Northwestern Mutual Financial Network

Franklin Square Park has a low-key, comfortable area that is both inviting and relaxing. The lush green grass and expansive area make the nearby soccer field, playground, monkey bars and jungle gym highly inviting prospects for the kids. The plentiful trees offer some relaxing shaded areas, and the picnic tables and benches are perfect spots to grab a quick lunch or just sit outdoors for a while and take it all in.

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.

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.