With so much to offer and several big airlines now offering reasonably cheap flights to San Francisco International Airport, a Californian holiday is an affordable reality.

Trendy bars, counter culture, swooping panoramic views and a thriving music scene await the traveller in this decidedly offbeat city.

Traditions and culture in San Francisco

As the 60s song said, be sure to where a flower in your hair. San Francisco has a reputation of being laidback and left wing. The city was a hive of activity during the Summer of Love in 1967, with Haight-Ashbury attracting long-haired flower children from across the globe.

Further back in its history, the city prospered from the California Gold Rush and the subsequent economic boom.

The city also has a strong literary tradition, being home to several of the Beat Poets during the San Francisco Renaissance.

On a different note, the city has a large gay demographic and is well known for its early adoption of gay rights. With this in mind, the city hosts the largest Mardi Gras in America each summer. SF Pride is an event like no other.

Recommended in San Francisco

No San Francisco holiday would be complete without a bicycle ride across the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. One of the longest suspension bridges in the world, the giant red structure can be seen from miles around and connects the city with the picturesque San Francisco Peninsula.

A multi-cultural metropolis, the city also boasts one of the largest Chinatown's in North America. Set up in the 1850s, the area between Nob Hill District, Kearny Street, Union Square and the Financial District is home to some of the best food in San Francisco.

Things to look out for include shops making traditional fortune cookies, the Woh Hei Yuan Park and the bustling Portsmouth Square.

Coit Tower on the top of Telegraph Hill is another recommended attraction. The Art Deco creation is thought to offer the best views across the city - particularly first thing on the morning or at sunset.

The walk up to the tower is breathtaking – in every sense of the word. The steep streets leading through the trendy North Beach neighbourhood and up through the residential Telegraph Hill area can feel vertical in some places, but reaching the top is more than rewarding. The famed Lombard Street is just one of the sights passed on the way up to the tower.

Coit Tower looks out over that other San Francisco holiday attraction - Alcatraz. The one-time prison is operated by the National Park service as a recreational area. A short ferry ride away from the popular Fisherman's Wharf, the site is now home to several species of animals.

Weather in San Francisco

Any holiday guide will tell tourists that San Francisco is famed for its summer fog. Summer is often the peak tourist season and with the views obscured by fog and the Wine Country arid, is best avoided.

The most comfortable time to visit is between September and November when temperatures are more forgiving and bright blue skies abound.

Destination checklist for San Francisco

The official language of San Francisco is English, though there is an eclectic mix of cultures and it's not uncommon to hear Spanish and Chinese voices.

As with many cities on the West Coast, San Francisco is eight hours behind GMT and operates on US Pacific Time.

The international dialling code is +1 and the US dollar is the official currency.