by Lois Lawrence

Created on: July 30, 2009   Last Updated: August 12, 2009

What to Do

San Francisco has it all. The Exploratorium, the Aquarium of the Bay, the Wax Museum, Alcatraz Island, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art are just a few of the perennial favorites. The California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park is a new addition to the must-see list.

Once you've been spooked by the ghosts of Alcatraz and dazzled by the Academy of Sciences, stick around to explore more of the

Golden Gate National Recreational Area, one of the most visited national parks in the country. View the mighty Pacific from the Muir Beach Overlook. Wander beneath the towering redwoods in the Muir Woods National Monument. Hike the walkway to the Point Reyes Lighthouse

Back in the city, check out the largest Chinatown in the Western Hemisphere. Take a tour or just wander the many shops that line Grant Avenue and Stockton Street. In Portsmouth Square watch the poetry in motion that is tai chi. Visit a Buddhist temple and consult with an herbalist.

A two-hour tour without lunch is $30 for adults and $20 for kids. A three-hour tour, including dim sum costs $45 for adults and $35 for kids. Children under 6 come are free.

Whenever a city lays claim to a special food, sampling it is a rule. In Chicago, it's deep dish pizza. In Boston it's chowder. In San Francisco, it's sourdough bread. At the Boudin Museum and Demonstration Bakery, learn the science and taste the bread. In season, you can join the bakers for a breakfast of warm pastries, coffee and juice every Thursday and Friday at $6 for adults and $3 for children.

Hollywood has done its share to woo us to San Francisco. Before a long afternoon of hiking the hills of the city, head to Pier 43.5 at Fisherman's Wharf to catch a motorized movie tour of San Francisco. See the sights of the city while viewing clips of such famous San Francisco films as American Graffiti, Milk, and 48 Hours. You'll stop at Fort Point where Kim Novak leapt into the water in Hitchcock's Vertigo. The three-hour tour costs $47 for adults, $37 for seniors and children. Chilren under 5 are free.

Where to Eat

This is a food city so it's no surprise Travel & Leisure Magazine's list of the 50 best new U.S. restaurants for 2009, includes eight from San Francisco.

Here are three money-savers:

Sentinel, at 37 New Montgomery Street ,sells sandwiches to rave reviews. Try yellowfin tuna with avocado or pink and juicy roast beef with horseradish cream, all on fresh house-made breads The place is tiny so diners cross the

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