San Francisco, California San Francisco is a golden dream come true, a place where heart, mind and soul
embrace, lost in the simplicity of delightful deliverance. Fog and sun mingle
playfully above America's favorite city; the cool, cloudy comfort of early
morning slowly dissolving into the peaceful warmth of a gentle afternoon glow.
Touch it....it is real. Feel it.....it is the essence of escape. Savor it.....it
is one of a kind. Little wonder why San Francisco has been named the world's top
city twice by readers of Condé Nast Traveler; the top U.S. city seven
times since 1988.
San Francisco's neighborhoods comprise its inner beauty, enhancing daydreams,
opening doors to new and exciting visions. The City is a cultural wonderland, an
ethnic treasure chest where custom, tradition and history are preserved,
celebrated, shared. So take your time and explore The City. You'll find that the
Gold Rush days have never really ended here; there's still plenty of gold to be
found. The restless spirit of The City's Barbary Coast past lives on, fueled by
a desire to be different, nurtured by infinite viewpoints, personalities,
styles.
Magical moments abound. The echo of cable car bells from atop great hills.
The rejuvenation of the soul upon crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. The splendor
and elegance of a boat cruise on San Francisco Bay. The soft touching of wine
glasses over a gourmet meal. The views. The people. The sights. The sounds. The
City.
So come and share the wealth. Let your heart, mind and soul wander. Stay as
long as you like. San Francisco encourages lingering. It was designed with
adventure, romance and pleasure in mind. It is one of life's great indulgences,
so indulge. It is one of the world's most gratifying escapes, so escape. It is
where the world comes to unwind. It is America's preeminent playground.
Alamo Square
One of the most photographed locations in San Francisco, Alamo
Square's famous "postcard row" at Hayes and Steiner Streets is indeed
a visual treat. A tight, escalating formation of Victorian houses is
back-dropped by downtown skyscrapers, providing a stunning contrast. The grassy
square itself is an ideal midday break. One of 11 historic districts designated
by the Department of City Planning, the area includes several bed and breakfast
inns.
Beaches For many visitors, Ocean Beach on the westernmost edge of The City is the
first stop on the itinerary. The Pacific Ocean is always an exhilarating sight,
especially for first-timers. The expansive windows of the Cliff House, erected
in 1909, are a popular lookout. Just offshore are the abrupt outlines of Seal
Rocks. They are usually inhabited by shore birds and a colony of stellar sea
lions. Bring binoculars for a close-up. On a clear day the Farallon Islands some
30 miles distant are also visible. Swimming, it should be noted, is not allowed
here. There are two other sandy pockets on The City's northern edge. China Beach
at 28th Avenue and Sea Cliff, is one of the few swimming beaches in The City.
Lifeguards on duty during the summer watch this cove. At Baker Beach, off 25th
Avenue, swimming is dangerous, but the views of the Golden Gate are alluring for
hikers, fishermen and picnickers.
Castro District
Steep streets and brightly painted Victorian houses give this
upper Market "Gay Mecca" neighborhood that distinct San Francisco
look. The Castro is a series of imaginative boutiques, bookstores and bars.
Novelty items abound in shops at the end of Market Street between 16th and 17th
Streets. The heart of the area is 18th and Castro Streets. Built in 1922 the
Castro Theater, 429 Castro Street, survives as one of the last grand movie
palaces, featuring revivals and pre-film concerts on the mighty Wurlitzer. The
Names Project at 584 Castro Street, houses the AIDS memorial quilt. Each June,
the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Celebration Parade draws nearly
500,000 participants and spectators. The Castro Street Fair unfolds each
October.
China Town The entrance to Chinatown at Grant Avenue and Bush Street is called the
"Dragon's Gate." Inside are 24 blocks of hustle and bustle, most of it
taking place along Grant Avenue, the oldest street in San Francisco. This city
within a city is best explored on foot; exotic shops, renowned restaurants, food
markets, temples and small museums comprise its boundaries. Visitors can buy
ancient potions from herb shops, relax and enjoy a "dim sum" lunch or
witness the making of fortune cookies.
Portsmouth Square at Clay and Kearny Streets is generally considered the
center of life; residents gather for board games, discussions and solemn tai
chi rituals.
The Pacific Heritage Museum at 608 Commercial Street, on the site of the
original San Francisco Mint, focuses on art of the Pacific Rim.
The Chinese Historical Society, 965 Clay Street, contains numerous
artifacts tracing the history of Chinese immigration.
The Chinese Culture Center at 750 Kearny Street rotates exhibits of
Chinese arts and crafts.
The former central telephone exchange of the Pacific Telephone and
Telegraph Company stands at 743 Washington Street. Now a bank, it is the
first Chinese-style building constructed in San Francisco, and the exact
site where California's first newspaper was printed.
Visitors to Ross Alley can watch fortune cookies being made; a small
factory produces some 200,000 a year.
Each February, Chinatown is the focal point for one of The City's most popular
festivals, Chinese New Year. A week's worth of fascinating festivities
culminates with a huge downtown parade overflowing with Chinese folklore,
including a block-long Golden Dragon.
Civic Center San Francisco' s widest street, Van Ness Avenue, runs straight down the
middle of Civic Center, a Beaux Arts architectural wonder where The City's
symphony, opera and ballet dazzle audiences. One of the area's crown jewels, the
War Memorial Opera House, is one of the world's greatest opera houses. This gem
was designed by Arthur Brown, Jr., who also designed the newly renovated City
Hall, and Coit Tower. The Asian Art Museum is one of the largest museums in the
world devoted exclusively to Asian art with a collection comprising nearly
15,000 objects spanning 6,000 years of history. The museum reopened in March
2003 at its new, expanded Civic Center facility. The main library at Grove and
McAllister Streets is one of the greatest public learning centers in the country
and one of the most technologically advanced in the world. Over one million
books, 400 electronic work stations, a children's discovery center, and special
rooms on African American, Chinese, Filipino American, gay and lesbian works
surround a light-filled atrium. One of The City's major convention venues, Bill
Graham Civic Auditorium, hosts numerous concerts and public events throughout
the year.
Filmore Street
Near Pacific Heights on Fillmore Street south of Broadway are
a number of intimate cafes and restaurants as well as a concentration of upscale
clothing, kitchenware and home furnishings stores. Foreign films fascinate at
the import film house on Fillmore near Clay. The 2000 to 2200 blocks offer a
smorgasbord of shops dealing in vintage clothing, costumes and the
"next-to-new." The Juneteenth Celebration is an outdoor event held
each June to celebrate African American culture. Jazz and All that Art on
Fillmore, a lively street fair held during the July 4 weekend, celebrates the
area's deep jazz roots.
Fisherman's
Wharf
Eighty-seven percent of San Francisco's visitors include Fisherman's Wharf on
their itinerary. With good reason. Waterfront marketplaces include The
Anchorage, The Cannery, Ghirardelli Square and PIER 39. The Wharf's working
hub, "Fish Alley," sells thousands of tons of sole, shrimp, salmon,
sea bass, squid and other deep sea delicacies annually. During the crab season
(mid-November through June) devotees line up for the best of the catch. For an
impromptu picnic, order some cracked crab and pick up a loaf of sourdough
French bread from a nearby bakery.
A fleet of historic ships berths at Hyde Street Pier, a component of the San
Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, which also includes the Maritime
Museum. The USS Pampanito, a WWII fleet submarine, may be boarded at Pier 45.
On The City's northern waterfront beyond Hyde Street Pier and the lagoon of
Aquatic Park (this is a nice side trip from Fisherman's Wharf), the nearly
four-mile-long Golden Gate Promenade winds past bocce ball courts through Fort
Mason and Marina Green to Crissy Field, a shoreline retreat adjoining the
Presidio, terminating at Fort Point. Ahead lies the world's most incredible
piece of outdoor sculpture, the majestic Art Deco-style Golden Gate Bridge.
Completed in 1937 the bridge links San Francisco to Marin County. For a real
aerobic workout, climb the steps near Fort Point that lead up to the bridge and
make "the walk of all walks."
Golden Gate Park
It's never just another day in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco's 1,000-acre
backyard. The park's trove of attractions includes Strybing Arboretum and
Botanical Gardens, a "living library" where 6,000 plant species,
including a stunning display of California redwoods, flourish. Each spring
endows the park with a new cast of floral favorites: flowering cherry blossoms
in the Japanese Tea Garden, a five-acre legacy from the 1894 Midwinter
International Exposition; lush magenta colored rhododendrons; and more than
14,000 tulips and daffodils near the Dutch Windmill.
Located off the Great Highway, the Dutch Windmill is one of two originally
constructed to irrigate the park, once a vast wasteland of sand dunes and scrub
oak. The long-shuttered Beach Chalet has re-emerged as a visitor center for the
park. Located at 1000 Great Highway near the Dutch Windmill, the Willis
Polk-designed building was completed in 1929.
Indoors the exceptional collections of the Asian Art Museum, M.H. de Young
Memorial Museum (closed until 2005 for renovation) and California Academy of
Sciences are rotated on a regular basis and frequently augmented by traveling
shows.
Free guided walking tours of Golden Gate Park are conducted by Friends of
Recreation and Parks, 415-263-0991.
Haight Ashbury
The "Summer of Love" lives on mainly in stores
throughout this charming Victorian sector; vintage clothing, books and records
are abundant along Haight Street, the neighborhood's busiest stretch.
Places of interest include 710 Ashbury Street, once home to
the legendary musical group, the Grateful Dead; 112 Lyon Street, where famous
singer Janis Joplin lived; Buena Vista Park, with its delightful views of The
City; and, for architectural highlights, Masonic, Piedmont and Delmar Streets.
Hayes Valley A Short Distance from Civic Center lies Hayes Valley boasting galleries,
antique shops, restaurants and book nooks. The New Conservatory Theatre Complex,
a magnet for lovers of avant-garde theater; Audium, uniting space and music in a
truly original context; and The San Francisco Performing Arts Library &
Museum, covering the history of San Francisco performing arts, are additional
visitor enticements along the Van Ness corridor.
Japan Town
The heart of Japantown is Japan Center, a five-acre complex of hotels, shops,
theaters, sushi bars and restaurants at Post and Buchanan Streets. It is
crowned by a five-tiered pagoda, a symbol of eternal peace. Locals call this
sector "J-Town." More than 12,000 residents of Japanese descent call
it home. There is much to learn from this small slice of Japanese life
The shop-lined Nihonmachi Mall was designed to imitate a traditional
Japanese village.
Food and flowers are often placed on the fine wood altar of The Konko Kyo
Temple on Bush Street.
The Webster Bridge midway in the Japan Center evokes the Ponte Vecchio in
Florence.
Visitors wishing to take a little piece of Japantown home can purchase Japanese
vegetable seeds for planting, silk-embroidered kimonos, books on Japanese arts
and crafts, silk calligraphy scrolls, tea ceremony utensils and many other
traditional items. Each April, Japantown celebrates its Cherry Blossom Festival.
Taiko drumming, martial arts, doll-making and calligraphy demonstrations lead to
a colorful parade.
The Marina The Marina was developed on the site of the 1915 Panama-Pacific International
Exposition. Marina Green, a grassy playground with stunning views of the Golden
Gate Bridge and San Francisco Bay, attracts joggers, sunbathers and kite fliers.
The terracotta Palace of Fine Arts is home to the hands-on science museum,
Exploratorium. Off Marina Boulevard, streets are dominated by grand stucco
houses and flats. Chestnut Street brims with inviting stores, restaurants and
watering holes.
Mission District The heart of San Francisco's predominantly Hispanic neighborhood is 24th
Street, a colorful collection of restaurants, taquerias, Mexican bakeries, fresh
produce markets and specialty shops. Mission Dolores at 16th and Dolores Streets
is the oldest structure in San Francisco. Many of The City's pioneers are buried
in an adjacent cemetery. The largest concentration of murals in The City, each
reflecting the pleasures, passions and pitfalls of their respective creators,
adorn buildings, fences and garage walls throughout the neighborhood. May is an
especially high-spirited month in the Mission District. That's when San
Francisco celebrates Cinco de Mayo and Carnaval, each culminating with exciting
parades. Carnaval is considered The City's version of Mardi Gras.
The New Watefront The downtown waterfront district has been transformed with the removal of the
Embarcadero Freeway. Promenades and tidal stairs descending right to the water's
edge offer easy access. Cast off from King Street to explore the latest evidence
of The City's waterfront renaissance. In the balmy South Beach district where a
new neighborhood has risen, palm trees evoke southern inclinations. Sunny cafes
with outdoor patios are plentiful. Skirting this area, Herb Caen Way along the
southern Embarcadero is punctuated with historic plaques and pylons recalling
events and people of the past. The SS Jeremiah O'Brien, the Liberty Ship which
made an historic Atlantic crossing in the spring of 1994 to commemorate D-Day,
docks at Pier 32. From here head north towards the Ferry Building, passing
directly beneath the approach to the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. Nearby
the Embarcadero Center's architecturally dramatic eight-block complex shelters
19 outdoor sculptures.
Nob Hill Of The City's many hills, Nob Hill boasts perhaps the best view of San
Francisco Bay, especially when observed from a California Street cable car,
running from the foot of Market Street, over the hill and down to Van Ness
Avenue. Nob Hill's noble tenants include Grace Cathedral, a replica of Notre
Dame in Paris; Huntington Park, site of many arts shows and graced by a replica
of a 16th century Roman fountain; Nob Hill Masonic Center, an architectural
dazzler hosting various musical events; the Cable Car Museum; and grand hotels.
Noe Valley The heart of Noe Valley's remarkable "Little Village," 24th Street
boasts a wide array of shops, public houses, outdoor cafes and restaurants, some
slightly off-beat. Visitors can have their fortunes told at a clothing store or
explore other retail outlets selling coffee beans and teas from around the
world, goods from 50 nations, herbs and oils, hard-to-find magazines and poetry.
North Beach North Beach, rich in Italian heritage compresses cabarets, jazz clubs,
galleries, inns, family style restaurants and gelato parlors into less than a
square mile. Bakeries and delicatessens serve up such traditional Italian
delicacies as prosciutto, provolone, mozarella, St. Honore cake and
sacripantina. A perfect spot for cappuccino and espresso, North Beach is
transformed into one of San Francisco's most electric playgrounds by night; live
music and dancing keep the streets swinging.
A fascinating mural by Anthony Klaas on the outside wall of a restaurant
at Broadway and Columbus Avenue is considered a microcosm of life in San
Francisco.
Sunbathing and snacking are popular pastimes in quaint Washington Square
Park, bordered by Union, Filbert, Powell and Stockton Streets.
Saints Peter and Paul Church on Filbert Street, just off the square, is
known as the "fisherman's church" because many of its parishioners
once made their living from the sea.
The Benjamin Franklin statue in the square was donated to The City in 1879
by Henry Cogswell, a dentist who struck personal gold fitting the mouths of
pioneers with gold teeth during the Gold Rush era.
The North Beach Museum, 1435 Stockton Street, carries an excellent
collection of vintage photographs tracing the neighborhood's early days.
Coit Tower atop Telegraph Hill is blessed with marvelous views. Murals on
its ground floor walls were painted in 1933 by some 30 local artists; each
piece depicting a different aspect of the Great Depression.
The Filbert Steps lie behind the tower, leading to small alleys replete
with charming wooden cottages.
Each June, the North Beach Festival, San Francisco's oldest street fair,
unfolds along Grant Avenue and Green Street. Each October, North Beach
celebrates its Italian heritage by paying tribute to Christopher Columbus. A
series of traditional events that include the blessing of The City's fishing
fleet and a festa in the wharf area culminate with a grand parade.
Pacific Heights Stately Victorians crown hills blessed with glorious views in San Francisco's
most prestigious neighborhood. Consulates, finishing schools and condominiums
share this tree-lined perch with The City's wealthiest families. Jackson Street
near the northwest corner of Alta Plaza Park is a good place to begin a tour of
the neighborhood's mighty mansions. The house tour reaches its apex along the
Broadway bluff between Webster and Lyon Streets. Of historical and architectural
interest are the Spreckels Mansion, 2080 Washington Street; the Whittier
Mansion, 2090 Jackson Street and the Bourn Mansion at 2550 Webster Street The
area also boasts magnificent views of San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate
Bridge.
Richmond District In the Richmond District it is possible to shop in a Russian grocery, sip a
beer in an Irish pub and have dinner in a Chinese restaurant, all within short
walking distance of one another. A myriad of cultures inhabit the Clement Street
shopping sector and Geary Boulevard. Russian bakeries offering piroshki and
kulich bread adjoin Greek delis and kosher meat markets. With an estimated 35
percent of The City's Chinese-Americans residing in the area, Chinese food
markets, restaurants and dim sum parlors so abundant that the area is known as
The City's second Chinatown.
Sacramento Street Outer Sacramento Street near Presidio Avenue has blossomed into a pleasant
shopping sector similar to Union Street. A five-block cluster of shops,
galleries and boutiques provides a quaint getaway. Interspersed with vintage
houses are coffee houses and a theater featuring film imports.
SOMA
South of Market, also known as "SoMa," is two square miles of hot
nightclubs, fashionable restaurants, experimental theaters, discount shopping
outlets and art galleries, plus the nation’s most beautiful ballpark.
Bordering SoMa to the east is another emerging area known as the City Front
District, encompassing the Steuart Street area north of Justin Herman Plaza and
the Ferry Building.
The Yerba Buena Center for the Arts is a $44 million entertainment and art
complex located at 701 Mission Street. Performances and exhibits showcase
San Francisco's cultural diversity. The center adjoins Moscone Convention
Center, The City's premier convention and exhibition facility. Moscone West,
which opened in June 2003, is immediately adjacent to the main Moscone
facility.
SBC Park — San Francisco’s "Miracle On Third Street" — is home
to the San Francisco Giants. Guided Insider’s Tours are offered daily at
10:30 am and 12:30 pm. See the sights only players and staff get to see: sit
in the dugout, experience a big league clubhouse, walk on the field, and
visit other places in the park not available to the general public. For tour
reservations, please call (415) 972-2212 Monday through Friday between 8:30
am and 5:30 pm, or
order
tickets online here.
The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, which opened a state-of-the-art
building at Third and Howard Streets in January 1995, houses over 15,000
artworks representing the areas of painting and sculpture, photography,
architecture and design, and the media arts.
South Park on Third Street between Bryant and Brannan streets is a
charming place to relax. Several fine restaurants, studios and stores
stocked with collectibles line its outskirts.
The Cartoon Art Museum, 655 Mission Street, is guaranteed to tickle funny
bones with its collection of original cartoon art as well as a children's
and interactive gallery.
The California Historical Society's new downtown museum at 678 Mission
Street showcases the rich legacy of the Golden State.
The Pacific Telephone building at 140 New Montgomery Street was the first
skyscraper built in San Francisco. It houses the Telephone Pioneer
Communications Museum, showcasing a replica of Alexander Graham Bell's
original telephone, communications memorabilia and exhibits.
Rincon Center on Spear Street offers shops, restaurants and 27 historical
frescoes.
The Folsom Street Fair is a popular South of Market annual event held in
September, as is the Gardens Gallery Walk, a free tour of over two dozen
galleries, museums, large sculptures and assortments of chalk art located
throughout Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. To catch a San Francisco
Giants game at Pacific Bell Park during the baseball season, visit
www.sfgiants.com, a Tickets.com ticket outlet in Northern California, a Giants
Dugout Store, or the Pacific Bell Park ticket office to purchase individual game
tickets. To charge by phone, call 510-762-BALL (2255).
The Tenderloin
Thousands originally from Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam have given
this 20-square-block district west of Union Square new life. Sermons on social
justice blend with rockin' choir music on Sundays at Glide Memorial Church on
Ellis Street, symbolizing the neighborhood's resurgence. An experimental theatre
house, jazz and blues clubs, 200 restaurants and cafes, bookstores and billiards
point to an upbeat feeling.
Union Square The landmark park in the heart of the City, San Francisco's Union Square
re-opened on July 25, 2002 after an 18-month renovation. Sporting new granite
plazas, a new terraced stage on Post Street, light sculptures designed by artist
R.M. Fischer, a new café and four grand entrance corner plazas bordered by the
park's signature palms, the remodeled square pays tribute to the Square's
distinctive history and captures the unique flavor and beauty of San Francisco.
Union Street
The first neighborhood in San Francisco to convert its gingerbread
Victorians into popular boutiques, art galleries and restaurants, Union
Street's distinct turn-of-the-century atmosphere makes a walk along its
streets a delightful journey back in time, at least from an architectural
perspective. The attitude along modern day Union Street, however, is
anything but old-fashioned. This is where some of The City's most
fashionable and upscale citizens live and play.
Numerous coffee houses serve some of the best caffe latte in The
City and offer an ideal spot for people-watching.
Dozens of bars are particularly popular among the singles set,
especially the legendary "Bermuda Triangle" at Greenwich and
Fillmore.
The Octagon House, 2645 Gough Street at Union Street was built in
1861. The eight-sided, pale blue structure houses Revolutionary War
playing cards (no Kings, Queens or Jacks), original signatures from 54
of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence, and antique
furniture from the 18th and 19th centuries.
The Vedanta Temple at 2963 Webster Street is among San Francisco's
most unique edifices. This circa 1905 structure combines Colonial,
Queen Anne, Moorish and Hindu architectural influences.
Fascinating art stores and galleries are scattered throughout Union
Street, exhibiting and selling everything from rice-paper lamps, stunning
landscapes and cityscapes, crystal sculpture, vintage timepieces, the
latest European fashions, Old World wooden toys, unique decorative arts
and reproductions. The annual Union Street Spring Festival adds to the
fun.
Western Addition Embracing three historic districts-Webster Street, Bush Street-Cottage Row
and Alamo Square- renowned for their Victorian architecture, the Western
Addition is one of The City's most diverse areas. A thriving
Japanese-American community and the Center for African and African
American Art and Culture on Fulton Street reflect the neighborhood's rich
and varied heritage. A platform for the discussion of issues and trends
affecting African Americans, the center also houses an art gallery and a
theater. Visitors interested in learning all about The City's legendary
volunteer fire companies should stop by the San Francisco Fire Department
Pioneer Memorial Museum on Presidio Avenue at Pine Street. The Juneteenth
Celebration is an outdoor event held each June to celebrate African
American culture.
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