. It was a beautiful day to be out there. The view of the bridge was so clear and beautiful.

It's like a gas station stop on a road trip, but here, you get to pick out your favorite San…read moreFrancisco souvenir and take photos with the fog overtaking the bridge. It's a nice and also very cold area, as it's right next to the breezy waters, even though it's higher up. You can definitely see the Golden Gate Bridge from here. Lots of visitors walking around outside and in the souvenir shop. The shop has everything Golden Gate Bridge themed. From keychains to greeting cards and even fun books. There's a big restroom here, but it feels very cold inside, again because you're near the ocean. But it's a pretty clean public restroom. Lots of cars as well as the Muni bus comes up here. Just watchout for traffic when crossing.

Nice new visitor center with a desk person and panda stuffed animals for sale...tourist brochures…read morefor the bay area standards...for kids or newer tourists...some of the activities are from the 1990s...over 30 years ago...eventually...u can keep walking around by yourself on planet earth...maybe we missed the point....go to workplace and meet in the community...maybe we missed the boat..boat back to china haha

My sister and I were in SF Chinatown last Saturday in the afternoon. After purchasing a box of…read moremooncakes and jeen dur (sesame ball aka Chinese donut), we were walking on our way to the Montgomery BART Station by way of Kearny Street. I stopped in at this information center. I asked the lady at the counter for their holiday gift guide. The gift guide was advertised on another website (FB). She said she could not help me. Well, I turned and looked to the counter to my right. Lo and behold! I found the gift guide. I can't say for sure if she misunderstood me; however, I will give her the benefit of the doubt. I waved the gift guide at her and told her thank you. Of course, I am curious as to what types of discounts are being offered to not only tourists but also local people in the area. I'm from across the bay (the town/Oakland/Alameda), and I don't mind stopping in several businesses to support the community of SF Chinatown. The guide lists discounts for bakery & cafe, dried seafood/Chinese herbal products, gift shops, jewelry, restaurant, tea shops. Other attractions are landmarks and murals. Not interested in massages, as I have Dr. Feelgood at home. (Sing it Aretha!) LOL.

Stopped in for my favorite post hike treat today at the Lookout- Bar Gelato by Naia. Don't…read moreunderestimate this popsicle style gelato! Creamy and delicious, I got the chocolate marzipan. Besides drinks and snacks this cute little visitors center offers maps, books, and other fun gift ideas like cutting boards and playing cards. What's even cooler is the history inside. There are display cases with historic artifacts, historical depictions of the area and even a sculpture from the original Sutro Gardens. The staff is all very knowledgeable and friendly. One of the stand out sections is these little cubes where they feature post cards that visitors can make art on or write their memories and submit for the display. With clear views of Sutro baths from both inside and outside this mini museum is a great place to take a break whether I'm hiking up the lands end trail or walking the beach. The bathrooms are always clean and there is a water fill up station outside.

What a beautiful place to visit. We went on Sunday and the weather was perfect. There wasn't a…read morecloud in the sky and there was no fog so you could see as far as you could. Parking is tight. There are two lots. We looked at the lower lot and didn't see anything. We didn't know about the upper lot till we went hiking around. We did luck out and found a spot near the local hotel. Only two hour parking, but that was enough time for us. We parked across from the bus stop, so if you are looking for parking, drive a block or so off from the main lot into the housing district. After we parked we walked a little bit to the Sutro District sign. All the streets have cross walks and buttons to push so you can get the cross walk going. When you hit the Sutro District sign you come upon several trails that take you to lands end lookout. We followed the longer trail and had a good walk. What a view. With the fog free day you can see the Golden Gate Bridge Clearly. We took some fabulous pictures. The only thing is you can barley see the bridge in the distance in our pictures. It's a tiny speck, but when you look with the naked eye you can see it as if it's right there. It's an optical illusion. This is a place I'd love to come back to and hike around more. There are plenty more trails to explore.

We had so much fun visiting the Jelly Belly Factory. We found it very clean. Everyone one we…read moreinteracted with was very friendly. The factory workers would wave up us as we watched the make jelly belly's and assorted candies. They had lots of activities along the way to keep little ones involved. On the day we went the plant was partially running. But we plan to go back when the are fully running. The gift shop is amazing. They also pizza, hamburgers and such. Along with custom chocolates. They have jelly belly museum. It was a neat side adventure and worth going. Check your out our journeys on Mark Clay McGowan only YouTube for a complete videos. His channel is worth checking out for railroad history, our travels, local history, and rail fan interest. As well as subscribers adventures from around the world that he takes along the Tehachapi loop and other hidden gems.

This factory tour is not anything less than 5 stars. The factory is not operational on weekends, so…read moreeverything is covered up and your main source of guidance would be the videos they play at tour checkpoints. Adults are $8, children are $4, and everyone gets a paper factory hat you wear, and a small package of jelly beans for after the tour. There weren't many people present around the 2PM timeframe, I saw more people coming in at 3PM when I was heading out. I won't go into too much detail on the tour, but it's pretty fun and should be much more exciting on a weekday. It's filled with fun facts and there are some interactive activities and photo-ops, topped off with fun facts and trivia. There is also a museum you can visit by a 5 min walk or a tram ride. It's filled with old factory parts and the history of the company. I also enjoyed the jelly bean art present both at the factory tour and the museum. All in all, we spent about 1.5hours here, and is easily extendable to 2+ hours with kids or if you're into history. The jelly bean factory shop has some items on deep discounts and are a lot cheaper than in-store ones at 3rd parties. I would definitely stock up here until your next visit. There are also gift boxes to bring to family and friends both in country and to countries where jelly beans aren't sold or are more expensive. Either way, if you're a fan of jelly beans, then you best believe this is your best bet for the best deals and arguably best selection...it is the factory after all!

A very interesting exhibition. I enjoy watching the videos. The basement model was huge and even…read morehas a clean bathroom. The volunteers are very nice and friendly. It's probably a bit boring for children but if you're interested in how water is processed from the bay and the history of the bay area's water development, this is educational. I really enjoyed my trip here. It's about an hour long. Definitely recommend an afternoon here and a walk in the neighborhood plus a nice lunch afterwards.

Interested in hydraulic models? Here's your chance to walk around a model of the San Francisco Bay…read moreDelta which simulates a 24-hour cycle of tides. What blew me away was how expansive the model was! Exhibits of the area's hydrology are also found throughout the facility. Guided tours are available on Saturdays at 11AM. It's limited to 40 visitors on a first come basis. Tours are 45 minutes long. If there is more staff available, they offer tours on the hour or half hour. Tours can also be tailored to groups at various technical levels (see their website for contact information). Hours are: Tuesday - Friday: 9AM - 3PMSaturday: 9AM - 4PM They are closed on Sunday, Monday, and Federal Holidays. If a Federal holiday falls on a Monday, then they will be closed on the previous Saturday. There's a free parking lot next to the facility. Admission is free!

Educational with photo-ops! I came across this storefront while walking around the downtown Napa…read moreshopping plaza. I ended up picking up a handful of great souvenirs to bring back home. Checkout the topographical map of Napa Valley while you're here! There's a lot of cool info about the area near the door.

On a recent visit, I explored downtown Napa on foot and was happy to find this welcome center. They…read morehad a tasting of local wineries for free at the front, plus a large gift shop of mainly wine items and souvenirs of the area. They also have pamphlets and maps, as well as knowledgeable local guides to help you plan your visit. They also had nice restrooms, which were appreciated on a driving trip. All the staff were welcoming and friendly. I bought a few small items, but the best thing were the wine bottle shippers that came in handy when packing for home. Every bottle survived. It's worth it to stop in if you're visiting the area, especially your first time.

I've been here several times to pick up products, and most of the time I just grab and go and don't…read morereally linger any longer than I need to. The staff is always warm and friendly which is quite nice especially given it gets quite busy. I've always wanted to try the coffee bar and stopped by here during my last visit. I ordered the white chocolate mocha, which came with the signature apple logo. The mocha was great. And if you are visiting here for the first time, do check out the rooftop patio and the AR experience.

I don't understand how this is a visitors center. This place is a glorified Apple Store with a…read moremediocre cafe attached. There was an area under construction so maybe they will have something more interesting in the future. But my whole family (including my Apple obsessed hubby) only spent about 15 min here left completely disappointed. I felt it was a waste of my time driving here to see it unless you are an Apple super fan and need an overpriced Apple t-shirt, or need to buy some kind of Apple product and don't have an Apple Store near you.

I am surprised there isn't more reviews for the Google Visitor Experience on here. It is a great…read moreplace to take friends, family and visitors to see a slice of Silicon Valley. Technically, you cannot go into the offices but you can check out the Google store, gift shop, cafe, big art plaza, and workshops. There is free parking at the garage nearby which is a piece of art itself. You can either take the shuttle which arrives every 15 minutes or walk about 7-10 minutes to the Google canopy. Once you arrive, you'll see the different parts that you can explore. My favorite 2 things to do there is the cafe which has so many inexpensive food and drink options and also the big artwork along the plaza. Even on crowded days, the big artwork is easy to check out and take pictures. I love the big white orb which is a massive twisted, metal sculpture that looks futuristic and very cool inside and outside. The bear is cute also because it is made completely out of pennies! You won't be disappointed by the big, fun, whimsical and spectacular big art at Google. It's like a free outdoor museum. My other favorite part of the experience is the cafe. Ordering is simple and the menu changes often. The cafe uses ingredients from a lot of local farms and bakeries. It keeps the menu quite cheap as most items are under $15 and even under $10! That is unheard of nowadays. Try the potato soup and you'll thank me. It is creamy, addictive and do yourself a favor and get the big bowl. The sandwiches are top notch and they use Acme bread which is already an awesome treat. After the art, the store, the cafe; you can easily take a hike to Shoreline and check out the amazing views from the top of the hill as well. So check out the Google Visitor Experience and it has much more to offer than other Silicon Valley experiences.

Didn't know what to expect, but I'll say Google Visitor Experience by far the one of the best…read more They have two areas you can park at: Lot C which is the Shoreline Amphitheater parking lot and it's a 3 minute walk to the Visitor Center or there's Alta Garage which is about a 8 minute walk. At Alta Garage there's a shuttle that runs from 10am to 7pm 7 days a week that takes you to the Visitor Center every 15 minutes.The parking and shuttle are also free. There's podium with greeters in green that can give a run a down on the visitor experience and they also have QR codes that gives you all the information you need as well about the Visitor experience. The Google store is cool with branded swag to the right and all the devices to the left of the store. The Cafe has really great food and they are locally sourced from local farms. Then theres the pop up shop that sells products from local businesses inside of the Huddle which is one of coolest places. It's a mixture of a library slash Dave n busters with all the games, board games that's there. The patio area outside is spacious and has tons of umbrellas which you can relax and enjoy a meal. Last but not least all burning man art pieces they have on campus that are exclusive to Google are really cool. If you have family or friends visiting from out of town take them to the Visitor Experience and spend the whole day here.

My artist friend whisked me away to Chinatown in search of something she says will definitely be…read morefound there and this unassuming corner store was our first destination. Turns out when looking for tassels and chachkis, Grant Avenue is the street to stroll. At Jing Ying, she found these ornamental tassels with opaque beads that will be part of her art. There's calendars, Bruce Lee posters and all kinds of stuff here. We met a nice lady who helped us without pushing us to buy anything. Prices are fairly comparable with other shops in the area. We've kept looking everywhere afterwards, but this place turned out to be our best find!

Beautiful jade bangles best Authentic real Chinese Jade bangles. Family owned shop and factory in…read moreChinatown San Francisco and Hong Kong. DO NOT GO ANYWHERE ELSE this is the best place in San Francisco