A sprawl of steep hills in northern California, San Francisco, like all great cities, is made up of uniquely different neighbourhoods. These include student Berkeley, hippy historic Haight-Ashbury, the largest Chinatown in North America and distinctly Italian North Beach where you can peruse the aisles of the legendary City Lights Bookstore.

San Francisco’s open-sided cable car system has been around since the 1870s and is still a fun way of exploring places like Fisherman’s Wharf, Lombard Street and Union Square. Other highlights include cycling across the Golden Gate Bridge, wandering the infamous prison island of Alcatraz and experiencing a virtual earthquake in the excellent California Academy of Sciences. Or head to Pier 39 for another classic Frisco sight – sea lions.