accommodation 82, 83, 139, 333
airports
Oakland International Airport (OAK) 158
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) 157, 170, 351
apartments 80, 86–88, 90, 93–96, 99, 112, 140
Bay Area 11, 13, 14, 38, 49, 50, 51, 53, 87, 88, 93, 99, 105, 107, 114. 116, 117, 129, 131, 136, 140, 144, 156, 161, 162, 169, 176, 189, 191, 192, 244, 246, 272, 274, 275, 278, 198, 336, 337, 338, 342, 343, 344, 346
Bay Bridge 23, 51, 159, 160, 284, 345 161, 181, 189–191
business and employment
employment agencies 343, 344, 346
networking 340–341
office space 341–342
pay 342–343
setting up a business 337–340
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) 339
children 19, 30, 32, 34, 46, 56, 57, 63, 92, 107, 113, 115, 118, 120–128, 130–133, 135, 136, 150, 155, 159, 164, 173, 182, 185, 190, 191, 194, 195, 196, 279, 280, 285, 289, 328
citizenship 78
climate 349
demographics 55–63
districts and neighbourhoods
Alamo Square 31, 32, 33, 96, 215
Bernal Heights 15, 37, 38, 42, 46, 47, 61, 97, 150, 230, 268, 352
Buena Vista 15, 33, 34, 46, 229, 270
Castro 13, 15, 43–48, 52, 56, 61, 97, 114, 150, 155, 157, 166–169, 187, 190, 213, 228, 229, 230, 266, 267, 281, 288, 301, 303, 306, 309, 352
Central Waterfront 39
Chinatown 2, 3, 10, 15, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 35, 52, 56, 114, 115, 135, 168, 175, 184, 187, 207, 218, 219, 232, 234, 237, 238, 242, 247–249, 251, 254–256, 309, 332, 352
Civic Center 17, 18, 86, 106, 146, 168, 175, 183, 190, 207, 214, 219, 226, 243, 251, 287, 290, 305–309
Cow Hollow 14, 26, 28, 29, 96, 98, 136, 187, 207, 219, 224, 229, 239, 240, 256, 257, 261, 279, 352
Diamond Heights 46, 48, 93, 96, 166
Embarcadero 6, 23, 39, 63, 84, 94, 132, 136, 167, 182, 185, 190, 210, 215, 217, 223, 225, 233, 244, 260, 262, 264, 268, 274, 276, 279, 280, 285, 304, 346
Financial District 2, 18, 19, 20, 23, 26, 29, 42, 48, 55, 62, 94, 115, 169, 170, 175, 185, 207, 210, 218, 219, 230, 264, 270, 345, 352
Haight 15, 32, 33, 34, 45, 61, 90, 115, 125, 143, 150, 155, 182, 190, 191, 220, 228, 230, 241, 242, 253, 267, 268, 269, 279, 352, 356
Hayes Valley 18, 97, 150, 155, 190, 194, 214, 228, 230, 251, 260, 262, 264
Japantown 31, 32, 45, 56, 84, 114, 168, 175, 190, 191, 232, 241, 249, 282, 301, 352
Marina 9, 28, 29, 30, 49, 51, 93, 94, 96, 97, 114, 129, 131, 170, 195, 215, 218, 223, 229, 240, 250, 279, 282, 283, 285, 307, 352
Mission 9, 10, 12, 14, 15, 21, 39, 40–43, 46, 47, 49, 56, 61, 62, 66, 90, 94, 96, 99, 112, 116, 135, 142, 143, 150, 155, 158, 166, 167, 175, 183, 185, 186, 187, 190, 193, 210, 214, 219, 222–225, 228, 231, 240, 249, 250, 251, 253–255, 257, 261, 263, 265, 267, 268, 279. 280, 282, 286–288, 291, 294, 295, 300, 301, 307, 308, 309, 332, 337, 339, 342, 351, 352
Nob Hill 17, 19, 20, 21, 83, 85, 86, 93, 114, 166, 288, 352
Noe Valley 12, 43, 46–48, 61, 97, 117, 136, 152, 182, 194, 195, 217, 229, 230, 245, 252, 261, 265, 282, 286, 296, 297, 352
North Beach 2, 5, 6, 10, 17, 19–21, 23, 24, 26, 28, 34, 45, 94, 114, 115, 169, 175, 176, 182, 191, 203, 213, 223–226, 229, 230, 249, 251, 252, 255, 256, 262, 265, 266, 269, 270, 282, 288, 299, 309, 352
Oceanview Merced Ingleside (OMI) 36
Ocean Beach 35, 269, 272, 274, 275, 278, 283, 287
Pacific Heights 15, 28, 30, 35, 48, 53, 96, 97, 111, 114, 115, 150, 166, 203, 218, 222, 224, 225, 228, 229, 246, 252, 253, 352
Pine Lake Park 36
Potrero Hill 15, 39, 42, 43, 98, 183, 185, 188, 225, 229, 231, 262, 282, 285, 299, 300
Presidio Heights 10, 16, 21, 28, 29, 30, 35, 94, 97, 117, 150, 182, 183, 185, 187, 194–196, 229, 246, 274, 277, 278, 280, 284, 285, 287, 308, 352
Richmond 32, 34, 35, 151, 170, 176, 185, 187, 190, 212, 214, 221, 225, 230, 231, 237, 240, 242, 249, 252, 254, 270, 282, 352
Russian Hill 25–28, 93, 166, 196, 231, 260, 352
Saint Francis Wood 48
SoMa (South of Market) 12, 16, 39, 40, 61, 94, 105, 112, 176, 185, 187, 192, 196, 203, 207, 209, 217, 218, 222, 225, 228, 239, 247, 262, 269, 352
Sunset 21, 32, 34–36, 94, 98, 151, 183, 185, 188, 203, 219, 229–232, 236, 237, 239, 247, 249, 252, 254, 257, 282, 332, 352
Telegraph Hill 24–26, 93, 98, 281, 352
Tenderloin 18, 63, 83, 90, 116, 150, 155, 221, 241, 294, 333
Twin Peaks 43, 47, 48, 160, 255, 267
Union Square 2, 3, 16–19, 21, 38, 83, 84, 112, 114, 166, 172, 181, 182, 184, 187, 188, 192, 194, 196, 207, 210, 219, 228, 231, 257, 260, 266, 287, 292, 309, 352
Van Ness 17, 18, 28, 49, 83, 86, 94, 95, 96, 150, 161, 166, 167, 187, 189, 220, 221, 224, 227, 255, 262, 283, 287, 295, 296, 301
Visitacion Valley 37, 167, 197, 282
Western Addition 14, 15, 31, 32, 49, 62, 90, 94, 95, 215, 299, 352
Westwood Highlands 48
driving 171–179
driver’s license 77, 92, 108, 125, 146, 176, 177, 178
parking 173–176
East Bay 50, 51, 91, 112, 114, 140, 169, 170, 197, 284, 284, 293, 326
education 120–146
films 300–303
fitness clubs and gyms 280–282
food 199–270
Asian food 232–242
bakeries 251–252
chocolates 257
foreign cuisines 220–224
fresh produce 243–245, 249, 250, 253–256
ice cream 230–231
pizza 224–225
supermarkets 245–248, 254, 255
tea and coffee houses 229–230
vegetarian cuisine 218–219
foreign consulates and embassies 79–80
gays and lesbians 118, 266–268
Golden Gate Bridge 23, 28, 51, 52, 53, 132, 133, 159, 160, 169, 278, 290, 324, 326
Gold Rush 10, 14, 19, 22, 201, 213, 251, 291
HIV/AIDS 156–157
identification cards 108
insurance
earthquake 107
health 148–149
household 106–107
International Student Identity Card (ISIC) 145
Internet access 105
laundromats and dry cleaners 110–111
libraries 146
medical care 146–157
Mission Dolores 10, 40, 116, 282, 291, 351
national holidays and local events 304–309
newspapers 113–115
Oakland 49, 51, 91, 159, 160, 170, 302, 326, 338, 344
purchasing a car 178
religions and places of worship 115–118
San Jose 49, 51, 91, 114, 140, 170, 231, 330, 337
schools 120–132
charter schools 128
Child Development Program 126
English-language schools 125, 333
preschools 126–128
private schools 128–130
public schools 123–126
San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) 119
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) 137
shopping 181–198
appliances and electronics 185–188
clothing 192–196
furniture rental 189
sports clothing and gear 195, 196
Silicon Valley 51, 86–87, 330, 337
socializing 64–70
sports and fitness 272–286
telephone services 101–104
television and radio 105
transportation 161
BART 158, 165, 168, 169, 170, 179, 182
buses 94, 134, 158, 164, 168–171, 179, 197
Muni (Municipal Railway) 164, 165, 166, 179 182
San Francisco City Pass 165
taxis 170–171
universities and specialized technical schools 137–144
utilities 100
electricity 100
water 100
visas 75–78
student visa 137–139
vote 108
Titles in the CultureShock! series:
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Beijing
Belgium
Berlin
Bolivia
Borneo
Brazil
Bulgaria
Cambodia
Canada
Chicago
Chile
China
Costa Rica
Cuba
Czech Republic
Denmark
Ecuador
Egypt
Finland
France
Germany
Great Britain
Hawaii
Hong Kong
India
Ireland
Italy
Jakarta
Japan
Korea
Laos
London
Malaysia
Mauritius
Morocco
Munich
Myanmar
Netherlands
New Zealand
Pakistan
Paris
Philippines
Portugal
Russia
San Francisco
Saudi Arabia
Scotland
Shanghai
Singapore
South Africa
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Taiwan
Thailand
Tokyo
Travel Safe
Turkey
United Arab Emirates
USA
Vancouver
Venezuela
For more information about any of these titles, please contact any of our Marshall Cavendish offices around the world (listed on page ii) or visit our website at: