You know in a fun city like San Francisco there’s going to plenty of amazing attractions and activities to offer. From delicious food to the best nightclubs in town, here are 10 must-do things to do in San Francisco.

Take a Helicopter Ride

Taking a helicopter ride above San Francisco is easily one of the ways to see this beautiful city. There are numerous companies that offer helicopter rides, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding one. When you’re looking for really cool things to do in San Francisco, this is definitely one of the best! Take the trip and observe the city and surrounding areas from above and then have a great story to tell when you land!

Visit Alcatraz Prison

The notorious Alcatraz Prison sits in the middle of San Francisco Bay about 1.25 miles (2 kilometers) from the city. Tickets to see the prison are only about $35, and you can get there via a ferry ride that takes only around 15 minutes. Since 1963, the prison has been closed, but its sheer size and its history are good enough reasons to pay it a visit whenever you’re in the San Francisco area. Alcatraz is easily one of the most unique and interesting attractions in the city.

Stay in a Boutique Hotel

San Francisco is known for being a place where creative types gather and one of the best places to immerse in the cool design scene is by staying at one of the fabulously creative boutique hotels in the city. Some of the best hotels to try is the fun and eclectically designed Hotel Zetta, the elegant and trendy Palihotel and the legendary Phoenix Hotel which is where all the rock stay when they’re visiting the city.

Visit Chinatown

The Chinatown area of San Francisco is the largest one in America, and this is a fabulous area which offers a variety of food tours and walking tours. Enjoy some authentic Chinese food or simply walk around and enjoy the unique culture that will completely surround you. You can shop, dine, and visit one of dozens of booths that are always set up in the area. Large, colorful with a buzzing atmosphere which is always a lot of fun, and it provides you with a great way to learn more about the Asian culture and way of life.

Take a ride on a Cable Car

Cable cars are an iconic part of San Francisco, and you can get to almost anywhere by riding on one. Regardless of what your next tourist attraction is, hop on one of these cable cars to get there just to get a true “feel” of the city. The city’s hills can be very steep when you’re walking on them, but a cable car allows you to get where you need to go without too much effort, and you’ll also get to take in some city along the way.

Plunge into a huge waterfall

Alamere Falls is located in Marin County northwest of San Francisco. The waterfall is beautiful and flows directly into the ocean in Point Reyes National Seashore and tumbles over shale cliffs located at Alamere Creek Beach. This is natural beauty spot that looks great but getting in the water itself makes it even better. It’s a very tall waterfall that allows for lots of people to dive in underneath it and still be comfortable, so it’s perfect for cooling down on those hot summer days.

Sample food at the Farmer’s Market in Ferry Building

The Ferry Building Farmers’ Market covers 65,000 square feet and consists of tons of vendors selling just about any type of food you can imagine. From fruits and veggies to breads, jellies, and cheeses, you’ll find all sorts of fresh foods when you visit the Market at the Ferry Building, including all sorts of organic foods such as herbs, flowers, and eggs. With 65,000 square feet of room, the chances of not be able to find what you are looking for are definitely very slim.

Sample San Francisco’s incredible Night Life

The night life in San Francisco is world-famous and some of the most popular nightclubs include the Cat Club which is a great dance club with fun themed nights, Monarch which is a split-level venue for both dancing and drinking, the DNA Lounge which offers a variety of DJ'd theme nights, live acts and Oasis a club and cabaret theater in SoMa.

Enjoy the sweet stuff at Cream

If you love ice cream and other sweets, you can’t miss a visit to Cream, a fantastic ice cream parlor with two locations in the city. Some of the many items on the menu include ice cream sandwiches made with homemade cookies, delicious shakes, sundaes, ice cream cakes, cookies, and even sandwiches and tacos. They are open daily, and this is definitely a great way to reward yourself at the end of a long day of visiting tourist attractions.

Take your family to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom

If you have kids visiting Six Flags is a great way to spend the day It’s a 135-acre animal theme park with plenty of rides, lots of places to eat, and activities specifically geared to kids and the young-at-heart. Situated roughly 40 miles from either San Francisco or Oakland, it’s a popular must-do day out.