Thousands of people flock to the San Francisco bay area every year as guests and tourists and for most of them, the only thing on their mind is the Golden Gate Bridge or the Golden Gate Park. But there are more attraction sites in the Bay Area than those two. I decided to write about the top 8 attractions in the bay area to get people to explore some more. Here they are in no particular order.

1. Alcatraz Island. This Island that once upon a time housed the notorious Alcatraz Penitentiary is one of the most sought-after tourist sites in the Bay area. You can take a tour of the Prison to see the cell house and imagine what prisoners like Al Capone lived like.

2. California Academy of Sciences. This houses knowledge houses, an aquarium, a planetarium, a museum of natural history and several education programs. It’s not uncommon to see hundreds of spectators watching penguins strut around like kings of the castle while others get a feel for space and time in the planetariums.

3. The de Young Museum. This museum is the foremost exhibit of modern and contemporary art creations in the Bay Area. You can see African art works, textile, and photography from other parts of the world.

4. The San Francisco Museum of Modern Arts. There are quite a number of museums in the Bay Area but the Museum of Modern Arts is King. There are over 30,000 works of art currently on display as well as photography exhibitions curated for particular audiences.

5. The Cable Car Museum. This museum is dedicated to showcasing the history of the cable car in America. There are three vintage cable cars on display as well as quizzes and info sections. You can also buy different replicas of antique cable cars from the gift shop.

6. The Museum of Asian Art. If you want to see one of the largest collections of Asian Art anywhere in the world, then you should take a trip to the Museum of Asian Arts. You can find art works from different cultures and time zones – from Turkey to China and then India.

7. The Exploratorium. Named the #1 Kid Spot in the country, the Exploratorium has over 600 exhibits on display where guests can explore and discover new views and experiences of the city.

8. Pier 39. This is the most visited of all destinations in San Francisco. It boasts of the finest options in dining, entertainment, and shopping. It’s probably one of the top three breathtaking views of the city. You also get to see what aquatic life under the San Francisco Bay is when you visit the Aquarium of the Bay.

This piece was written by Elijah Aizenberg, a vacation, construction and real estate expert in the San Francisco Bay Area. For more information on attraction sites to visit in the Bay Area, you can contact him on 13089 Thistle loop, Penn Valley, CA 95946.