Launderworld

San Francisco's Cable Car Museum has the distinction of being recognized as one of the top 10 free attractions in the world. It also offers a unique peek into how San Francisco's signature means of transportation is constructed and operated. You will be able to take several photos from the second level that overlooks the various exhibits, as well as get close to different displays that feature vintage cars in either completed form or in various parts. The various informative displays illustrate the compelling history of cable cars.

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.

There are many traditions to be celebrated in San Francisco. One of the most iconic is taking a ride on the city's cable cars. They were first put into use in 1873 as a means of offering transportation for citizens who needed a respite from walking up the steep hills in the city. The fact that the cable cars operate in exactly the same way (they grip underground loops of steel to move forward) says quite a lot about this mode of transportation that has survived over one hundred years and is now almost always associated with the city of San Francisco.