San Francisco, California -- 360 degrees (as seen from Coit Tower) by Neil Larimore

San Francisco's most iconic attractions lie along the northern waterfront, from bustling Fishermans Wharf to the stately Golden Gate Bridge, a marvel of engineering and deco design. Golden Gate Park offers museums, glades, and miles of walking and cycling paths, and the nearby Haight-Ashbury and Inner Sunset neighbourhoods are crammed with places to eat and shop.

Head to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, in one of the city's signature pieces of contemporary architecture, which anchors a collection of shopping, entertainment, and exhibition spaces in the South of Market area. You can catch a baseball game the home of the Giants, AT&T Park, with an intimate old-time feel and (from the upper decks) views out over the Bay.