Known as the Fog City and City By the Bay, San Francisco has gone through dozens of incarnations. In the 1800s, it was a frontier town for those going after the gold rush. In the 1970s, it was the ground zero for counterculture and hippie life.
Today, it’s a combination of everything, featuring Silicon Valley’s tech startups and an award-winning restaurant scene. The sprawling city is easy to get around thanks to rideshares and public transportation and most tourist attractions are consolidated into one area. It’s also an ideal jumping-off point for day and weekend trips to places like Sausalito, Carmel and Napa Valley.
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The Neighborhoods of San Francisco
Most of San Francisco’s hip neighborhoods are contained to the main peninsula. The tourist district is mainly around Fisherman’s Wharf, but once you’re outside of it, you’ll find the beloved local places. For example, Haight-Ashbury is frequented by tourists for its counterculture history, as the former home of musicians like Janis Joplin. It’s divided into Upper and Lower Haight, much like New York’s Greenwich Village. Here you’ll find vintage stores, record stores and “herb shops.”
San Francisco Chinatown is one of the country’s oldest, settled during the gold rush. Here you’ll find paper lanterns hung across buildings, Chinese bakeries and banks with their signs in Chinese letters. There’s also some cheap souvenir shopping in the area.
The Castro was where the city’s gay community thrived. Activist Harvey Milk owned a camera store here and later ran for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. The Castro Theatre is an icon in the community and one of the city’s premiere movie theaters. There are also some great restaurants and coffee shops.
If you know anything about the Mission District, it’s probably about their food. Mission burritos are known around the country for taking a uniquely Mexican dish and adding an American spin to it. The land originally was a part of a Spanish mission and today has a number of Latin American restaurants. Dolores Park is a community park in this neighborhood that also has a number of murals. The Mission has a large Day of the Dead festival.
The North Beach neighborhoods of Russian Hill and Nob Hill are where beatniks like Jack Kerouac spent time. Nob Hill was named for nobility, as it was home to four of the most luxurious hotels in the city. Russian Hill is south of Ghiradelli Square and has views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Fisherman’s Wharf.
Across the bay is Oakland, an up-and-coming neighborhood equivalent to New York’s Brooklyn. It’s gone through many changes of its own throughout the years and is technically its own city, but it’s a popular place to live for people who work in San Francisco. It has its own Chinatown and a number of hip bars and restaurants.
San Francisco Restaurants and Cafes
San Franciscans take such pride in dining out, so download an app like Scoutmob or OpenTable to see what’s good nearby. Indulge in the fare of all corners of the globe, especially Asian and Latin flavors.
The Cavalier– This upscale pub and James Beard nominee serves up English favorites like frites, fish and chips and savory pies. They serve breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch as well as cocktails like Pimm’s Cups.
Tin Vietnamese Cuisine– I was so pleased to find a Vietnamese restaurant that served bun cha only a few blocks from my hotel. Tin came recommended online and I was surprised at how many people were still dining at 10 pm. Enjoy authentic dishes and Vietnamese beer.
Brenda’s French Soul Food– As a Southerner, it’s hard to find good Southern food outside of the region, but Brenda’s does it right. Grab a beignet sampler, which includes three sweet and one savory. Breakfast and brunch are the main attractions, but they also serve lunch and dinner.
Pizzeria Delfina– Be prepared to wait a while for a seat at Pizzeria Delfina, but you’ll be glad you did. This Mission mainstay serves up classic pies alongside antipasti like arancini and veggies. Pair it with a glass of wine.
Off the Grid– The city’s best food trucks converge in one place for Off the Grid every week all over the city. Fort Mason is easy to access, but can be crowded at many parts of the season, so bring a picnic blanket or have someone scout out a table while you get the food.
Rose’s Cafe– This cozy cafe has a daily changing menu that is inspired by local farmers and suppliers. Pizza, pasta and sandwiches are staples of the menu, which is offered for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
San Francisco Bars and Nightlife
Each neighborhood has its own watering hole and coffee shop, but here are just a few of my personal favorites from my travels. Leave yours below in the comments!
Anchor Brewing Company– One of the country’s original craft breweries offers tours of their facility, which includes samples of their flagship and specialty beers. Start with the Anchor Steam, an American classic.
Blue Bottle Coffee– The Bay Area’s most successful coffee franchise has dozens of locations around town, including the Ferry Building and Market Square. Grab a cup of the chicory iced coffee to go as you explore the city.
Winery Collective– If you don’t make it out to Napa Valley and the wine region, this Fisherman’s Wharf area establishment offers tastings of local wines and also sells bottles to take home with you.
Diving Dog Brewhouse– Located across the bay in Oakland, Diving Dog is a brewpub with gorgeous wood paneling. They have thirty taps, including some nitros, and some beers that are made elsewhere.
21st Amendment Brewery– San Francisco’s other famous brewery is 21st Amendment, usually packed with people at their restaurant. Here you’ll find all your favorite brews, along with burgers, pizza and weekend brunch.
Things to Do in San Francisco
There’s no shortage of attractions, both traditional and unique, in San Francisco so give yourself at least four days in the city. You can tackle a few things in one day, but allow yourself most of the day at Alcatraz. Attractions, both traditional and unique, in San Francisco so give yourself at least four days in the city. You can tackle a few things in one day, but allow yourself most of the day at Alcatraz.
Fisherman’s Wharf– The waterfront area was where the fishermen set up shop in the 1800s. Over the years, it was redeveloped and turned into more of a tourist trap, but it also has seafood restaurants and Boudin sourdough bakery.
Golden Gate Bridge– There are dozens of ways to see the Golden Gate Bridge, including walking, biking and driving across it, but you can also just see it from one of the viewpoints. Check out one of the many hiking paths in the park at the entrance to the bridge.
Coit Tower– The cement tower may not look like much, but from above it has the best views of the city. After you climb Telegraph Hill to reach the entrance, pay special attention to the lobby murals before the elevator takes you to the top.
Alcatraz– Head over to the ferry early in the morning and give yourself plenty of time to explore the grounds. The audio tour is the best way to learn about the history of America’s most infamous prison and the people that lived here.
Alamo Square– Fans of Full House recognize these pastel Victorian credits from the opening credits. The park in front of the private homes is a great place to have a picnic or a sit while you regroup.
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art– This art museum will re-open May 2016 after extensive renovations. There are some great exhibits focusing on modern art.
Be sure to go on a tour to learn more about the city before you leave. I recommend Urban Adventures, one of my favorite tour companies that offer neighborhood tours of Chinatown, the Mission and North Beach.
Shopping in San Francisco
Between the boutiques of San Francisco’s funky neighborhoods to the mega-malls like Westfield, you’ll find whatever you’re looking for here. I never do much shopping on my visits, but here are a few essential stops.
City Lights Bookstore– Whatever type of books you like to read, you’ll find it at City Lights. The sprawling store publishes their own books and also hosts author readings and other community events.
Ferry Building– Locals and tourists both love the vendors at the Ferry Building, which offers small food stalls, weekly farmer’s markets, restaurants and shops selling flowers, gifts and more.
Amoeba Music– San Francisco’s music scene is an important part of its legacy, so be sure to stop by this independent music store to see what artists are on the rise.
Where to Stay in San Francisco
There’s no shortage of places to stay in San Francisco, but this is one aspect of your travel budget that eats away quickly. On one hand, you have luxurious hotels and on the other is hostels. There are lots in between as well.
InterContinental San Francisco– The luxury hotel is centrally located with corner rooms and comfy beds. They also have Luce, their in-house restaurant.
Hotel Rex– This 1930s hotel is full of contemporary art and corners for reading. Guestrooms are each unique and your stay includes a complimentary wine tasting.
Hostelling International USA– Downtown San Francisco has three HI hostels of its own with additional locations further afield.
USA Hostel– This small chain of hostels puts an emphasis on the amenities, including free yoga classes, movies in their theater, pub crawls and bike rentals.
AirBnB is also a great resource, especially as it was created in the Bay Area, offering full homes as well as rooms that share common areas.
San Francisco Transportation
Getting around San Francisco is fairly seamless, especially if you’re within the tourist areas, but be prepared to walk up steep hills. Driving isn’t recommended unless you require a car because parking can be scarce in parts of the city. Not to mention parallel parking on an incline is nearly impossible.
From the airport, take BART, the train system that runs through the city and across into Oakland. Fares vary by where you’re going, but should cost around $5-10 for a ride. When it comes to getting around town, opt for MUNI, which runs the trams and buses that cost around $2.50 per ride.
The historic cable cars that are so iconic are more for photo ops than transportation in many parts of the city, but you can also opt for the historic streetcars that have been refurbished from areas like New Orleans. Remember that the cable cars cost more than double per ride and often have a wait to get on where they turn around.
And, of course, rideshare apps like Lyft and Uber are king here, bridging the gap between neighborhoods and transportation. I took them to bars, breweries and to the airport with ease.
Get a free ride on Lyft by entering the code “CAROLINE868074”.
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This Post reminds me about how beautiful that Golden Gate Bridge is and how my mother left her bicycle along the way just to have a selfie in the middle of the bridge. :D anyway, that was 2yrs.ago.
I loved San Francisco when I visited, but it was absolutely freezing (in September!) Awesome photos here, I’d love to go back!
Great guide to my city :) Thanks for even giving me a few restaurants to try!
Thanks, Anne!
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