San Francisco

The 1937 suspension bridge, 2.7 km long and painted International Orange to stand out in the fog, can be crossed on foot or by bike between San Francisco and Marin.

💡 Cross it by bike, hired at Fisherman's Wharf, then ride down to Sausalito and return by ferry. For the full view, go up to Battery Spencer, on the Marin side, or down to Fort Point, beneath the bridge on the south side. The fog often lifts in the late morning. Price: free on foot and by bike, electronic toll for cars in the north-to-south direction.

A park larger than Central Park, reclaimed from sand dunes, home to the de Young museum, the California Academy of Sciences, the Japanese Tea Garden and a bison paddock.

💡 Go up the de Young's observation tower for free for a 360-degree view of the city without paying for the museum. Hire a bike to cross the park to the ocean, where two Dutch windmills stand. Price: park free, museums and Tea Garden paid, book on their websites.

The city's sunniest, Latino neighbourhood, with Mission Dolores from 1791, the murals of Balmy and Clarion Alleys, sloping Dolores Park and the birthplace of the Mission burrito.

💡 Walk from Mission Dolores to 24th Street via Balmy Alley, then climb to the top of Dolores Park for the view. Try a burrito at a taqueria on Mission Street. Price: neighbourhood free, small contribution at the entrance to Mission Dolores.

One of North America's oldest Chinatowns, rebuilt after 1906, entered through the Dragon Gate, with Grant Avenue's shops, Stockton Street's markets, the Tin How temple and a fortune cookie factory.

💡 Come in the morning for the bustle of the Stockton Street markets and dim sum in a neighbourhood dining room. Climb up to the discreet Tin How temple respectfully: visitors leave an offering. Price: free, a few dollars' contribution in the temples.

The 1898 ferry terminal on the Embarcadero, now a food hall of local oysters, cheeses and sourdough, with a farmers' market three times a week and ferries to Sausalito.

💡 Come on Saturday morning for the farmers' market, then take the Sausalito ferry for a 30-minute crossing facing the Golden Gate and Alcatraz. Try oysters at the counter on the bay side. Price: free entry.

A clifftop coastal trail at the city's north-west tip, past the ruins of the Sutro Baths, viewpoints over the Golden Gate and a stone labyrinth on the edge of the drop.

💡 Start from the Lands End Lookout visitor centre, walk out and back to Eagle's Point, and stay for sunset over the ocean. The trail is steep in places and windy, so take a jacket. Do not climb down onto the rocks at the edge, as the waves sweep walkers away every year. Price: free.