Visitors guide to the Palace of Fine Arts

 

One of the most jaw-droppingly beautiful spots in San Francisco, and thus the world, the Palace of Fine Arts sits on a postcard-worthy lagoon with lots of fish, birds and turtles. It should be on everyone’s must-see list.

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The palace, which is in a small park where The Presidio and Marina District meet by the bay, is the only structure left from the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, a World’s Fair event that put San Francisco back on the world stage after the devastating 1906 earthquake and fire.

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The building’s romantic neoclassical style, with its classical Roman rotunda and curved peristyle of Corinthian columns, was restored in the 1970s. It is breath-taking with a pond full of ducks and swans at sunset.

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Beware: There will be a lot of birds, and they have to go to the bathroom someplace.

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Hot tip: If you can’t propose marriage or actually get married there, the next-best thing might be a fling with one of the world’s most perfect sandwiches from Golden Gate Market Deli (2767 Lombard St.). It's a short walk up past busy Lombard Street. So many choices, all terrific. Go with the “San Franpsycho” and bring it back to picnic at the palace lagoon.

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Nearby: Head east toward the bay and you’ll quickly come to the marina for which the neighborhood is named. Enjoy lazy time at Marina Green, a large, open park along the water with gorgeous views of Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge and Fort Mason. It comes with plentiful public parking for free. That's hard to find. Also, expect many expensive doggies on parade.

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Oddly: The palace appeared in the 2004 movie “Twisted” and a few other flicks and TV series. It also was the inspiration for George Lucas' design of a “Star Wars” royal residence.

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Good eats: A 10-minute walk from the palace to Chestnut Street puts you in the middle of lots of places to eat and shop in the Marina District. Stroll a bit and see what looks good, then go for the sweet potato fries and brown sugar lemonade at Super Duper burgers (2201 Chestnut St.), or get a large-and-in-charge salad at Pluto’s (3258 Scott St.). They're huge. 

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Getting around: The palace is a 3-mile walk from Union Square, about 2.5 from Fisherman's Wharf. Your best bet is to take a lovely walk along the waterfront from Fisherman’s Wharf, gazing at stunning bay views of Alcatraz, the Marin coastline and the Golden Gate Bridge. You can also get to the palace on the Muni bus, lines 22, 28, 30, 42, 43 or 45.

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Photo ops: No tips needed for this place. Just point and shoot.