San Francisco is an intriguing city of innovation, imagination and magical microclimates. Get lost in the fog of the city and be prepared to surprise yourself as you explore its lively bars, absorbing museums and majestic great outdoors. Fly directly to SFO and experience a microcosm of San Francisco restaurants and bars to ease you in before you throw open the doors and step out into the bustling streets of the City by the Bay. The gate is firmly open and ready for you to walk through. The only question is, where will you start?

Day 1

Visiting major tourist attractions is often ranked low or not at all on the modern conscious traveller’s priority list. But the Golden Gate Bridge is one of those landmarks you simply have to see if you’re spending any time in San Francisco. Begin your trip with this big hitter before veering off the beaten track, opting for Battery Godfrey rather than the Gold Gate Welcome Centre for the best views and fewest tourists.

Wander or cycle over this magnificent feat of engineering and back again before your late morning booking at Campton Place for an innovative Indian brunch – currently all the rage in San Francisco – or Plow on 18th Street for a more traditional take on the best meal of the day.

The city has 220 parks in which you could happily while away an afternoon, but after brunch make for Mission Bay for a round of mini golf at Parklab Gardens. Not only is the course excellent fun, you’ll also learn about San Franciscan and Western American history along the way.

Celebrate your holes-in-one and new-found knowledge at the Ferry Building via a leisurely stroll along the Embarcadero on the eastern shoreline. There are plenty of bars, markets, boutique shops and restaurants housed within this iconic building, which was first opened in 1898 as a major commuter and transport hub.

As the sun sets, live music and culture lovers should take a cab to Valencia Street to hop along bars like The Chapel, Amado’s and Etcetera Wine Bar. For the ravers, 11th Street on the edge of SoMa is home to some of the city’s most incredible clubs.

Day 2

Make day two of your San Francisco trip one of outdoor adventures. In the west of the city, the Richmond District hugs the stunning Golden Gate Park, a picturesque stretch of botanical gardens and museums where you can also fuel up for the action ahead. The Breakfast Special Sandwich from Devil's Teeth Baking Company – scrambled eggs with pepper jack cheese, applewood smoked bacon, avocado, and lemon-garlic aioli on a homemade buttermilk biscuit – is strongly and passionately recommended.

From here, cross the Golden Gate Bridge and enter one of the world’s largest urban parks, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA). Recreational hikers should make for the Point Bonita Lighthouse Trail along the cliffs on the Marin Headlands. The original lighthouse was opened in 1855 to guide ships through the perilous Golden Gate straits, and today is a compelling visitor attraction.

Those in search of more of a challenging yomp should rejoin the Marin Headlands, which branches off to the longer trails of Wolf Ridge, Miwok and Bobcat. To the north of the GGNRA lies Muir Woods National Monument, one of the last old-growth coastal redwood forests on the planet. Here you can wander beneath the canopy of these mighty 800-year-old trees and along the rugged trail that follows the freshwater Redwood Creek.

If this all sounds too much like hard work, book yourself onto a cruise of the San Francisco Bay. It’s a great way to get grips with the city and offers atmospheric, foggy views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz.

Day 3

Start your day by the Bay with al fresco eggs and oysters at Mission Rock Resort with views over the Bay’s Central Basin. Head to Pier 15 for a morning of art and intrigue at the Exploratorium, a scientific funhouse of hands-on exhibitions and participatory experiences. Try the “Sound Bite’ exhibit that, bizarrely, allows you to listen to music with your bones.

Horizons sufficiently expanded, stick with the seafood-with-a-view theme du jour with lunch at Pier Market Seafood Restaurant. Pair the mesquite-grilled Pacific Rock cod or the award-winning New England clam chowder with a peachy fume blanc from Ferrari Carano winery in Sonoma for maximum enjoyment.

For the curious of mind, wander further along the Embarcadero to Magowan's Infinite Mirror Maze – a brain-bending labyrinth of colourful archways and columns – and on to Musée Mécanique. At this charming retro San Francisco institution you can peruse the private collection of curios started by Edward Galland Zelinksy in 1933. Highlights include a steam-powered motorcycle and a coin-operated piano, which stand among the old jukeboxes, vintage arcade games, puppets and kiss-o-meters.

The Theatre District beckons as night falls. Located off of Market Street, the city’s main thoroughfare, and spanning three neighborhoods from Civic Center to Union Square, this is the place to catch a stand-up comedy show or big-ticket Broadway number. Sink some pre-show cocktails at Charmaine's Rooftop Bar & Lounge or a pappardelle bolognese with black truffle from Villon on Market Street before stepping out to the Orpheum, Golden Gate, Curran or ACT for your theatrical entertainment of choice.