See San Francisco without the crusties

It's truly one of the best places in the USA for anyone to visit, not just pashmina wearing hippies wanting to recreate some weird sixties vibe. It's everything that LA isn't basically; it's (much) smaller, more cosey feeling and more relaxed. When people talk about the Left Coast, they mean San Francisco.

Number one thing for me to do while I was out there was see Alcatraz. The prison itself has been closed for decades now, but that doesn't take away from the atmosphere of the place that once housed Al Capone, especially if you take the night tour. The audio, which so often is rubbish in museums, is actually very good here, and really helps you see what kind of place it used to be. You also get a fantastic view of the city.

To get a better idea of what the city is about, a tour can often be a bit of a disconnected experience. Not so with Urban Safari, who take you around San Francisco in a zebra striped Land Rover, and offer a load of different tours, all four hours long, and all $100 a pop. Daniel, the tour guide, will pick you up whereever you arrange and whisk you around the place, giving some amusing speil in the process. It's the best way to get to know the place, quick. Take the Eating and drinking expedition, you won't regret it.