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Image Courtesy of San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau
Profile
San Francisco is a centrally located metropolis in Northern California's
Bay Area. From within, San Francisco boasts an assortment of diverse
districts and cultures that come together to create a variety of
urban sites and attractions. From The Mission's Latino-based community
and its colorful collection of restaurants and markets to the Asian-infused
populous comprising the Japan and Chinatowns to Leidesdorff Street
in the Financial District, named for the African-American businessman
responsible for building the city's first hotel, there's plenty
to discover and enjoy.
Rich in history for producing such landmarks as the Golden Gate
Bridge and the fabled cable cars, which still run on select routes
originally mapped out over a hundred years before, San Francisco
has long been one of the most popular tourist destinations in the
world.
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Weather
San Francisco has a temperate marine climate and enjoys mild weather
year-round. Fog rolls in during the morning and evening in the summer,
but it doesn't stay long. Bring a light jacket, since the average
high is only 62 F and seldom rises above 70 F, while the average
low is 51 F and it is known to get breezy by the bay.
Current
Weather
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Attractions
The Cable Car Museum (1201 Mason St.; 415-474-1887; www.cablecarmuseum.org)
gives an historical view of the importance of the cable car to San
Francisco and a look into the daily operations of today's system.
On display are mechanical devices such as grips, track, cable, brake
mechanisms, tools, detailed models, and a large collection of historic
photographs. The museum also houses three antique cable cars from
the 1870s. Admission is free.
Within a two-hour drive from the city, visitors can witness the
Old Faithful Geyser (1299 Tubbs Ln.; Calistoga; 707-942-6463;
www.oldfaithfulgeyser.com)
during one of its daily eruptions approximately every 30 minutes.
One of three famous geysers in the world, Old Faithful's source
is supplied by an underground river while hot molten magma provides
the heat that together force the super-heated water and vapor to
erupt skyward anywhere from 60 to 100 feet through fractures in
the ground. Take a self-guided tour of the park or visit exhibit
hall for more on the history of Old Faithful. Open year-round.
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Family Fun
Zeum is a visual, performing and media arts center for young
people and their families. Experience amazing hands-on fun and explore
multimedia arts and technology. Zeum is located on the corner
of Fourth and Howard Streets on the rooftop of Yerba Buena Gardens,
which itself features an ice skating rink, bowling center and original
1906 carousel. For more information visit www.zeum.org
or call (415)820-3320.
The city's popular Pier 39 is home to Aquarium of the Bay (The
Embarcadero at Beach St.; 415-623-5300; www.aquariumofthebay.com)
which offers visitors a "window to the bay" to explore the diverse
aquatic life of the San Francisco Bay and its surrounding waters.
The four-part journey includes see-through tunnels to "walk" among
the marine life and touch pools for up close and personal encounters.
It's a memorable and fun-for-all-ages experience. Children under
three are admitted free.
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Cultural Arts
Housed within the walls of San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts,
the Exploratorium
(3601 Lyon St.; 415-397-5673; www.exploratorium.com)
features more than 650 art, science and interactive technology exhibits.
Contributions from visual performing artists via
films, 3-D collages and live theater ensure visitors an educational
and true-to-life experience.
One of the oldest continuously performing theaters in the Bay Area
is Lamplighters Music Theatre (469 Bryant St.; 415-227-4797;
www.lamplighters.org).
The only year-round musical theater company in San Francisco, they
are known for producing the entire Gilbert and Sullivan canon as well
as classics like The Merry Widow, Die Fledermaus and My Fair
Lady. Lamplighters has been a theatrical production and cultural
cornerstone in the city for more than 50 years.
The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (151 3rd St.; 415-357-4000;
www.sfmoma.org)
features a collection of nearly 6,000 paintings, drawings and sculpture,
including pieces by Picasso, Matisse, Warhol, Calder, and other
masters. Walk through the exhibit of 20th Century Photography or
head to the Koret Center for some in-depth learning with a self-guided
headphone tour and artist lectures.
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Sports/Recreation
City Kayak (Pier 40, South Beach Harbor; 415-357-1010; www.citykayak.com)
allows visitors to explore the city from the bay and features spectacular
sunset and skyline views. Choose guided or unguided trips from a
number of pre-arranged tours including a City Kayak Tour along a
scenic water route, Full Moon Kayaking with magnificent night views,
or for slightly more advanced paddlers, there's the Alcatraz and
Golden Gate Bridge tour under the bridge or around the island. Baseball
fans can try to shag one in the infamous McCovey Cove just beyond
the right field wall of PacBell Park, home of the San Francisco
Giants.
Bike and Roll (899 Columbus
Ave.; 415-229-2000; www.bicyclerental.com)
does bicycle rentals and tours throughout the city. Go solo or ride
with a guide through parks, across the bay, through challenging
terrains, and along scenic trails on rugged, built-to-last bikes
by name brands like Quality Trek, Klein and Fisher. Ride across
the Golden Gate and back or return by ferry. Group tours and discounts
are available. Riding maps detailing the top attractions and best
routes are provided free.
Located on the Rooftop at Yerba Buena Gardens near the Zeum complex
is the Yerba Buena Ice Skating and Bowling Center (750 Folsom
St.; 415-820-3521; www.skatebowl.com)
which offers public skating and bowling for individuals or groups.
Lessons are available. Discounts are given for groups of 10 or more
with advance reservation.
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Accommodations
San Francisco's seaside location along with its many citywide attractions
make it a popular destination for tourists who will also find more
than 3,500 restaurants and more than 30,000 hotel rooms to suit
every taste and budget.
Renowned for its beauty and panoramic city and bay views, Mandarin
Oriental (222 Sansome St.; 415-276-9888; www.mandarinoriental.com),
located in San Francisco's third tallest building, is located in the heart
of the city within walking distance of Union Square and many famous
landmarks. Guests are greeted by a beautiful black marble lobby
before choosing from among the hotel's rooms and suites
all bathed in sophisticated décor with accents of Asia. Dine in
style at Silks, featuring flavors of the Pacific Rim combined with
traditional Californian, or unwind for an afternoon tea or evening
cocktail in The Mandarin Lounge.
The Argonaut Hotel (495 Jefferson St. at Hyde, Fisherman's
Wharf; 415-563-0800; www.argonauthotel.com)
is an unusual mixture of hotel and museum space, with 10,000-square-feet
of the Maritime National Historical Park's Visitor's Center on the
ground floor. The four-story, timber-and-brick landmark structure,
built in 1907, houses 900 square feet of nautical-themed rooms and
13 suites many of which offer exceptional views of the Golden Gate
Bridge and Alcatraz Island. Accommodations are first-class at this
luxury Kimpton Boutique Hotel in the heart of Fisherman's Wharf.
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Shopping
San Francisco and the Bay Area offer visitors a premier shopping
experience beginning with the popular Pier 39 (Beach and
Embarcadero streets; 415-705-5500; www.pier39.com).
This two-level, 45-acre complex houses a marina filled with lounging
sea lions and exquisite bay views, and features a festival marketplace
with unique shops and restaurants, including The Cable Car
Store, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., Houdini's Magic Shop, and Treasure
Ireland, as well as numerous games and attractions.
One mile west of Union Square visitors can experience all the sights,
sounds and tastes of Asia on this side of the Pacific in San
Francisco's historic Japantown
and Chinatown.
With a history dating to the early 1860s, Japantown continues to
thrive and expand its community. Highlighted by the Japan Center,
which stretches three blocks outlined by Post and Fillmore streets,
it's home to a variety of antiques and craft shops, art galleries,
bookstores, restaurants, hotels, theaters, Japanese baths, and Karaoke
bars.
Beginning with a dragon-crested gate at Grant Ave. and Bush St.,
crowded streets, bustling markets and busy restaurants mark San
Francisco's Chinatown, the largest and most commercial in North
America. With origins dating from the 1850s, it's a 24-block version
of the real thing condensed into a community of pagoda-roofed buildings,
Buddhist temples and shops aplenty.
Ghirardelli Square (900 N. Point St.; 415-775-5500; www.ghirardellisq.com)
is most famous for its years as a chocolate factory beginning in
1893. In 1964 Ghirardelli Square became the country's first manufacturing
complex renovated into a festival marketplace. In addition to fabulous
views of the bay, landscaped gardens and a self-guided historic
walking tour, it boasts more than 50 shops and award-winning restaurants.
Be sure to request a Ghirardelli Square visitor discount pass for
special offers and free chocolate.
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Nightlife
Located in the heart of San Francisco's old Fillmore District,
the Boom Boom Room (1601 Fillmore St.; 415-673-8000; www.boomboomblues.com)
offers guests a sultry, swanky evening of Blues, groove and soul
seven nights a week. Boogie down to the dance floor and soak in
the sound, or sip a cocktail and lounge out in the low-lighted and
hip atmosphere of this downtown staple.
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Travel Info
The San Francisco Visitor Information Center (900 Market
St., corner of Powell; http://onlysf.sfvisitor.org),
operated by the San Francisco Convention and Visitor's Bureau, provides
service and information in a variety of languages including Spanish,
French, Italian, German, and Japanese. Their 24-hour special event
and activities hotline is available by calling (415) 391-2001.
For travel values, the San Francisco City Pass features
a book of discount admission tickets for attractions like
the Blue and Gold Fleet Bay Cruise, Exploratorium, San Francisco
Museum of Modern Art, and more. Also included is a week of unlimited
cable car rides and public transportation (www.citypass.com).
The Go San Francisco Card allows access to more than 30
of San Francisco's top attractions, savings at shops
and restaurants, savings on day tours and services,
a personal guidebook, and more.
Visit www.sfvisitor.org
for more details.
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Fast Facts
The Golden Gate Bridge, widely recognized as a symbol of San
Francisco, was built from 1933 to 1937. The bridge spans the Golden
Gate strait, a mile-wide gap between the bay and the ocean, separating
Marin County from the city. Often shrouded in thick fog, the 4,200-foot-long
suspension span was designed to withstand the forces of nature,
including gale force winds up to 100 miles per hour, and earthquakes.
The Golden Gate Bridge is painted "international orange" and has
welcomed nearly two billion vehicles.
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Links
City of San Francisco Official
Site
City
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