Eyebrow Star

When you visit San Francisco for the first time, visiting Alcatraz is definitely a must-do. The Rock, as Alcatraz is known locally, was originally a lighthouse and a military out post and prison before becoming a federal prison. The likes of Al Capone, among others, served their time here. The tour takes you from the shore to this ominous island and the guides are all well-informed and always ready to answer your questions. The inherent drama of Alcatraz itself makes it worth seeing, but the added touches and expert treatment by the guides only underscore how essential it is to see this dramatic facility when you are in the Bay Area.

People who love books love Litquake, the yearly literary festival held every fall in San Francisco. Renowned authors are on hand for lectures and book signings, and interesting panels, workshops and parties are also part of what makes Litquake such an essential event for both readers and writers of all backgrounds. One of the highlights of this event is the three-hour Lit-Crawl through the Mission District that features stops at galleries, bookstores, bars and cafes.

San Francisco basketball fans love their college team, the Dons of the University of San Francisco, who are an NCAA Division 1 team. Bill Russell has guided the sports team to much success, not the least of which are the coveted basketball championships of 1995 and 1996.

The Asian culture is a vital part of San Francisco's identity. To celebrate the cultural contributions, you can get a deeper and quite colorful view when you visit the Asian Art Museum. This museum is one of the largest venues in the world devoted entirely to Asian art. When you enter the venue, you will be struck by the incredible variety of pieces which number to over 15,000. Every one of these exhibits span nearly 6,000 years of history. The sheer depth and breadth of the art presented here is a sweeping introduction to Asia's major cultures as well as those of India, Tibet, China, Japan and Korea.