San Francisco
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San Francisco, locally called the city, in Northern California USA, is relatively small with a population of around 860,000 and a land area of 46.87 square miles (121.39 square kilometers). It is famous for its liberal attitudes, the Golden Gate Bridge, the former Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, Fisherman's Wharf, Chinatown, Victorian houses, Lombard Street, cable cars, earthquakes, fog and steep rolling hills.
The city is part of San Francisco Bay Area which also encompasses metropolitan areas of San Jose and Oakland, along with smaller urban and rural areas. The Bay Area is home to approximately 7,7 million people and known for its natural beauty, diversity of cultures and food, world class universities of Stanford and UC Berkeley as well as the legendary Silicon Valley. Apple, Google, Facebook, Yahoo, Intel, Cisco Systems, HP, Oracle, Uber, Twitter, and many other high-tech companies are headquartered here.
Between domestic, international, leisure and business travel, about 25 million visitors come to San Francisco every year. Being one of the least affordable cities in the US makes hotels and restaurants relatively expensive. While generally considered safe, like any other city, it has problems with mostly non-violent crime and theft. However, most visitors do not encounter any serious issues.
There are many events and conventions taking place every year in San Francisco. With close to 34,000 rooms in about 220 hotels, 15,000 or so attendees will start impacting rates. The weather, of course, should also be taken into consideration when making travel plans. San Francisco is a city with microclimates and sub-microclimates. Because of its topology and location temperature can vary by as much as 9 °F (5 °C) from block to block. Only a 30 min drive by car to the north, east or south often results in much higher temperatures. No matter when you visit always bring layers of clothing.
Winter is a good time to save on your vacation because hotels normally slash their rates. Average temperatures are not extremely low, but the fog and chilly winds can make it seem much colder. It is also a time when the area experiences most rain. Events end conventions: January - SF Sketchfest Comedy Festival, Winter Fancy Food Show (19,000 est. attendees) and SPIE Photonic West (20,000 est. attendees), February - GDC Game Developers Conference (26,000 est. attendees).
This is a pretty good time to visit. The weather is mild and the hotel prices have yet to rise. Events and conventions: March - St. Patrick's Day Parade and Festival, April - San Francisco International Film Festival and San Francisco International Beer Festival, May - Bay to Breakers and Carnaval San Francisco.
Despite the winds and chilly, damp fog combined with the rising hotel rates summer is the peak of tourism in the city and surrounding area. Events and conventions: June - North Beach Festival and San Francisco Pride, July - Fillmore Street Jazz Festival, SEMICON West (31,000 est. attendees) and The San Francisco Marathon, August - Outside Lands Music Festival and California Dental Association (16,000 est. attendees).
Most people consider fall to be the best time to visit. The weather is often warmer than during the summer, skies are sunny and clear while crowds are mostly gone. Events and conventions: September - San Francisco Fringe Festival, Ghirardelli Square Chocolate Festival, GSMA Mobile World Congress (45,000 est. attendees) and Castro Street Fair, October - Oracle OpenWorld (60,000 est. attendees) and Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, November - Dreamforce (60,000 est. attendees) and Annual International Auto Show (30,000 est. attendees).
There are several bus operators providing service to San Francisco. Some of the options are BoltBus, Greyhound and Megabus. Busbud, GotoBus and Wanderu make it easy to compare prices between different companies and make bookings.
There are four freeways (Interstate 80, Interstate 280, Route 1 and Route 101) within the city. Northward and eastward links are provided by the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Bridge. Both have tolls ONLY when driving into San Francisco. At the Bay Bridge you can pay cash at toll booths. At the Golden Gate Bridge there are no toll booths or humans to collect the payment. You can pay the toll up to 30 days BEFORE crossing the bridge or UP TO 2 DAYS AFTER. Cameras on the bridge capture license plates and invoices are sent to the addresses on file with the Department of Motor Vehicles. There is an option to pay cash at the Golden Gate Bridge Visitor Center and some other locations but that's not very convenient because parking is challenging. If you are renting a car, ask the company about pay-by-plate option. They will bill you for the toll plus charge you a processing fee.
AVOID arriving by car if you can. Driving around is difficult even during off peak hours. Parking is very expensive and at times, hard to find. Around most of the tourist areas it may cost up to $15 an hour. Parking along the roads is metered, often you need a permit. Sometimes parking is not allowed because of street cleaning and during rush hour periods. Overnight parking may cost up to $50 per night and in some cases without in/out privileges. Most hotels do not have lots. Public transportation is bay far the best way to get around.
If you must arrive by car, try finding a hotel with parking included. Take a look at motels around Lombard Street. SF Best Parking can help you find the cheapest overnight parking close to your accommodation.
Despite occasional delays caused by fog San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is the best option. Located about 13 mi (20.9 km) south of the city center it is connected to it by the Bay Area Rapid Transport (BART). Once you get to the city you can hop on Muni at Embarcadero, Montgomery, Powel or Civic Center stations. Using public transportation is easy, fast, cheap, and convenient. It helps a lot if your hotel is within walking distance from a station. If you are staying close to the airport, some hotels offer shuttle service. For groups of 3 or more people it might be more cost effective to use one of many door-to-door transportation options which you can find at the Airport's Ground Transportation page.
Flying to Oakland International Airport (OAK) is a very good alternative if possible. It is 25 mi (40.2 km) from downtown San Francisco just across the bay and connected to it by BART. Airport's Ground Transportation page provides door-to-door transportation options which might make sense for groups of 3 or more people.
San Jose International Airport (SJC) which is about 67 mi (107.8 km) from downtown San Francisco which would take 3-4 hours to reach by public transportation. There is a free shuttle which takes passengers from the airport to the nearest Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Light Rail station Metro/Airport (about half way between Tasman and Convention Center stations). From there you need to take light rail to either San Jose Diridon, Mountain View or Tamien Caltrain stations. At one of those stations you can get a train to San Francisco. Another possibility is to get a door-to-door shuttle. San Jose Airport's website provides a list of companies providing on demand and prearranged service. Alternatively you could rent a car at the airport in San Jose and drive to San Francisco which you should consider carefully. Having a car in the city is a major headache. If your end goal is visiting San Francisco, flying to San Jose is an option but not a great one.
Local trains are operated by BART covering most of the Bay Area. Caltrain provides a service from San Jose and other cities on the peninsula. Long distance operator is AMTRAK which offers a convenient and enjoyable way to get to San Francisco. The city is served via thruway bus connections at Emeryville. You can arrive from Sacramento, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, Denver, Chicago and many other cities.
The best ways to get around the city is by using public transportation and walking. Many popular attractions are not far from the city center. Muni transportation system operates buses, metro, streetcars and city's famous cablecars. Individual rides on bus and rail cost $2.50 while cable car rides cost $7. There are discounts on all transportation for children and senior citizens. Muni Passport offers unlimited rides for one, three or seven days ($21, $32 and $42). 511 SF Bay and SF Bay Transit websites are helpful when trying to figure out how to get from A to B.
It can get difficult to explore the rest of the Bay Area without a car. The following are your public transportation options. Some destination are reachable by BART. Caltrain can take you south along the peninsula. Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) operates 3 light rail and numerous bus services in the South Bay. They have Contact Me section on the website so you can ask their customer service representatives for help navigating public transportation.
San Francisco is a relatively small city so where you stay is not as important as in some bigger cities. Having good access to public transportation is always a plus. Following are the most popular areas for accommodation.
This area is mostly inhabited by tourists and locals don't consider it the "real" city. There are plenty of souvenir shops and most restaurants are tourist oriented. It has nice views of the bay and North Beach is within walking distance. Alcatraz ferries, Girhardelli Square and Pier 39 are all here. It is quite safe and lively with tourists every day so it might be a good choice for families traveling with young kids.
Many motels in this area are cheaper and simpler than the ones in other districts. Some have parking which is not common in the city. You get more of a typical San Francisco flavor around here. Wide variety of boutiques, restaurants, and buildings with unique architecture can be found along Lombard and Chestnut Streets.
South of Market is a huge district from the Embarcadero to Eleventh Street, and between Market and Townsend. The neighborhood is a patchwork of warehouses, interesting nightspots, hotels, art spaces, loft apartments, and high tech companies. Some areas, like the zone around Sixth and Mission, can be sketchy. The western end of the district is the most industrial. Several of the city's arts organizations are located around Market and Third Street.
Tenderloin is centrally located San Francisco neighborhood. It has lots of restaurants, bars and bakeries. Locals go there during the day and evening but many would avoid walking around late at night. There are homeless people in this area, but if you're used to urban grit, you'll be fine. This area is not for families with children.
This area is on the waterfront and next to the Financial District, so it's busy on work days. It is close to public transportation and the Ferry building which makes it easy to visit various locations in the city and around the bay. Many restaurants are around here. The Embarcadero is flat, so it is great for walking or jogging.
This is the heart of the city where most business travelers stay. There are many designer and name-brand shops around and big department stores are close by. It is a center for transit and all other areas are easily traveled to. Many high end restaurants are here with fewer ethnic food choices. The theater district is nearby. Union Square is not as family oriented as other hotel areas. Gritty Tenderloin is right next to it which most locals avoid especially at night.
Alimento, Arizmendi Bakery, Art's Cafe (747 Irving St), Balompie Cafe (Salvadoran), Basa Seafood Express, Bini's Kitchen (Nepalese), Boccalone, Cafe Bunn Mi (417 Clement St), Chabaa Thai Cuisine, Cholo Soy (Peruvian - 2301 Mission St), Chomp N' Swig (Sandwiches - 1541 Clement St), Cordon Bleu (1574 California St), Devil's Teeth Baking Company (Bakery), Eddie's Cafe (Soul Food - 800 Divisadero St), El Farolito (2779 Mission St), farm : table, Frena (Kosher), Freshroll Vietnamese Rolls & Bowls, Golden Boy Pizza, Golden Star Vietnamese Restaurant (11 Walter U Lum Pl), Good Mong Kok Bakery (1039 Stockton St), Grubbin' (Sandwiches), Hai Ky Mi Gia (707 Ellis St), Hot Sauce and Panko, House of Pancakes (Chinese - 937 Taraval St), HRD, Kawika's Ocean Beach Deli, Kevin's Noodle House (Vietnamese), La Corneta Taqueria (Mexican), La Palma Mexicatessen, Lime Tree Southeast Asian Kitchen (450 Irving St), Lou's Cafe, Milkbean, Mission Banh Mi (Deli - 2200 Mission St at Duc Loi Supermarket), Muracci's Japanese Curry & Grill, Nick's Crispy Tacos (Mexican), Oasis Grill (91 Drumm St), Pakwan Restaurant, Panucho's (Mexican), Paulie's Pickling, Rhea's Deli & Market (800 Valencia Street), Rosamunde Sausage Grill, Saigon Sandwich (560 Larkin St), Shanghai Dumpling King (Dim Sum), Sing Sing Sandwich Shop (309 Hyde Street), Submarine Center (Sandwiches), Sunrise Deli (Mediterranean), Super Duper Burgers, Tacorea, Taqueria Cancun (Mexican - 2288 Mission St), Taqueria Guadalajara (Mexican - 4798 Mission St), The Boy's Deli, The Chairman (Taiwanese), The Cheese Steak Shop, The Codmother Fish and Chips (496 Beach St), The Flying Falafel, Thorough Bread & Pastry, Tommy's Joynt, Tony's Coal-Fired Pizza and Slice House, Truly Mediterranean, Tselogs (Filipino), Turtle Tower (Vietnamese), Ty Sandwich (4829 Mission St), Volcano (Japanese), Wooly Pig Cafe (205 Hugo St), Yamo (3406 18th St) and Za Pizza.
ABV (American), Academy Bar & Kitchen, Aina (Hawaiian), Akiko’s Restaurant (Japanese), Alba Ray’s, Amélie (French), Baonecci Ristorante, Barbacco, Belga, Bella Trattoria (Italian), Beretta (Italian), Buena Vista Cafe, Burma Superstar, Burmese Kitchen, Cafe Réveille, CatHead’s BBQ, Causwells (American), Cha Cha Cha, Chez Maman, Don Pisto’s (Mexican), El Porteno (Peruvian), Fog Harbor Fish House, Fresca, Frisco Fried, Garaje, Giordano Bros (Sandwiches), Hard Knox Cafe, Hog Island Oyster Co, Hogwash, Hops & Hominy, Hunan Home’s Restaurant (Chinese), Huxley, Il Pollaio (Italian - 555 Columbus Ave), Indian Paradox, Izakaya Sozai, Kasa Indian Eatery, Kitchen Istanbul (Turkish), Kitchen Story, La Fusión, Lers Ros (Thai), Limon Rotisserie, Little Skillet (Soul Food), Mac Daddy (American), Marlowe (American), Nopalito (Mexican), Paprika, Parada 22, Pizzeria Delfina, Pizzetta 211, Ragazza, Roam Artisan Burgers, Rooster & Rice, Rove Kitchen, Ryoko’s (Japanese - 619 Taylor St), San Jalisco (Mexican), San Tung (Chinese - 1031 Irving St), Sanraku (Japanese), Serpentine (American), Skool, Sotto Mare, Souvla (Greek), Starbelly, Straw, Suppenküche (German), Swan Oyster Depot (1517 Polk St), Takoba SF (Japanese), The Alembic, The Dark Horse Inn, The Front Porch, The Taco Shop at Underdog’s, Toyose (Korean - 3814 Noriega St), Trattoria da Vittorio (Italian), Tropisueño (Mexican), Trou Normand, Tuba Authentic Turkish Restaurant, Woodhouse Fish Company and Zero Zero (Italian).
A 16 (Pizza), Absinthe Brasserie & Bar, Albona Ristorante Istriano (Italian), Allegro Romano (Italian - 1701 Jones St), Anchor Oyster Bar, Bar Crudo, Bellota, Bistro Central Parc (French), Blue Plate, Bobo's (Steakhouse), Bouche (French), Cafe Claude (French), Cafe Jacqueline (French - 1454 Grant Ave), Capannina (Italian - 1809 Union St), Chapeau! (French), Cotogna (Italian), Crab House (Seafood), Delfina (Pizza), DOSA on Fillmore (Indian - 1700 Fillmore St), EPIC Steak, Espetus Brazilian Steak House, Firefly Restaurant (American), Flour + Water (Italian), Foreign Cinema, Gitane, Greens Restaurant (Vegetarian), Heirloom Cafe, Hillstone (American), House of Prime Rib (American - 1906 Van Ness Ave ), Isa Restaurant (French), Kokkari Estiatorio (Greek), Koo (Japanese), La Ciccia, La Mar Cebichería Peruana, Liholiho Yacht Club, Lolinda, L’ardoise Bistro (French), Mathilde French Bistro, Nopa, Ozumo (Japanese), Park Tavern (American), Perbacco (Italian), Pläj Scandinavian Restaurant & Bar, Prubechu, Revelry Bistro, Rich Table (American), Roy’s Restaurant, Salt House (American), Sam's Grill & Seafood Restaurant, Saru Sushi Bar, Scoma’s Restaurant, Seven Hills, Sorrel, Stones Throw (American), Tadich Grill, Thanh Long, The House (Asian Fusion), The Morris (American), The Richmond (American - 615 Balboa St), The Slanted Door, Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar (Asian Fusion), Town Hall (American), Trestle (American), Tsubasa Sushi, Waterbar, Wayfare Tavern (American) and Yank Sing (Dim Sum).
Alexander’s Steakhouse, An Japanese Restaurant, Boulevard (American), Casa Flores (Italian), Farallon (Seafood), Harris’ Restaurant (Steakhouse), Hinata (Japanese), Ijji Sushi, Jai Yun (Chinese - 680 Clay St ), Jardiniere, Khai (Vietnamese), Kiss Seafood, KUSAKABE (Japanese), La Folie (French), Maruya (Japanese), Nightbird (American), Osso Steakhouse, Parallel 37 (American), Petit Crenn (French), Quince and Roka Akor.
Benu (★★★), Quince (★★★), Saison (★★★ American), Acquerello (★★ Italian), Atelier Crenn (★★ French), Taj Campton Place (★★), Coi (★★), Lazy Bear (★★ American), Al's Place (★), Aster (★ American), Californios (★), Commonwealth (★ American), Gary Danko (★), Hashiri (★ Japanese), jū-ni (★ Japanese), Keiko à Nob Hill (★), Kin Khao (★ Thai), Lord Stanley (★), Luce (★ American), Michael Mina (★ American), Mister Jiu's (★ Chinese), Mourad (★), Nico (★), Octavia (★ American), Omakase (★ Japanese), Sons & Daughters (★ American), SPQR (★ Italian), Spruce (★ American), State Bird Provisions (★), The Progress (★ American) and Wako (★ Japanese).
ABV, Birba, Causwells, Crepevine Restaurant, Eight AM (1323 Columbus Ave ), Ella’s American Kitchen, Hoffmann’s Grill & Rotisserie, Ho’s Bootleg Tavern, Jones, Kitchen Story, Marlowe, Mission Beach Cafe, Mr Pollo (2823 Mission St), Mymy (1500 California St), Ocean Ale House, Outerlands, Picnic on Third, Plow, Sauce, Serpentine, Starbelly, Straw, Teeth SF, The Alembic, The Tipsy Pig and Universal Cafe.
Cockscomb, Firefly Restaurant, Foreign Cinema, Hillstone, Nopa, Park Tavern, Salt House, Sorrel, State Bird Provisions, Stones Throw, The Morris, The Richmond (615 Balboa St), Town Hall and Trestle.
Baby Blues BBQ, Barney’s Gourmet Hamburgers, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Brickhouse Cafe, BullsHead Restaurant (840 Ulloa St ), Burger Bar, Dottie’s True Blue Cafe (28 6th St), Eats (50 Clement St), Hollow Cow, Hopwater Distribution, Just For You Cafe, Kate’s Kitchen, Mac Daddy, Marengo on Union, Mel’s Drive-In, Mo’s Grill, Orphan Andy’s (3991 17th St), Park Chow, Parkside Tavern, Pork Store Cafe, Redford, Rove Kitchen, Stacks, Stuffed, Sweet Maple, The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen, The Beach Chalet Brewery & Restaurant, The Dark Horse Inn, The Lodge on Haight and WesBurger ‘N’ More.
Cheung Hing (2339 Noriega St), Delicious Dim Sum (752 Jackson St), Good Luck Dim Sum (736 Clement St), Good Mong Kok Bakery (1039 Stockton St), Gourmet Carousel, House Of Pancakes (937 Taraval St), Hunan Cafe 2 (4450 Cabrillo St), J & A Restaurant (5712 Mission St), Kung Food (1615 McAllister St), New D & A Cafe (407 Clement St), New Golden Daisy (1041 Stockton St), Red Jade, Sam Wo Restaurant (713 Clay St), Shanghai Dumpling King, Sun Kwong Restaurant (1400 Jackson St), Wok Shop Cafe (1307 Sutter St), Wok Station (2154 Irving St) and Yan’s Kitchen (57 Columbus Ave).
Boiling Hot Pot (5512 Geary Blvd), Dragon Beaux, Dumpling Kitchen (1935 Taraval St), Henry’s Hunan Restaurant, Hunan Home’s Restaurant, IPOT (1420 Irving St), Lai Hong Lounge, R&G Lounge, San Tung (Chinese - 1031 Irving St), Sichuan Home (5037 Geary Blvd), Terra Cotta Warrior (2555 Judah St) and Win Garden.
A Desi Cafe, Aslam’s Rasoi, August 1 Five, Chaat Corner, Clay Oven Indian Restaurant (385 W Portal Ave), Curry Leaf, Deccan Spice, DOSA on Valencia, DUM Indian Soul Food, Great India, Holy Kitchen, India Clay Oven, Indian Oven, Indian Paradox, Keeva Indian Kitchen, Little Delhi, Masala Dosa, Mela Tandoori Kitchen, New Delhi Restaurant, Newa, North India Restaurant, Om Indian Cuisine, Pakwan (1140 Ocean Ave), Red Chilli, Roti Indian Bistro, Saffron Grill, Spicy Bite (3501 Mission St), Star India Restaurant, Tara Indian Cuisine, Udupi Palace, Urban Curry Restaurant and Viva Goa.
Aperto Restaurant, Baonecci Ristorante, Barbacco, Bella Trattoria, Beretta, Caffe Macaroni, Cioppino’s, Delarosa, Fino Ristorante & Bar, Franchino, Il Pollaio (Italian - 555 Columbus Ave), InoVino, Mama’s On Washington Square, Marcella’s Lasagneria, Nob Hill Cafe, Piccino, Piccolo Forno (725 Columbus Ave), Sotto Mare, The Stinking Rose, Tommaso’s Ristorante Italiano, Trattoria Contadina, Trattoria da Vittorio, Zero Zero and È Tutto Qua.
Akiko’s Restaurant, Daigo Sushi, Delica, Domo, Ebisu, Eiji (317 Sanchez St), Elephant Sushi, Ginza Sushi & Sake, Halu (312 8th Ave), Hot Zushi (531 Haight St), Izakaya Sozai, Katana-Ya, Kazan (2809 24th St), Live Sushi Bar, Marufuku Ramen (1581 Webster St Ste 235), Mensho Tokyo, Nabe, Nara Restaurant & Sake Bar, Okina Sushi (776 Arguello Blvd), Ramen Yamadaya, Ryoko’s (619 Taylor St), Saiwaii Ramen (2240 Irving St), Sakesan Bistro, Sanraku, Shizen Vegan Sushi Bar & Izakaya (370 14th St), Sugoi Sushi, Sushi Bistro, Sushi Zone (1815 Market St), Sushirrito, Suzu Noodle House (1825 Post St), Takoba SF, Tanpopo, Taraval Okazu Ya Restaurant (1735 Taraval St), Tataki, Wayo Sushi (1407 Van Ness Ave) and Waraku.
Koo, Okoze Sushi (1207 Union St), Ozumo, Saru Sushi Bar, Tekka Japanese Restaurant (537 Balboa St), Tsubasa Sushi and Zushi Puzzle.
Bayshore Taqueria, El Burrito Express, El Castillito (136 Church St), El Farolito (2779 Mission St), El Rincón Yucateco (491 O'farrell St), Gordo Taqueria (2252 Clement St), La Corneta Taqueria, La Espiga De Oro (2916 24th St), La Palma Mexicatessen, La Santaneca (3781 Mission St), La Taqueria (2889 Mission St), Mexico Tipico (4581 Mission St), Nick’s Crispy Tacos, Pancho Villa Taqueria, Panucho’s, Papalote Mexican Grill, Taqueria Cancún (2288 Mission St), Taqueria Guadalajara (4798 Mission St), Taqueria La Cumbre, Taqueria Los Coyotes, Taqueria Vallarta (3033 24th St), Tortas Boos Voni (5170 Mission St) and Tortas Los Picudos (2969 24th St).
Colibri Mexican Bistro, Don Pisto’s, El Buen Comer, Garaje, Garajito (257 3rd St), Gracias Madre, Mateo’s Taqueria, Nopalito, Padrecito, Papito Potrero Hill, Poc-Chuc (2886 16th St), Puerto Alegre (546 Valencia St), Regalito Rosticeria, San Jalisco, Tacolicious, The Castro Republic (2295 Market St), The Little Chihuahua, The Taco Shop At Underdog’s, Tlaloc Sabor Mexicano, Tres Tequila Lounge & Mexican Kitchen, Tropisueño and Velvet Cantina.
All Good Pizza, Arinell Pizza, Baonecci Ristorante, Beretta, Calzone’s, Capo’s Chicago Pizza, Carmel Pizza Company, Delarosa, Gaspare’s Pizza House & Italian Restaurant, Gialina Pizzeria, Giorgio’s Pizzeria, Goat Hill Pizza, Il Casaro Pizzeria & Mozzarella Bar (348 Columbus Ave), Little Star Pizza, Long Bridge Pizza, Luisa’s Pizza And Pasta, Montesacro Pinseria-Enoteca, Pasquale’s Pizza (700 Irving St), Pauline’s Pizza & Wine Bar, Pazzia Restaurant & Pizzeria (337 3rd St), Piccolo Forno (725 Columbus Ave), Pizzeria Delfina, Pizzetta 211, The Pizza Place, Tommaso’s Ristorante Italiano, Tony’s Pizza Napoletana, Trattoria da Vittorio, Uncle Vito’s Pizza, Uva Enoteca, Victor’s Pizza (1411 Polk St) and Zero Zero.
Alioto’s Restaurant, Baonecci Ristorante, Bistro At The Cliff House, Caffe Sport, Cioppino’s, Fog Harbor Fish House, Fresca, Great Eastern Restaurant, Hog Island Oyster Co, Mission Street Oyster Bar & Seafood Restaurant, Original Joe’s, Pacific Cafe, Pacific Catch, Pier 23 Cafe, Pier Market Seafood Restaurant, Plouf, PPQ Dungeness Island, R&G Lounge, Red Hill Station, Skool, Sotto Mare, Swan Oyster Depot (1517 Polk St), The Stinking Rose, Tommaso’s Ristorante Italiano, Woodhouse Fish Company and Z & Y Restaurant.
Anchor & Hope, Anchor Oyster Bar, Bar Crudo, Bellota, Crab House, Franciscan Crab Restaurant, La Ciccia, La Mar Cebichería Peruana, Liholiho Yacht Club, Scoma’s Restaurant, Seven Hills, Tadich Grill, Thanh Long and Waterbar.
Alfred’s Steakhouse, Bobo’s, Bob’s Steak & Chop House, EPIC Steak, Espetus Brazilian Steak House, Fogo de Chão Brazilian Steakhouse, House of Prime Rib (1906 Van Ness Ave), Izzy’s Steak & Chop House, Leatherneck Steakhouse, Lolinda, Roka Akor and Roy’s Restaurant.
Andytown Coffee Roasters, Beanstalk Cafe (724 Bush St), Blue Danube Coffee House (306 Clement St), Caffe Trieste, Castro Coffee Company, Chapter 2 Coffee (411 Sansome St), CoffeeShop (3139 Mission St), Contraband Coffee Bar, Five Star Truffles Co., Fresh Brew Coffee (882 Bush St), Graffeo Coffee Roasting Company, Hole In The Wall Coffee (524 Union St), Home (1222 Noriega St), Iron Horse Coffee Bar (25 Maiden Ln), Java Beach Cafe, Neighbor’s Corner, Rise & Grind (785 8th Ave), Ro Cafe (2739 Geary St), Saint Frank Coffee, Sightglass Coffee, Spike’s Coffees & Teas, Un Cafecito (335 Jones St), YakiniQ Cafe (1640 Post St Fl 2) and Zo11 Coffee.
ABV (Cocktails), Anchor Brewing's Taproom, Bar 587 (Cocktails), Black Hammer Brewing, Blackbird, Bloodhound (Cocktails), Bluxome Street Winery, Bodega, Bow Bow Cocktail Lounge (1155 Grant Ave), Buddha Lounge (Dive bar - 901 Grant Ave), CC's Cocktails (2417 Lombard St), Comstock Saloon, Connecticut Yankee (Sports bar - 100 Connecticut St), Durty Nelly’s (Pub - 2328 Irving St), Fat Angel, Hawthorn (Cocktails), High Treason (Wine), Hobson’s Choice, Hopwater Distribution (Beer), House of Shields, Ho’s Bootleg Tavern (Sports bar), Li Po Cocktail Lounge, Liquid Gold (Beer), Local Edition (Cocktails), Mikkeller Bar, Mr Tipple’s Recording Studio (Cocktails), Novela (Cocktails), Pacific Cocktail Haven, Pop's Bar (Dive bar), robberbaron (Wine), Shotwell’s (Pub), Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe (12 William Saroyan Pl), Stookey’s Club Moderne (Cocktails), Sugar Lounge (Cocktails), The Alembic, The Black Horse London Pub, The Fly Trap, The Hidden Vine (Wine), The Interval At Long Now (Cocktails), The Monk’s Kettle, The Page, The Saloon (Dive bar - 1232 Grant Ave), The Sea Star (Dive bar), The Social Study (Wine), The Sycamore, Third Rail (Cocktails), Topsy’s Fun House (Cocktails), Toronado Pub, Trick Dog (Cocktails), Yield Wine Bar and Zeitgeist (Dive bar).
Audio Discotech, Bimbo’s 365 Club, Boom Boom Room, Bruno's, Cat Club, Club Deluxe, DNA Lounge, Double Dutch, Elbo Room, Harlot, Infusion Lounge, Mercer, Mezzanine, Monarch, Mr Smith’s, Rickshaw Stop, Ruby Skye, Temple Nightclub, The Comet Club (3111 Fillmore St), The EndUp (401 6th St), The Grand and The Independent.
Alamo Square, Alcatraz Island, Baker Beach, Cable Cars, California Academy of Sciences, Chinatown, Coit Tower, de Young Museum, Ferry Building Marketplace, Fisherman's Wharf, Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park, Lombard Street, Palace of Fine Arts Theatre, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), The Cliff House & Sutro Baths, The Castro, The Exploratorium, Transamerica Pyramid, Twin Peaks and Union Square.
Haight Street between Stanyan Street and Masonic Avenue is one of the most eclectic San Francisco shopping experiences. It still retains its hippie counterculture credentials established back in the '60s. You should visit it for the colorful fun you will find on the street. Bargain hunters will find great vintage clothes. Many small stores sell alternative clothes, shoes and accessories. The most convenient way to get here is to take Muni to Carl & Cole Station on N Line.
This is the home to some of San Francisco's best restaurants and boutiques. It is a great combination of art and commerce in a small neighborhood. Some very interesting and chic clothing stores as well as some great eateries can be found on Hayes Street between Laguna and Franklin Streets. You can get here by taking Muni to Van Ness Station (N, L, M, K and J Lines), or Muni F Line to Market Street at Gough Street.
Union Square area is the main shopping district where you will find large department stores, name brands and luxury shops. Westfield San Francisco Centre contains Nordstrom and Bloomingdales. Crocker Galleria, Macy's, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Barneys New York (San Francisco) and many others are all nearby. The easiest way to get here is to take BART to Powell Street station which is bellow Westfield San Francisco Centre. In order to get closer to Union Square Park take the exit that says either Ellis Street, Stockton Street or O'Farrell Streets.
While often confused by visitors with Union Square it provides very different shopping experience. Its beauty is the Victorian architecture of the small trendy shops. The area is known for jewelry stores and goldsmiths. There are about 400 shops, restaurants and businesses between Steiner and Gough Streets along Union Street. Many shops can also be found at each of the cross streets. Another strongly populated area of shops nearby is on Fillmore between Union Street and Lombard Street. The easy way to get here is to take bus #45 at Stockton and Sutter Streets near Union Square or bus #41 (commute hours only) at Washington Street and Columbus Avenue from the Financial District.
The Tenderloin with a large population of homeless people, drug addicts and prostitutes, close to the popular tourist destination Union Square, has a reputation as the most dangerous area of San Francisco. You should avoid it, especially at night. Crowded areas are often targeted by pickpockets and panhandlers. Keep an eye on your belongings and don’t keep wallets or expensive electronic devices where they can be easily stolen. Another area where you may notice open drug use and homeless camps is Mission. In case you’re confronted by someone avoid eye contact and keep walking. Cars are sometimes broken into, so don't leave any valuables. Make sure you know what to do in case of an earthquake. Small ones are common here.
Sausalito 11 mi (17.7 km), Oakland 12 mi (19.3 km), Berkeley 14 mi (22.5 km), Muir Woods National Monument 16 mi (25.7 km), Halfmoon Bay 29 mi (46.7 km), Palo Alto 33 mi (53.1 km), Point Reyes 42 mi (67.6 km), Sonoma 44 mi (70.8 km), Napa 49 mi (78.9 km) and San Jose 55 mi (88.5 km).
Santa Cruz 76 mi (122.3 km), Sacramento 88 mi (141.6 km), Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea 120 mi (193.1 km), Mendocino 155 mi (249.4 km), South Lake Tahoe 188 mi (302.6 km), Paso Robles 205 mi (329.9 km), Yosemite National Park 211 mi (339.6 km) and Reno 218 mi (350.8 km).