Scenes from San Francisco, California

The Golden Gate Bridge illuminated at night with the city in the background.  

Dusk and fog roll over the harbor in San Francisco, masking the Golden Gate Bridge.  

California's famed redwood trees populate the state parks and forests outside of San Francisco.  

An icon of the Bay Area, the sailboat The Maltese Falcon sits in the harbor beneath the city skyline.  

A view across the bay toward the Golden Gate Bridge  

The San Francisco Bay is not only a prime shipping channel. Sandwiched between the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, it also offers some of the most scenic views on the West Coast.  

Tall ships are a common sight in San Francisco Bay. Consistent strong winds blow across the sheltered waters, making it an excellent spot for sailors, windsurfers, and kiteboarders.  

Boats line the docks in San Francisco. The city is home to several famous waterfronts, including Fisherman's Wharf, Telegraph Hill, and Candlestick Point State Park.  

Clustered houses and steep, nearly undriveable streets: You just can't beat San Francisco's layout and architecture.  

This might be the most photographed street in America. San Francisco's Lombard Street curves every which way as it snakes past Victorian homes that are anything but camera shy.