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Grab your coat and a handful of glitter, and enter a wonderland of fog and fabulousness.
San
Francisco is one of the most stunning cities in America. It is located between the
ocean and Sierra Nevada Mountains
with the redwood forests and the California desert to the north and south. Its
bay sweeps between the Golden Gate
Bridge and the Bay Bridge.
It is home to 14 small islands, including the infamous Alcatraz. And close by are the vineyards of the Napa and Sonoma
wine regions.
The geography
of the area has created one of San Francisco’s most well known features, the
steep grid of streets. This incredible landscape has become synonymous with the
city thanks to Hollywood’s jaw-dropping car chase sequences. It is these steep
streets that gave rise to another iconic symbol – its famous public transport
system, the cable car.
The discovery of gold in 1848 led to a huge influx of settlers leading to a
culturally diverse city. This continues today as the city is divided into a
number of distinct neighbourhoods with diverse cultural backgrounds.
Nowhere is
this more apparent than in the temples of colourful Chinatown and Japantown.
Then there is the characteristic bohemian flavour of the Italian pasta
restaurants and cappuccino cafes in North Beach, the old Spanish-speaking
Mission District, the modern Financial District, the gay centre of Castro and
The Haight. This incredible diversity is what makes San Francisco such a
magnetic draw for tourists.
San
Francisco’s climate is influenced by the cold currents of the Pacific Ocean
surrounding the city. These combined with the California mainland summer heat
create foggy conditions that blanket the city during summer and early autumn. As
a result the summers in San Francisco are cooler than inland California.
The average
monthly temperatures are:
|
°C |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
Day |
13 |
16 |
16 |
17 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
20 |
22 |
21 |
17 |
14 |
|
Night |
7 |
8 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
13 |
12 |
10 |
7 |
If you love
to shop, you’ll love San Francisco. There are a multitude of retail outlets
just waiting for you. Union Square is San Francisco’s answer to 5th
Avenue. Here you will find department stores such as Macy’s, Neiman Marcus,
Saks Fifth Avenue, FAO Schwarz, plus Tiffany & Co, Cartier, designer
boutiques and art galleries.
Haight
Street offers shops to appeal to a wide audience. Here you’ll find high-end
boutiques to trendy clothing stores and vintage clothing. Hayes Valley is home
to boutiques, galleries and unique home-decorating shops. For designer boutiques,
jewellery stores plus high-end kids clothes and toys, head for Union Street.
As with
many American cities, San Francisco has its fair share of shopping malls. Two
of the most popular with tourists are the Cannery Complex (originally built in
1907 as the largest Peach Cannery in the world) home to crafts, ceramics and
glassware and Ghirardelli Square which is renowned for its chocolate shops,
ice-cream, unique shops, boutiques and galleries. Other malls include Pier 39,
The Anchorage, The Embarcadero Centre, San Francisco Shopping Centre, Crocker
Gallery, Japan Centre (Nihonmachi) and the Westfield San Francisco Centre.
The city is
also home to several farmer’s markets and flea markets. Farmer’s markets can be
found at the United Nations Plaza (Sunday and Wednesday), Justin Herman Plaza
(Tuesday and Thursday) and Alemany Boulevard (Saturday). For flea markets, head
for Alemany Boulevard (Sunday morning), Jack London Square (weekends) or Ashby
BART Station on Ashby Avenue and Martin Luther King. An hour’s drive south of
San Francisco will take you to the San Jose Flea Market with over 2000 vendors
plus restaurants and amusement rides.
You’ll
never be short of something to do in San Francisco. From bars and clubs to
theatre, music and sports, the city has something for everyone.
If you
enjoy classical music the San Francisco Symphony can be heard at the Louise M.
Davies Symphony Hall (210 Van Ness Avenue). If contemporary music is more your
thing, there are numerous venues in the city so for up to date listings for
what’s on where look out for the free weekly papers SF Weekly and the Bay
Guardian.
San
Francisco’s main theatre district is within the Union Square Region. The main
theatres include The Curran, Golden Gate, American Conservatory Theatre, Mason
Street, and Lorraine Hansberry. Opera lovers should head for the War Memorial
Opera House (301 Van Ness Avenue).
When it
comes to bars and nightlife, the main concentration of venues is around the
SoMa area (South of Market). There are a huge number of venues to choose from,
so below are a few bars and clubs to get you started.
Bars
Clubs
San Francisco is also home to several sporting venues such as SBC Park – home to the San Francisco Giants (baseball), 3Com – home to San Francisco 49ers (football), McAfee Coliseum – home to the Oakland A’s (baseball) and Oakland Riders (football), and the Oracle Arena – home to the Golden State Warriors (basketball).
January
February
March
April
May
July
August
September
October
November
December
Although
there are a number of sights to see and activities to do in San Francisco, you
may want to make the most of your trip and explore other areas of Northern
California. Your hotel will be able to provide you with details of excursions
and local tour operators, but below are a few suggestions to get you started.
The water
is safe to drink in San Francisco.
Medical insurance is a must. There is no NHS in America and the
treatment you receive is expensive.
On the
whole San Francisco is a safe city however you should take the usual
precautions with your valuables and watch out for pick pockets in busy
areas.