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Extending from the San Francisco Bay in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, San Francisco is a city of neighborhoods, each with distinct personalities. Slicing diagonally across, Market Street divides much of the city by north and south.
Fisherman’s Wharf and North Beach. These two lively areas are packed with attractions. The Wharf is congested and touristy, but in early morning or late evening you can get a sense of the original port city. Board the historic ships here and indulge in Dungeness crab. In the Italian enclave of North Beach, soak up Barbary Coast and Beat Generation history from a sidewalk cafe or a barstool.
Chinatown, Russian Hill, and Nob Hill. These three districts vary widely in character. Chinatown is cramped and colorful with fascinating alleys to explore, while Russian Hill is stylish and picturesque, and Nob Hill was the landing place of the city’s original elite and still carries that cachet. The nearby Tenderloin neighborhood has pockets of beauty in an otherwise impoverished area.
Union Square and Financial District. Pulsing with high heels and high-rises, downtown is packed with department stores and couture designers, chic hotels and acclaimed restaurants, theatergoers and gallery-hoppers. Historic streetcars ply Market Street while well-dressed businesspeople plot their next moves on their smartphones.
SoMa and Civic Center. SoMa (an acronym for South of Market) is home to several museums including SFMOMA, plus hotels, retail, and restaurants. It extends east to the Embarcadero and south to the AT&T ballpark, home to the Giants baseball team. Civic Center is a cluster of regal Beaux-Arts buildings, including City Hall, the Symphony, and the Ballet, that are surrounded by seedy neighborhoods and a staggering amount of homelessness.
Central Neighborhoods. Comprising the neighborhoods west of Van Ness Avenue and east of Golden Gate Park, come here to get a glimpse of authentic San Francisco by shopping in the boutiques of local designers on Fillmore Street and in Hayes Valley, barhopping in NoPa, or immersing yourself in the city’s architecture – Art Deco in the Marina and Victorian confections in Pacific Heights and Alamo Square.
Haight-Ashbury and Golden Gate Park. Located to the south and west of the central ’hoods, ‘the Haight’ is the birthplace of the hippie counterculture. It retains a thriving nightlife, though many former crashpads are now inhabited by wealthy young techies and families. Golden Gate Park is more than 1,000 lush acres of green, with top-flight museums, playgrounds, and quiet gardens to discover.
Mission and Castro. These districts provide San Francisco’s political and artistic edge. A Latino neighborhood now embraced by the young and hip, the Mission is the center of the city’s new bohemia and explodes with vibrant mural art and great restaurants. Next door, draped in rainbow-hued flags, the Castro is the gay capital of the world.
Outer Neighborhoods. Extending north and south of Golden Gate Park and south and west of the Mission, here you can eat your way around the world at the ethnic restaurants of the Sunset and Richmond, visit beautiful beaches, hike through the pristine Presidio, or discover sunny Potrero Hill.
