San Francisco vs Toronto

San Francisco packs world-famous sights into a compact, hilly peninsula wrapped in fog and bay views. Ride a clanging cable car up Nob Hill, then drop toward the water for sourdough bread bowls of clam chowder at Fisherman's Wharf. Book Alcatraz well ahead, because the ferry to the former prison island and its gripping audio tour sell out weeks in advance. Walk or bike across the Golden Gate Bridge, coast downhill into Sausalito for seafood by the bay and ride the ferry home past the skyline. Give a full day to wine country, sipping Cabernet in Napa Valley or Pinot Noir in laid-back Sonoma, and save a morning for the towering coast redwoods of Muir Woods, where parking or shuttle reservations are required, or swap in the cliffs and beaches of Half Moon Bay. The city itself rewards slow wandering: dim sum in Chinatown, espresso in North Beach, murals in the Mission and sunset at Ocean Beach. Pack layers whatever the month, since summer fog can drop temperatures into the 50s while the sun shines a few miles inland, and wear comfortable shoes for the steep hills. September and October usually bring the warmest, clearest days of the year.

Canada's largest city is one of the most diverse in the world, with distinct ethnic neighbourhoods — Kensington Market, Chinatown, Little Italy — reflecting waves of immigration. The CN Tower anchors a downtown skyline on Lake Ontario, and the city's food scene, museums, and proximity to Niagara Falls make it a strong base for exploring southern Ontario.