| San Francisco is on the coast of California about 400 | | | | headlands is famous as a local artists community. |
| miles north of Los Angeles. It is situated along the | | | | Alcatraz Island with its abandoned prison is situated in |
| shore of a large bay sheltered behind the California | | | | the middle. The city of San Jose lies about 30 miles |
| Coastal Mountains. | | | | south at the southern tip of this extensive bay. The |
| The city is renowned for its steep streets with | | | | area near San Jose and Santa Clara is known as |
| panoramic views of beautiful San Francisco bay and | | | | Silicon Valley home of the largest concentration of |
| the surrounding mountains. | | | | electronics and computer firms in the USA. |
| It has a very moderate climate with warm summers | | | | It was founded in 1776 when father Junipero Serra |
| and chilly winters but without extremes. Constant | | | | constructed the mission San Dolores to Christianize the |
| breezes off of the Pacific Ocean keep the summers | | | | local native Indian population. |
| from becoming too hot and also prevent freezing | | | | At the same time, Spanish troops constructed a |
| winter weather. Take a sweater, as the evening | | | | Presidio, or fort, to protect this colony for the Queen of |
| breezes can be quite brisk all year round. | | | | Spain. By the middle of the nineteenth century, the |
| Oakland and Berkley, California lies just across the bay | | | | village of Yerba Buena, consisting of whalers, traders, |
| from San Francisco and are easily accessible via the | | | | adventurers and pirates, occupied the present site. |
| Bay Bridge. The more famous Golden Gate Bridge | | | | In 1848, gold was discovered in the foothills of the |
| spans the narrow inlet that extends from the Pacific | | | | Sierra Nevada Mountains about 100 miles to the east. |
| Ocean into the bay. The Golden Gate Bridge connects | | | | By 1849,it was inundated with forty niners as the gold |
| San Francisco with a mountainous peninsula called the | | | | seekers were commonly called, and the population of |
| Marin headlands that is primarily known for beautiful | | | | the city exploded. Ever since, it has remained the |
| scenery and expensive homes with spectacular views. | | | | centre of commerce, entertainment, culture and |
| Sausalito, a small village on the bay shore of the Marin | | | | tourism for Northern California. |