San Francisco

Introduction

The Golden Gate Bridge

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San Francisco's cosmopolitan feel and somewhat European charm make it one of the most popular stops in the USA. Located along the northern Californian coastline, the weather here can be a little less sunny and generally colder compared to the southern parts. September and October are considered the most reliable months for a visit. Famous for the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz, San Francisco will occupy you for at least a few days, but it's friendly atmosphere and diverse suburbs will probably keep you longer than you intended to.

Neighbourhoods

• Alamo Square - This area surrounds the Alamo Square park where locals picnic and relax outside. It is home to the famous "painted ladies" houses which were highlighted in intro to the 1980s sitcom "Full House."
• Bernal Heights - Located at the southern edge of Mission Valley, Bernal Heights is a small, trendy community filled with small restaurants, cafes, and boutiques. Travel along Cortland Avenue, the neighborhoods main drag to get a feel for this rather unique neighborhood.
• The Castro - The historic heart of San Francisco's Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender community.
• Chinatown- Full of history, culture, and touristy gimmicks, Chinatown is a must-see neighborhood. It's located between the Financial District and Nob Hill. The main commercial street is Grant St, but for a more authentic experience wander down Stockton. People crowd the streets that are lined with local shops selling produce and meats and restaurants providing dim sum specialties.
• Cole Valley - small neighbourhood southwest of downtown San Francisco
• Deco Ghetto- also southwest of downtown, just north of Market Street
• Fisherman's Wharf- At Fisherman's Wharf you'll find Pier 39 and 41, which offer touristy shopping, restaurants, seafood, and views of Angel Island and Alcatraz Island. Fisherman's Wharf is also the location where travelers can catch ferries to Alcatraz.
• Golden Gate Park - Truly a park for the people, Golden Gate Park reaches into San Francisco from Ocean Beach to Stanyan Street. Larger in area than Central Park in New York, Golden Gate Park is home to bison, the Murphy Windmill, a Japanese tea garden, and a rich variety of museums, including the de Young Museum, California Academy of Sciences, Conservatory of Flowers, and the San Francisco Botanical Garden.
• The Haight- Also known as Haight-Ashbury, this vibrant neighborhood was the center of the San Francisco Renaissance in the 1960's. It still retains much of its' hippie culture today.
• Hayes Valley
• Inner Richmond
• Inner Sunset
• The Marina- Home to the Palace of Fine Arts and the Exploratorium.
• The Mission: Mission to Potrero
• The Mission: 16th and Valencia Streets
• The Mission: Dolores and Valencia Corridor
• Nob Hill: Nob Hill is historically known as the place where the rich came to see and be seen. The top of the Hill (at the intersection of California and Jones) offers stunning views of the Financial District and Angels Island in the bay. Grace Cathedral is a must see as well. Down the hill you will find Polk Street, an area frequented by locals for it diversity of ethnic restaurants and shopping.
• Noe Valley - This neighborhood is home to many young families. You'll see many young couples pushing baby carriages while they enjoy a weekend brunch at a trendy restaurant.
• North Beach - North Beach is San Francisco's Italian neighborhood, replete with the obligatory trattorias, as well as lovely parks, visas, and walks and serves as a launching-off point for bicycle and walking tours.
• Outer Richmond
• Outer Sunset
• Pacific Heights - Home to many well known dot-comers, Pacific Heights has large mansions in a trendy, young, and hip neighborhood. It houses many boutiques and specialty shops, trendy restaurants, and popular bars.
• Potrero Hill- Best known for the Anchor Steam Brewery.
• Presidio - The Presidio is a lovely place to walk, picnic, and take pictures.
• Russian Hill - When you've had your fill of zigging and zagging on Lombard Street, take a stroll around ritzy Russian Hill to get a glimpse of some of the city's finest homes.
• SoMa - SoMa is a pretty expansive area. It has a rather industrial feel, but is home to nightspots, bars, restaurants, and loft apartments. A few stretches (e.g., along 6th street) can be iffy, but your best bets are South Park near the Giants' ballpark, the area around SF MOMA and Yerba Buena Gardens, and on Folsom near 11th and near 7th streets.
• Telegraph Hill - When it comes to neighborhood vibe, classic San Francisco architecture, and great views, Telegraph Hill can't be beat.
• Tenderloin - has a reputation for crime, but also has a unique working class personality not common in the rest of the city. This neighborhood has many unique ethnic restaurants well worth checking out.
• Union Square - The plaza is known for its many shopping and dining opportunities in the surrounding blocks. It is also a major transportation hub and a great place to hop on the famous San Fransisco streetcars.
• Western Addition - west of downtown, sandwiched between Van Ness Avenue, the Richmond District, the Upper and Lower Haight neighborhoods, and Pacific Heights.

Sights and Activities

San Francisco is awash in fun activities for practically everybody. Events and happenings in everybody's favorite city are always changing. The local visitors' bureau has a really good events calendar, with information about what's currently going on in town. Alternatively, try the Fisherman's Wharf website for a list of everything happening at the city's most popular tourist attraction.

Don't forget to check on which days museums offer discounted entrance, or are hosting special events such as film festivals or parties!

Alcatraz Island

alcatraz

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A trip to Alcatraz Island should be at the very top of every visitor's agenda to San Francisco. Fascinating history and amazing views make this a most memorable day. A highly recommended automated walking tour brings the experience to life. For a more eerie take on Alcatraz Island, pay a little more and do a tour after sunset at night. Check the official Alcatraz website for more information or if you want to, Alcatraz Cruises offers boat trips and is the official ticket company for the museum entrance fees and boat transfers. There is also some flora and fauna to be found on the island, but the prison museum is the highlight you are visiting for. To avoid disappointment, buy your tickets online in advance, especially during high season and weekends.

DeYoung Museum

The newly renovated/built DeYoung Museum in Golden Gate Park is simply spectacular. Gazing at the building and going into its tower for a most unexpected perspective on San Francisco is enough of a reason to visit. But, the fine art collection strikes the visitor as much like the city itself, eclectic, vibrant, beautiful and unlike any other in the world.

Golden Gate Bridge

If you haven't walked across Golden Gate Bridge in the evening, toward sunset, you really haven't lived. The setting sun's rays reach into the glowing city and make for a spectacular scene. Below you, the peace of the bay clashes and mixes with the drama and power of the endless Pacific ocean. At times, some locals say it can be better than the Grand Canyon. Bring someone you love to make the moment complete. After walking or biking north across the Golden Gate Bridge, coast down to the absolutely charming village of Sausalito. When you've had your fill of galleries and coffee shops, take the ferry back across the bay. The ride is nearly as romantic as the bridge, and affords a lovely view of Alcatraz and Angel Island.

Pier 39

Positioned as the center of Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39 is a multilevel facility offering many options for dining and shopping. Pier 39 is also home to the famous sea lions.

Pier 41

Located in Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 41 offers spectacular views of both Alcatraz Island and Angel Island. This is the location where travelers catch the ferry to go to Alcatraz Island. However, as the ticket booth usually sells out in advanced, it would be wise to purchase tickets ahead of time.

The Cannery

The Cannery is located at Del Monte Square on Columbus St, and once was an old Peach Canning Plant. Today, The Cannery offers some of the most unique shopping and dinning experiences in the entire city. This is a must see location in Downtown San Francisco, as it is sure to not disappoint.

Ghirardelli Square

Ghirardelli Square is a part of Fisherman's Wharf with shops and restaurants and part of it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Angel Island

Angel Island, in the bay, is accessible by public ferry. Hiking and biking trails circle the island and offer incredible views of the city skyline.

Golden Gate Park

Golden Gate Park is a great place to spend a few hours. You can walk through the rose garden, explore the Japanese Tea Garden (for a small fee), or bike. The park is San Francisco's answer to Central Park in New York City. There is a small pond where you can rent paddle boats or you can simply relax with a picnic lunch.

Events and Festivals

• San Francisco LGBTQ Pride - Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual And Transgender Pride
• Bay to Breakers - an annual 12km race with both serious runners as well as costumed participants
• Fillmore Street Jazz Festival
• San Francisco Jewish Film Festival
• North Beach Jazz Festival
• San Francisco Shakespeare Festival
• San Francisco Fringe Festival
• Ghirardelli Square Chocolate Festival
• San Francisco Blues Festival
• Folsom Street Fair
• Castro Street Fair
• Oktoberfest By The Bay
• Tree Lighting Ceremony at Ghirardelli Square
• Holiday Festival of Lights
• San Francisco Silent Film Festival
• San Francisco International Film Festival
• Power to the Peaceful

Weather

San Francisco can be downright cold at some times. Because it's right on the bay the temperature stays about the same all year round. Even in the summer, a thick jacket is needed in the evenings if you're going to walk around. September and October are normally the more stable months with the highest chance of dry and sunny weather.

The months of May through September are dry with temperatures during the summer to peak at 21 °C on average and with an average low of about 10 °C. From November through March, rain is a common occurrence with mild winter temperatures at an average low of 7 °C and peaking at about 15 °C. Snowfall is extremely rare in San Francisco, as is frost. Fog can be a problem year round, reducing visibility sometimes for days.

Getting There

By Plane

San Francisco International Airport (SFO), located 21 kilometres (13 miles) south of San Francisco, is a major gateway to Asia, Europe and Oceania and there are numerous domestic flights as well. After Los Angeles International Airport, it's the second biggest in California and in the top 25 of the world regarding the number of passengers.

United Airlines and American Airlines are the biggest carriers with almost half of the flights to San Francisco, mostly domestic, operated by them. Destinations include New York City, Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago, Las Vegas, Denver, Seattle, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Detroit, Washtington, D.C., Philadelphia, Honolulu, Orlando, Pittsburgh and Phoenix.

Foreign carriers include Air France, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Qantas and Singapore Airlines. Destinations with these and other airlines include London, Paris, Amsterdam, Düsseldorf, Beijing, Auckland, Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, Taipei, Dubai, Frankfurt, Munich, Manila, Singapore, Sydney, Zürich and a number of places in Canada and Mexico.

To/from the airport:

• Rail: The San Francisco International Airport (SFO) BART station, located in Parking Garage G of the International Terminal, is the only direct rail link between the airport, the city of San Francisco, and the general Bay Area.
• Bus: SamTrans, San Mateo County's transit agency has three lines connecting Terminal 2, Terminal 3, and the International Terminal to San Francisco and the Peninsula down to Palo Alto.
• Car: The airport is located on U.S. Route 101, 13 miles (21 kilometres) south of downtown San Francisco. It is near the US 101 interchange with Interstate 380, a short freeway that connects US 101 with Interstate 280.
• Taxi: Taxis depart from designated taxi zones located at the roadway center islands, on the Arrivals/Baggage Claim Level of all terminals.

Other large nearby international airports include Oakland and San Jose, both mainly serve US destinations. Both fly to a few Mexican places though and there are seasonal flights from Oakland to Bermuda and Terceira, one of the Azores Islands.

By Train

Although officially there are no Amtrak trains operating to and from the city of San Francisco itself, there are several trains travelling from Emeryville and the San Francisco Bay Area (Sacramento, Oakland) which can be of use for travellers definately wanting to travel to or from San Francisco by train. These are:

• The California Zephyr between Emeryville and Chicago.
• The Capitol Corridor between Auburn and San Jose, stopping in Emeryville, Sacramento and Oakland near San Francisco.
• The Coast Starlight between Seattle and Los Angeles, stopping in Emeryville and Oakland.
• The Sao Joaquins between San Francisco Bay Area (Sacramento) and Southern California.
• Caltrain runs all the way from Gilroy, CA to San Francisco, CA. Also hooks up with the BART station, and Amtrak throughout the Bay Area.

Amtrak's Coast Starlight route runs between Vancouver, Canada and San Diego, California, with Bay Area stops in Martinez, Emeryville, Oakland and San Jose. If you can swing it, the Coast Starlight is a priceless experience: the observation cars afford you hours and hours of gorgeous views of Northern California if you're coming from the north, or the coast if you're coming from the south. It's fast, affordable, and comfortable. Plus, you can schedule in layovers along the way and discover the jewels along the way!

By Car

• Highway 101 runs from the south through San Jose along to east coast of the peninsula where it turns into surface streets through San Francisco. The highway meets the one and crosses the Golden Gate Bridge and off into Marin County in the north.
• Interstate 280 runs from San Jose through the centre of the peninsula into San Fransisco.
• Interstate 80 runs from the northeast through Vallejo and the east bay before crossing the Bay Bridge and terminating in San Francisco.
• Highway 1 offers a scenic route along the west coast of the peninsula through Half Moon Bay into San Fransisco.

By Bus

Greyhound buses pull into the Transbay Station on Mission Street. Tel: 415-495-1569.

Station Hours:

• Monday-Sunday: 12:00am-1:00am, 5:30am-11:59pm
• Holiday: 12:00am-1:00am, 5:30am-11:59pm
• Greyhound Package Express Monday-Sunday: 5:30am-11:59pm
• Holiday: 5:30am-11:59pm
• Ticketing Monday-Sunday: 5:30am-11:59pm
• Holiday: 5:30am-11:59pm

By Boat

In addition to the numerous Cruise Ships that dock in San Fransisco, there are the following ferry services linking up many cities in the bay area:

• Blue and Gold Fleet - 1 415 705-8200 Serves Alameda, Angel Island, Sausalito, Oakland, Tiburon and Vallejo.
• BayLink Ferry - 1 877 643-3779 Serves Vallejo.
• Golden Gate Ferries - 1 415 455-2000 Serves Larkspur and Sausalito.
• Alameda Oakland Ferry - 1 510 522-3300 Serves Alameda and Oakland.
• Harbor Bay Ferry 1 510 769-5500 Serves Alameda.

Getting Around

By Car

Skip the rental car, because having a car in San Francisco is a hassle and a huge expense. Parking is pricey if you can find it, traffic is horrendous, and out-of-towners are bound to get lost in the twists and one-way streets of this city for walkers.
Many international rental companies have a wide selection of rental cars and these include Hertz, Avis, Dollar, Thrifty, Enterprise, Budget and Alamo/National. Most companies will require you are at least 25 years of age, although younger people might be able to rent cars at slightly higher rates and with some insurance differences as well. A national driver's license is usually enough, but an additional international one is recommended. Also note that it usually costs more to include lots of other extra things. For example extra drivers, GPS, the first full tank, SLI (Supplemental Liability Insurance), PAI (Personal Accident Insurance, usually covered already at home), road assistance/service plan, and drop-off costs for one-way rentals.
If you want to book a car, it is recommended that you book your car before arriving in the USA. This is almost always (much) cheaper compared to just showing up. Also, try and book with a so-called 'broker', which usually works together with a few or many car rental companies and can offer the best deal. Some examples include Holidayautos, Holidaycars and Sunny Cars. Some of the cheapest deals to book from Europe, includes Drive-USA, which also has a German version.

For more information and tips about renting cars and campers, additional costs, insurance, traffic rules, scenic routes and getting maps and fuel it is advised to check the USA Getting Around section.

By Public Transport

BART Metro-style commuter rail system running below Market St. in downtown San Francisco to points all over the bay area including Fremont, Millbrae, Pittsburg Bay Point, and Richmond, California. Has connections with the Caltrain station and the San Francisco Airport.

The Muni system consists of buses and streetcars that can take you just about anywhere you'd want to go within the city. Single- or multi-day passes can be purchased from kiosks at the Powell & Market and the Beach & Hyde cable car terminals; check the website for other locations. Muni also runs the city's famous Cable Car system. A single ride on the cable car is $5; it is also covered by the Muni pass. Clanging through some of the city's loveliest neighborhoods, the cable cars promise a great time and a scenic piece of San Francisco history. If a ride isn't enough, swing by the Cable Car Museum where you can even see the cables that keep the cars going to this day sliding past!

Blue and Gold Fleet offers ferries to a number of places in the Bay Area.

By Foot

San Francisco is the perfect city to just roam around, so long as you don't mind walking your feet to the bone! Grab a map and a water bottle, and set out to experience the best sites - and everything in between - by foot.

By Bike

Despite San Francisco's ubiquitous hills, bikes are actually a great way to see the city. If you're not in racing shape, you can still keep to the water along Marina Boulevard and The Embarcadero, where the land is relatively flat. Taking a bike across the Golden Gate Bridge is certainly a treat, and you can coast down to Sausalito to catch a ferry back across the Bay. Go to North Beach for bike rentals and bike tour companies like Bay City Bike, Bike & Roll, Blazing Saddles and Citizen Chain‎.

Eat

San Francisco is a food lover's paradise. For an extensive overview pick up a Zagat guide. Every neighborhood has it's specialities:

• The Mission has a lot of trendy but reasonably priced restaurants, many specializing in Mexican. Tartine's and Pizza Delfina are popular spots close to each other.
• Pacific Heights is known to be a yuppie neighborhood but they have many good bars such as Harry's Bar, which serves fresh mango mojitos.
• Chinatown and Outer Richmond (the "new Chinatown") have excellent Asian selections.
• Check out Japantown for a modern twist on Japanese food.

Specific restaurants around the city include:

• Crustacean- 1475 Polk Street - Great Dungeness crab served with a Vietnamese twist. The recipe is a strong held family secret.
• Shanghai Dumpling King - 3319 Balboa Street (between 34th Ave & 35th Ave) - some of the best dumplings in town. Take the No. 1 to this residential neighborhood and you'll find a local secret.
• R & G Lounge - 631 Kearny Street - Great upscale chinese food. Famous for it's Dungeness crab.
• Cafe Mason - 320 Mason Street - Conveniently located near Union Square, this restaurant has great Italian and California style food.

Sleep

The new trend in both budget and luxury accommodation (and everything in between) is apartment sharing to short-term renting. Check Craigslist to scan for ads or post your own. Or go the more professional way, and have a vacation rental broker like VacationRentals.com, Home Away, Mississippi Street Vacation Rental, or Only In San Francisco (among many others) hook you up.

LGBT Travelers might want to check out Purple Roofs (highly recommended), GayCities, World's Foremost, or Personality Hotels.

Budget

Mid-Range

• Holiday Inn Express San Francisco Airport North – 373 South Airport Boulevard, South San Francisco, CA 94080.
• Sir Francis Drake – 450 Powell Street at Sutter San Francisco, CA 94102 – Located just off Union Square in Downtown San Francisco.

Upscale

• Westin St. Francis – 335 Powell Street, San Francisco, California 94102 – Walk out the front door and you are in the heart of Union Square. It has a great location for shopping and many fine restaurants.
• Four Seasons San Francisco – 757 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103.
• San Francisco Marriott Fisherman's Wharf – 1250 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, California 94133.

Learn

In San Fransisco

• San Francisco State University
• The University of San Francisco
• University of California, San Francisco

Near San Fransisco

• University of California - Berkeley
• Stanford
• University of California - Santa Cruza

Keep Connected

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

The following carriers operate in the San Francisco area (carrier, network, frequency are given below):

• AT&T Wireless (Cingular), 2G 850/1900, 3G 850/1900, Data Roaming: Yes
• T-Mobile (SunCom Wireless) - 2G 1900, 3G Not available, Data Roaming: Yes
• T-Mobile - 2G 1900, 3G Not available, Data Roaming Yes
• Cincinnati Bell - 2G 1900, 3G Not available, Data Roaming: Yes
• PCS ONE - 2G 1900, 3G Not available, Data Roaming: Yes
• AllTel (Western Wireless) - 2G 850/1900, 3G Not available, Data Roaming: Yes
• Amerilink PCS - 2G 1900, 3G Not available, Data Roaming: No
• Airadigm - 2G 1900, 3G Not available, Data Roaming: No
• Manx North America - 2G 1900, 3G Not available, Data Roaming: No
• Nextel Comms. (ESMR) - 2G 850, 3G Not available, Data Roaming: No
• Union Wireless - 2G 850/1900, 3G Not available, Data Roaming: Yes

Post

The US Postal Service is very good and well priced mail system. There are hundreds of big and small post offices in San Francisco. If wanting to send a letter or postcard it is best just to leave it in a blue mail box with the proper postage. There are also private postal services like FedEx, UPS and DHL.

External Links

• Official Governmental Website
• San Francisco Travel Guide