SAN FRANCISCO
Area: California
Country: United States of America


Location:
Roughly halfway down the W coast of the United States, in the state of California. 350 mls N of Los Angeles. City centre 20 mls N of San Francisco International airport.

Telephone code from UK:
1 415

Website:
http://www.sfvisitor.org

Position:
On a peninsula roughly 7 mls square, with the Pacific Ocean to the W, San Francisco Bay to the E and the Golden Gate Bridge marking the division between the two. As it lies along a coastal mountain range, this is a very hilly metropolis, with its highest point about 1,000 ft above sea level.

Description:
It is not difficult to understand why San Francisco, the City by the Bay, is a popular holiday destination. With certainty it is one of America's most attractive cities; its landmark cable cars, plodding up unnervingly steep hills, offer sweeping panoramas of San Francisco Bay and the infamous fog wafting across the Golden Gate Bridge _ a vivid, magical impression of the area which is not easily forgotten. One of the city's greatest charms lies in the diversity of the many neighbourhoods that comprise the centre, which measures about 7 by 8 mls; there's Chinatown, with arguably some of the best Chinese cooking outside Asia; the hippy heaven of Haight-Ashbury; historic Alamo Square's Victorian homes; and the administrative and government buildings and parkland of the Civic Center. The city is famous for its multi-racial and multi-cultural population, the generally friendly nature of its people and traditionally liberal, tolerant attitudes, and visitors with closed minds will not do well here. The city is not a Utopia, though. As with any major American urban centre, San Francisco is not immune to problems and guests here should not expect perfection. Perhaps the most common misconception is visitors' expectations of the weather. This is not S California; the average annual temperature is 63 ?F, and summers are typically windy, foggy and cool, so lightweight summer attire is seldom practical.

Suitability:
Suitable for the entire range of tourists and business travellers.

Accommodation:
Hotels tend to be clustered mainly around Union Square, centre of the downtown shopping district. There are many properties of all price ranges scattered around town, including exclusive Nob Hill, Fisherman's Wharf, Financial District and Civic Center.

Shopping:
Primary shopping districts for tourists are Union Square and the area near Fisherman's Wharf. The former, in the heart of downtown, is noted for its smart boutiques and upmarket department stores. The latter, created primarily as a tourist magnet, is more middlemarket and stretches along the N shore of the city. It includes Pier 39, the Cannery and Ghirardelli Square. Interesting neighbourhood shopping areas include Union Street (not the same as Union Square), upper Fillmore Street (with its chic boutiques) and the Castro district.

Beach:
Best is Baker Beach, just W of Golden Gate Bridge, accessible by bus. Picnic area; parking. Optional nudist section at N end extends further N around rocks. China Beach, just W of Baker Beach, is a calm cove with a small picnic area. Ocean Beach stretches 4 mls along W shore. Fort Funston, at the S end of Ocean Beach, is popular with hang-gliders and spectators.

Entertainments:
Daytime: bus tours, museums, "Exploratorium" (interactive science museum), vibrant, touristy Fisherman's Wharf; ferries to Alcatraz and Angel Island; Golden Gate Bridge; Golden Gate Park; the view from Twin Peaks; walking tours of splendid Victorian homes; jogging; bike riding; and kite flying along the Marina. Sailboarding on the bay. Golf. Baseball: home games of the Giants and the nearby Oakland A's. Home games of the 49ers (American football). Nightlife: opera, symphony, ballet, theatre, bars and dance clubs for all tastes.

Eating:
The entire gamut of culinary tastes. Elegant to basic. Every imaginable ethnic cuisine: various types of Asian, Latin American and European restaurants.

Public-transport:
A car is more of a hindrance to sightseeing than a benefit. Parking can be exceedingly difficult; most hotels do not offer free overnight parking. Fairly extensive public transport system encompasses buses, underground and cable cars _ the latter having evolved into primarily a tourist attraction, often with long queues to board. Cabs can only be readily hailed in busy areas, otherwise it's best to phone for one. Walking is a great way to see the city, but the hills will not suit all visitors.

Local-excursions:
Most hotels can arrange bus tours of the city as well as a visit to the towering redwood trees of Muir Woods and the Napa Valley wine country. Walking tours of the historic Chinatown district and Victorian homes are also offered. More distant excursions to Yosemite National Park, Lake Tahoe, and Monterey/Carmel are overnight trips.