Baseball and Bridges in San Francisco

During the Great Depression, no San Francisco-based banks failed. Despite the country-wide financial disaster, the City by the Bay was actually growing - it even erected the Oakland Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge. When you visit, you'll catch a glimpse of the California state flag, a red and white banner with a bear and red star, reading "California Republic." The bear is modeled after "Monarch," a California grizzly that once lived in Golden Gate Park. Visit this city to see the ingenuity that went into its bridges during the Great Depression and to see these exciting attractions:

AT&T Park
Drive your San Francisco rental car to this stadium, opened in 2000, to catch a Giants Major League Baseball game. This facility was the first privately financed MLB park since Dodger Stadium was built in 1962. There are 41,503 seats available here, all with views of the Bay Bridge and marina. The Giants owner, Peter Magowan, fought to save the Giants from moving to Florida in 1992 and went on to be the main financier of AT&T Park. The facility resembles Wrigley Field and Fenway Park in its old-timey feel and is said to have been modeled after Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Coors Field and Jacobs Field. Children can enjoy a stop in the 80-foot Coca-Cola bottle playground, complete with slides and the nearby mini AT&T Park built just for children. Be sure to keep an eye out for the nine-foot statue of Willie Mays at the public entrance and the Portuguese water dogs that swim into McCovey Cove after home runs. 

Golden Gate Bridge
You've probably seen this giant red bridge in a movie or TV show, or even in a tourism ad for the U.S. The Golden Gate Bridge is an American icon that reaches 1.7 miles from San Francisco to Marin County. The suspension bridge has an on-site center that showcases information about the bridge and its history. Walking the entire length of the bridge takes anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour. The sidewalk is open 24/7 and bicycles can be rented from nearby Sports Basement if you're looking to make your bridge journey a little faster. You can also drive your San Francisco rental car over the Golden Gate at any hour. The weather on land is different from the bridge because of its proximity to the water and the openness which allows for a good breeze. Dress for colder weather if you plan to visit this beautiful San Francisco icon.

Alcatraz
Alcatraz is the sight of the first U.S. lighthouse on the West Coast, as well as the famous federal penitentiary. It was also once a bird sanctuary, a Civil War fortress, and even the birthplace of the American Indian Red Power Movement. Famous inmates at this desolate and isolated jail include Al Capone (famous Chicago mobster), Volney Davis (kidnapper and bank robber) and Robert Stroud (murderer and pimp also known as the "Birdman of Alcatraz"). The inmates loved to play softball when they had time to spend outdoors, they even had team names based after minor league teams of the time; the Bees, Oilers, Oaks and Seals.