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During your Anaheim vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
Coit Tower
In a city known for its great views and vantage points, Coit Tower is one of the best. Located atop Telegraph Hill, just east of North Beach, the round, stone tower offers panoramic views of the city and the bay.Completed in 1933, the tower is the legacy of Lillie Hitchcock Coit, a wealthy eccentric who left San Francisco a $125,000 bequest "for the purpose of adding beauty to the city I have always loved" and as a memorial to its volunteer firemen. She had been saved from a fire as a child and held the city's firefighters in particularly high esteem.Inside the base of the tower are impressive murals titled Life in California and 1934, which were completed under the WPA during the New Deal. They are the work of more than 25 artists, many of whom had studied under Mexican muralist Diego Rivera.The only bummer: The narrow street leading to the tower is often clogged with tourist traffic. If you can, find a parking spot in North Beach and hoof it.
Cable Car Museum
If you've ever wondered how cable cars work, this nifty museum explains (and demonstrates) it all. Yes, this is a museum, but the Cable Car Museum is no stuffed shirt. It's the living powerhouse, repair shop, and storage place of the cable car system and is in full operation. Built for the Ferries and Cliff House Railway in 1887, the building underwent an $18-million reconstruction to restore its original gaslight-era look, install an amazing spectators' gallery, and add a museum of San Francisco transit history.The exposed machinery, which pulls the cables under San Francisco's streets, looks like a Rube Goldberg invention. Stand in the mezzanine gallery and become mesmerized by the massive groaning and vibrating winches as they thread the cable that hauls the cars through a huge figure-eight and back into the system using slack-absorbing tension wheels. For a better view, move to the lower-level viewing room, where you can see the massive pulleys and gears operating underground.Also on display here is one of the first grip cars developed by Andrew S. Hallidie, operated for the first time on Clay Street on August 2, 1873. Other displays include an antique grip car and trailer that operated on Pacific Avenue until 1929, and dozens of exact-scale models of cars used on the various city lines. There's also a shop where you can buy a variety of cable car gifts. You can see the whole museum in about 45 minutes.
California Palace of the Legion of Honor
Designed as a memorial to California's World War I casualties, this neoclassical structure is an exact replica of the Legion of Honor Palace in Paris, right down to the inscription HONNEUR ET PATRIE above the portal.The Legion of Honor reopened in late 1995, after a 2-year, $35-million renovation and seismic upgrading. The exterior's grassy expanses, cliff-side paths, and incredible view of the Golden Gate and downtown make this an absolute must-visit attraction before you even get in the door. The inside is equally impressive. The museum's permanent collection covers 4,000 years of art and includes paintings, sculpture, and decorative arts from Europe, as well as international tapestries, prints, and drawings. The chronological display of 4,000 years of ancient and European art includes one of the world's finest collections of Rodin's sculptures. The sunlight Legion Café offers indoor and outdoor seating at moderate prices. Plan to spend 2 or 3 hours here.
White Swan Inn
The White Swan Inn is a tribute to the luxury hotels of England. Rich floral carpets, comfortable furniture covered with elegant fabrics and enchanting English art and collectables set the tone. The inn exudes warmth and serenity in the midst of a busy city. Each of the 26 spacious guest rooms features a fireplace, sitting area, wet bar stocked with complimentary softdrinks and water and coffeemaker. Business travelers will appreciate the data ports, voice mail, morning paper and the ...
InterContinental MARK HOPKINS SAN FRANCISCO
Considered one of the finest San Francisco hotels, the InterContinental Mark Hopkins features 380 rooms, most with magnificent views of the City and Bay. The most splendidly located hotel in San Francisco, the hotel is situated at the crest of Nob Hill and at the crossing of 3 cable car lines. One of the most historic hotels in San Francisco, guests can easily walk to Union Square, Chinatown and a short ride to Fisherman's Wharf and the Golden Gate Bridge. Come see for yourself why these ...
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