 Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau.
At Pier 41, you can catch the ferry to Alcatraz, now a national park. It has nothing to do with the earthquake, but visiting "the rock" is just cool from both a geologic and a historic viewpoint. Ferries leave frequently throughout the day both to and from Alcatraz, but beware that tickets sell out quickly during tourist season so get there early or book ahead of time.
Farther along the wharf, you'll come across the Boudin Bakery museum, home of the city's famous sourdough bread that has been around since 1849 (though it was originally headquartered in the French Quarter downtown), and finally to Ghirardelli Square, home to the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop, and quaint shops and restaurants.
The red brick edifice of Ghirardelli Square is what remains of the Ghirardelli chocolate factory, which Ghirardelli bought in 1893 to house the growing factory. The factory survived the 1906 quake and fire relatively unscathed, and remained the headquarters of the chocolate giant until the mid-20th century when the edifice was turned into the tourist site that it is today. No visit to the city is complete without stopping into the Soda Fountain, and trying the decadent hot fudge sundae or hot chocolate.
You might want to grab a cab or a bus to head farther along the coastline toward the Golden Gate Bridge, by way of the Palace of Fine Arts and the Presidio, a former military facility recently converted to a national park. The park marks the first chance to explore the 200- to 100-million-year-old serpentinite cliffs that continue in nearby Marin County. Just past the Golden Gate Bridge is Golden Gate Bridge State Park, which is also a pretty place to explore.
After your outdoors extravaganza, head indoors to almost any museum in the city to learn more about the Great Earthquake and see photography, paintings and drawings and other works of art and science on the event. Try the Legion of Honor (an art museum), the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Exploratorium (a terrific scientific adventure in its own right), the Museum of the City of San Francisco, or the California Historical Society, among others. Many of the earthquake exhibits at these museums are short-lived, only planned through May or June, so be sure to stop by soon.
In the shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge, from the Presidio (now a national park), visitors can explore the serpentinite hills that continue into nearby Marin County. Photo is courtesy of the National Park Service.
Also, don't be deterred by the rainy weather reports you've heard recently. Despite recent heavy rainfall, late spring and summer in Northern California are usually dry and a nice time to visit with temperatures usually around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. However, do heed Mark Twain's alleged comment, "The coldest winter I ever saw was the summer I spent in San Francisco," and be sure to bring a light jacket. (There's no easier way to spot a tourist than seeing someone in shorts and a new fleece emblazoned with an embroidered Golden Gate Bridge and the words "San Francisco.")
But whether you're tracing historical locations of the 1906 earthquake or just traveling through San Francisco and the Bay Area, be aware of your surroundings researchers say it's not a question of "if" the San Andreas will shake San Francisco again, it's a matter of "when."
1906 Earthquake Centennial Alliance
Point Reyes National Seashore
Geology of Golden Gate State Park
U.S. Geological Survey information on the quake
U.S. Geological Survey shake map on the 1906 event
Internet tours of San Francisco
San Francisco Convention & Visitor's Bureau
Cable Car Museum
"Banking on Earthquakes," Geotimes, July 2005
"The Great Earthquake Destroys San Francisco," Geotimes, April 2006
Travels in Geology
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