5 Best Sights in San Francisco, California

Once a staple at Playland at the Beach, San Francisco's early-20th-century amusement park, the antique mechanical contrivances at this time-warp arcade—including peep shows and nickelodeons—make it one of the most worthwhile attractions at the Wharf. Some favorites are the giant and rather creepy "Laffing Sal"; an arm-wrestling machine; (supposedly) the world's only steam-powered motorcycle; various retro pinball machines; and mechanical fortune-telling figures. This is a truly fun and somewhat surreal experience.   Admission is free, but you'll need quarters to bring the machines to life.

One of the city's best free offerings, this museum is an absolute must for kids and compelling for adults, too. You can even ride a cable car here—all three lines stop between Russian Hill and Nob Hill. The facility, which is inside the city's last remaining cable-car barn, takes the top off the system to show you how it all works. Eternally humming and squealing, the massive powerhouse cable wheels steal the show. You can also climb aboard a vintage car and take the grip, let the kids ring a cable-car bell, and check out vintage gear dating from 1873.

Snoopy, Wonder Woman, Batman, and other colorful cartoon icons greet you at the Cartoon Art Museum, established with an endowment from the late cartoonist-icon Charles M. Schulz. The museum's strength is its changing exhibits, which have highlighted subjects such as emerging artists, "Sunday Funnies" comic strips (which supposedly may have started in the San Francisco Examiner in the late 1800s), and artwork that highlights the landmarks of San Francisco. Serious fans of cartoons—especially those on the quirky underground side—will likely enjoy the exhibits; those with a casual interest may be bored. The store here carries cool titles to add to your collection.

Dedicated to the influence that people of African descent have had in places all over the world, MoAD focuses on temporary exhibits in its four galleries over three floors. With floor-to-ceiling windows onto Mission Street, the museum fits perfectly into the cultural scene of Yerba Buena and is well worth a 30-minute foray. Most striking is its front window centerpiece: a three-story mosaic, made from thousands of photographs, that forms the image of a young girl's face. Walk up the stairs inside the museum to view the mosaic photographs up close—Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali are there, along with everyday folks—but the best view is from across Mission Street.

A labor of love from the same vintage-transit enthusiasts responsible for the F-line's revival, this one-room museum and store celebrates the city's streetcars and cable cars with photographs, models, and artifacts. The permanent exhibit includes the replicated end of a streetcar with a working cab—complete with controls and a bell—for kids to explore; the cool, antique Wiley birdcage traffic signal; and models and display cases to view. Right on the F-line track, just across from the Ferry Building, this is a great quick stop.