Is it possible to see the best of San Francisco in less than one day?  While we didn’t see all the famous sights on a recent layover there, Rich and I did enjoy some of the iconic highlights.

After the five-hour flight into SFO from Chicago, we took transportation to our hotel in the financial district, and quickly changed before setting out walking to the Embarcadero, which begins at the intersection of Second and King Streets near Oracle Park, and travels north, passing under the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge. 

Almost immediately, we came upon ‘R-Evolution,’ a 47-foot-tall, 32,000-pound steel mesh sculpture of a nude woman located near the Ferry Building.  Created by Petaluma-based artist Marco Cochrane, it was installed in April 2025 as part of a trilogy aimed at portraying feminine strength and humanity.  The statue depicts a serene, naked woman with eyes closed and arms outstretched, facing Market Street. It has a ‘breathing feature’, in which the sculpture uses internal motors to make its chest expand and contract, simulating breathing for about an hour daily. She was quite an attraction!

The day of our visit was a Sunday, and while the weather started off a bit gloomy, the sun did break out as we continued our walk. Lots of families and groups were out, too, enjoying the day. We continued our walk down to Fisherman’s Wharf in search of food. We ended up at Pier 39’s Fog Harbor Fish House, a popular seafood restaurant with terrific waterfront views of the bay and Golden Gate Bridge. After enjoying drinks and seafood and lingering a bit, we continued our walk, albeit at a little slower pace.

Not too far from the restaurant at Pier 39 is the famous colony of California sea lions on K-Dock, which can have hundreds of sea lions, mostly males, who lounge, bark, and swim there year-round.  On our visit, we were lucky enough to see the now-famous ‘Chonkers’, a Stellar sea lion that weighs over 2,000 pounds. Ironically, the very next day, The Wall Street Journal featured Chonkers in a page-one story.

Also from Pier 39, there are great views of Alcatraz, the famous former federal prison and now a national park site known as ‘The Rock.’  In its day, it served as a maximum-security prison for notorious criminals. Tours are available, but it is highly recommended that you book your tickets in advance.  Alas, we did not, and the last tour time was sold out.  All the more reason to visit again!

Other Famous Sights in San Francisco

While our time on this trip was rather limited, on previous trips we have visited other famous San Francisco icons.  So, if you are planning a couple of days in San Francisco, work these into your itinerary: