San Francisco

Understand

History Prior to European settlement in the area, the peninsula that now contains San Francisco was home to the Yelamu tribe, who were part of the larger Ohlone language group which stretched south from the Bay Area to the Big Sur of California. Due to San Francisco's characteristic foggy weather, the earliest European explorers in the 1600s completely bypassed what would later be called the Golden Gate and the San Francisco Bay. In 1769, the bay was discovered by overland explorers who realized there was a strait blocking their path up the coast. The first European settlement in the area was founded by the Spanish in 1776 as a mission community surrounding the Mission San Francisco de Asís, in what is today called the Mission Dolores in the Mission District. In addition to the mission, a military fort was built near the Golden Gate: El Presidio. Upon gaining independence from Spain in 1821, the area became part of Mexico. Under Mexican rule, the mission system gradually came to an end and private ownership of land became a possibility. In 1835, an Englishman named William Richardson founded the town of Yerba Buena, the first significant settlement on the peninsula outside of the Mission Dolores area. As the new settlement gradually grew, Yerba Buena developed a street plan and became attractive to settlers. Following the Mexican-American War the United States claimed California, and in July 1846 the U.S. Navy arrived to raise the American flag above Yerba Buena. Over the next couple of years, California officially became part of the United States and the name of the town was changed from Yerba Buena to San Francisco. In 1848 the California Gold Rush started in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Prior to the opening of the Transcontinental Railroad, getting to San Francisco involved an arduous overland journey or a lengthy voyage by sea, but that didn't stop waves of fortune-seeking immigrants from making the trip, increasing the city's population from a few thousand to hundreds of thousands. Many who made their fortunes then settled in San Francisco, which at the time was the largest, most exciting city in California. Like other large cities, eventually San Francisco developed into districts by nationality or social status: the Italians in North Beach, the Chinese in Chinatown, and the wealthy mining and railroad titans on Nob Hill; the city's Chinese name, 舊金山, literally "Old Gold Mountain", reflects this heritage as a gold rush town. During the gold rush years many major businesses were created and flourished in San Francisco (Wells Fargo Bank, Levis, B

Getting there

By plane 1 San Francisco International Airport (SFO IATA), ☏ +1-800-435-9736. Located about 10 mi (16 km) south of the city, is the Bay Area's major international airport (and one of the busiest in the nation) and has numerous passenger amenities including a wide range of food and drink establishments, shopping, baggage storage, public showers, a medical clinic, and assistance for lost or stranded travelers and military personnel. SFO has four terminals; as a rule of thumb, Alaska Airlines and American Airlines use Terminal 2, United Airlines has Terminal 3, most other domestic carriers use Terminal 1, and all foreign airlines use the International Terminal. SFO is infamous for its weather delays, so check if Oakland Airport has service from your origin as well. Oakland is closer to Downtown San Francisco than SFO is and fog free. (updated Sep 2019) 2 Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK IATA), ☏ +1-510-563-3300. In the East Bay provides service to numerous destinations in the United States as well as Mexico. Oakland is primarily used by low-cost carriers, and is a major hub for Southwest Airlines. BART provides metro service to SF. (updated Sep 2019) 3 Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC IATA), ☏ +1-408-277-4759. In Silicon Valley about 1 hour south of San Francisco, attracts Bay Area residents who find SFO to be inconveniently distant from their homes. Southwest Airlines is the dominant carrier here as well, but a number of long-haul international carriers serve the airport as well. (updated Sep 2019) Oakland and San Jose tend to offer more discount airline flights, while San Francisco Airport attracts more international flights and can be more convenient for those staying in the city. Private pilots should consider Oakland rather than SFO, as the separate general aviation field there is more accommodating to light aircraft. San Jose also sees a fair amount of general aviation traffic, while dedicated general aviation airports in the bay area include Hayward (HWD IATA), San Carlos (SQL IATA), Palo Alto (PAO IATA), Livermore (LVK IATA) and Concord (CCR IATA) .

Public airport transportation San Francisco and Oakland Airports are connected to downtown SF by the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system. Passengers arriving in SFO can walk (5 minutes from United's domestic terminal) or take a free airport shuttle (AirTrain) to the BART station (which is adjacent to the G side of the International Terminal). The BART ride from SFO to San Francisco's downtown stations costs $8.95 one-way and runs frequently, every 15 or 20 minutes dependin

Getting around

Navigating

Cross streets. San Francisco streets are numbered (100 per block) from the beginning of the street, and even and odd numbers are always on opposite sides. In the absence of GPS navigation, it is best when getting an address to also ask for a cross street or neighborhood name. Most of the time, if a street touches Market Street (San Francisco's main street), that's the zero block. Addresses change by 100 each block, so a building at 1275 Foo street is often 12 to 13 blocks away from where Foo St. hits Market St. Numbered streets and avenues. San Francisco has both numbered streets, in the Mission, the Castro, and SoMa, and numbered avenues in the largely residential Sunset and Richmond districts. Mixing numbered streets and avenues when asking directions may leave you miles from your destination. This can be confusing, as San Franciscans will not say "Street" or "Avenue" unless it is required to avoid ambiguity. Thus, they won't say "I live on Fifth Avenue," but will say "I live near Fifth and Geary." Street signs generally don't have "Street" or "Avenue" either; they just say "GEARY" or "MASONIC", although numbered streets and avenues do. Multiple street grids. One of the most confusing aspects of driving in San Francisco is the presence of multiple street grids, particularly in the downtown area where two grids intersect at an angle along Market Street. Even more confusing are streets in the middle of the standard blocks, like New Montgomery Street. No left turns. Several key San Francisco arterial streets, including 19th Avenue and Market Street, do not have space for dedicated left turn lanes and therefore bear No left turn signs at most intersections. As a result, you will be frustrated when you drive for miles on these streets with no opportunity to turn left. The trick, of course, is to go around the block with multiple right turns after passing one's desired street, which requires you to stay in the right lane, not the left lane.

On foot Walking can be an enticing option to get from one neighborhood to another, as the city is compact and most of the tourist sites are in its northeastern portion. San Francisco is a city of friendly neighborhoods, but it is also a big city so be aware of your surroundings and keep in mind the dangers that commonly accompany a city of San Francisco's size. However, streets that often go straight up and down hills may make walking challenging when attempting the uphill portions (but provide good exercise). Driving can be difficult up and down hills but have breathtaking views. There are many

See

San Francisco has much to see — these are just the most significant sights. For more detail see the individual district sections, often linked from this entry. Two passes are available which offer discounts to many interesting attractions:

San Francisco CityPASS. A relatively cheap and easy way to cover many attractions of the city is the CityPASS. For a cost of $84 for adults and $64 for children 5-11, you get admission to the California Academy of Sciences, a Blue and Gold Fleet bay cruise, and two of the following: the Aquarium of the Bay, the Exploratorium, the San Francisco Zoo, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art or the Walt Disney Family Museum. A CityPASS works for nine consecutive days starting with the use of your first ticket (each ticket only accounts for one visit to each attraction). Go San Francisco Card. Another easy way to cover many attractions and tours is the Go San Francisco Card. This card covers admission to numerous attractions and activities, including sightseeing tours, bay cruises, an Alcatraz tour, and numerous museums. Various pass options are available, such as an all-inclusive pass that covers admission to all participating attractions but is only available in 1, 2, 3, 5 or 7-day periods, to "Explorer" and "Family Fun" passes that cover admission to only 4 or 5 attractions but are good for a full 30 days. Cost of passes vary; see website.

Itineraries There are many highlight walks you can take to really capture the feel of the city and see a whole lot of attractions at the same time. Some of the best ones are:

The Marina and the Presidio. Starting at Fort Mason on the eastern end of the Marina District, a stroll along the marina and the adjacent green will offer you excellent views of the Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge. At the other end of the Marina District, you can cross Marina Boulevard into the neighborhood to see the spectacular Palace of the Fine Arts and continue further inland into the heart of the Presidio, or you can proceed along the shoreline through Crissy Field to the Golden Gate Bridge. Cow Hollow. Union Street between Gough and Fillmore is one of the city's finest shopping streets outside of the city center. Pacific Heights. Fillmore Street between Pine and Broadway is lined with a good mix of shopping, views, steep slopes, and some of the city's largest and most expensive homes. Continue west along Broadway to Lyon Street and you'll be at the top of the Lyon Street Steps, a long staircase with superb views over the Bay and the Palace of the Fine Arts that's popular with local joggers. Russian H

Do

2026 World Cup The San Francisco Bay Area is one of the 16 North American regions hosting matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Games here will be played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, located in the heart of Silicon Valley, about an hour south of San Francisco. Here are a few helpful tips for visiting soccer fans:

Levi’s Stadium is roughly 55 km from San Francisco International Airport (SFO). You can take BART from the airport to Millbrae station to connect to Caltrain, or a taxi or Uber ride usually takes 40–60 minutes depending on traffic. The closest convenient hotels are in Santa Clara, Sunnyvale and San Jose, all of which offer easy access to the stadium and major tech campuses. Many visitors also choose to stay in San Francisco itself for sightseeing, though the commute to the stadium is longer. For travellers seeking luxury accommodation, the best hotels are in downtown San Francisco, particularly around Union Square, the Embarcadero and Nob Hill. These areas are 45–70 minutes from the stadium by taxi or Uber, depending on traffic. Fans staying in San Jose will find a growing selection of upscale hotels and restaurants, especially in the Santana Row district, which is about 10–15 minutes from the stadium. Getting around the Bay Area is easiest with Uber or Lyft, as the region is large and spread out. Public transport options vary: Caltrain connects San Francisco to the Peninsula and Santa Clara, while VTA light rail serves the stadium directly, though it can be slow and crowded on match days. Within San Francisco, the Muni system is useful for reaching major neighbourhoods, but rideshare is usually the most convenient option for stadium travel. The Bay Area has an excellent food scene. San Francisco offers everything from waterfront seafood to Chinatown dim sum to Mission District taquerias. In Silicon Valley, Santa Clara and San Jose have a wide range of Asian restaurants, including some of the best Korean, Vietnamese and Indian food in the region. Fans looking for nightlife will find the most options in San Francisco’s SoMa, Mission and Marina districts, as well as downtown San Jose.

Harbor tours

One of the best ways to see San Francisco is from the waters of San Francisco Bay. There are many companies offering harbor tours of varying durations and prices but they all provide marvelous views of the bay, the bridges, the island of Alcatraz and the city. Only specific island tours are allowed to land at Alcatraz, but the typical harbor tour will circle the island at a slow crawl, giving you plenty of opportunity to photograph the now-ina

Buy

Individual listings can be found in San Francisco's district articles San Francisco is arguably the most expensive city in the U.S., and prices of many things, including groceries, restaurant meals and rent have even surpassed those of notoriously expensive New York City. If you want it, chances are likely you can get it in San Francisco. There are a wide range of small and locally owned businesses throughout the city's neighborhoods, as well as big chains. If it's tourist trinkets you're looking for, Fisherman's Wharf has the typical souvenir, T-shirt, and camera shops, along with plenty of specialty stores. San Francisco's famous upscale shopping area Union Square has fallen on hard times; it still has a variety of boutiques, but SF's shopping scene has to some extent shifted to other parts of the city. For small, upscale boutiques, Union Street, Fillmore Street, and Chestnut Street in the Golden Gate area are lined with unique and trendy places, and all three streets are among the best spots in the city to window shop. Nob Hill is also full of specialty places, and Stonestown Galleria near Lake Merced is one of the city's trendiest malls. But if you don't have a luxury dollar to spend and still want to walk away with something unique, there are plenty of shops in Chinatown for you, selling Oriental handicrafts of all descriptions, and no chain stores in sight. Japantown also offers plenty of great shops selling authentic souvenirs, including the excellent Kinokuniya Stationery/Bookstore. The Haight is full of excellent independent record and book stores, with Amoeba Music dominating the scene. For basic supplies, try the ubiquitous 7-Eleven convenience stores and Walgreens pharmacies. If you need groceries, Safeway is the dominant supermarket chain in the city, though pop into a Trader Joes for better prices. There are Safeway stores in SoMa, near Fisherman's Wharf, and near the Financial District, but not near Union Square. The closest supermarket to Union Square is the upscale Bristol Farms supermarket at Westfield San Francisco Shopping Centre.

Eat

Individual listings can be found in San Francisco's district articles San Francisco is a "foodie" city with a vast array of restaurants. In fact, San Francisco has more restaurants per capita than any major city in North America, with 1 restaurant for every 250 residents (in comparison, New York City has 1 restaurant for every 940 residents). The price range is huge, of course, and you can spend anywhere from a small fortune to a couple bucks for every type of cuisine. In addition to the range of ethnic restaurants you'd expect to find, Bay Area food culture focuses on "artisanal" food (see the Ferry Building) and fresh fruits and vegetables (see Alice Waters), drawing from the nearby farms in California. San Francisco is known for specialties such as the Mission burrito and cioppino. The Mission burrito was invented in the Mission District, and numerous taquerias in the Mission serve this style. Each taqueria is famous for a different kind of meat, so do some research before deciding which one to try. Burritos are much larger than tacos and contain rice, making them even more filling. The sushi burrito is essentially a burrito-sized sushi roll that mixes Japanese and Mexican ingredients, invented in San Francisco by Asian-American entrepreneur Peter Yen who founded the Sushirrito fast casual restaurant chain. Cioppino started as a fisherman's stew in North Beach and is a local variation on stews from the region of Liguria, from which many 19th-century San Franciscan fishermen hailed. It's a large tomato- and white wine-based soupy stew of fish and seafood with bread. In San Francisco, you would be well-served by using an online restaurant rating website to find the best restaurants. Yelp.com, for example, is actively maintained by San Franciscans. All the best restaurants (and bars) are mobbed on the weekends, so you'll do well to check out the availability on opentable.com or similar websites. San Francisco restaurants are also very corkage friendly. Average corkage fee appears to be in the $15 range, with some of the more pricey places charging $25–35. Vegetarians and vegans will find it easy to find good food in SF. The vast majority of restaurants have vegetarian options, and good vegan options are available at many.

Ethnic food and neighborhoods You can still find some ethnic food districts in San Francisco. Some of these, like North Beach, have become museums for tourists, while others, such as the (Inner) Mission and Chinatown, are still strongly ethnic neighborhoods which maintain their native food culture. In truth, the food culture in the c

Drink & nightlife

Individual listings can be found in San Francisco's district articles

Bars and clubs The best way to find a good bar or club is to ask the advice of a local; but barring that a quick search on yelp/google will help you find something suited to your personal taste. The great diversity of nightlife in San Francisco, sometimes within one neighborhood, reflects the diversity of cultures there. Here's a sampling:

If you want door-to-door bar hopping at friendly bars that serve PBR tall boys, definitely go to "Polk Gulch" in the Tenderloin and work your way north through bars such as Mayes and Hemlock. Head to the Marina for mid-20s to mid-30s professionals (and those visiting from Los Angeles) as well as a college atmosphere clubbing scene around super packed club/bars such as Circa. Are you into clubs? If you want to commit to a single venue for the night and club the night away, pay the necessary cover at high end clubs in South of Market (SoMa) such as The Grand and Manor West, where you can find left-over dot-commers and hipsters hanging out on the street. The Castro primarily serves San Francisco's gay men, while Bernal Heights has some notable lesbian bars such as Wild Side West with a beautiful outdoor patio in back. The Mission offers a more down to earth vibe that still lets you get your dance on; a bonus with this is that you can end the night with a great burrito from one of the local Mission taquerias. With a large Irish population, San Francisco has a number of very good Irish pubs (e.g., Danny Coyle's in the Haight, Four Deuces in the Sunset, and many others). North Beach is home to several dance clubs and strip clubs. If you like soccer (football) and all things English, you should stop into the Kezar Pub, at the edge of the Haight-Ashbury District, or Lower Haight's Mad Dog In the Fog. The pub quiz and bar food are good. Swill some pints and stay in the dark. Good for an entire day's worth of drinking.

Beer San Francisco, despite being much smaller than New York City, sports more microbreweries. Anchor Brewing Company (makers of Anchor Steam) is brewed on Potrero Hill, though it is generally not open to the public (tours are available by reservation). Similarly, Speakeasy Ales & Lagers opens its doors on Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons, though its location in Hunter's Point makes it a long Muni ride if you're traveling without a car. The other microbreweries are housed in brewpubs:

Beach Chalet & Park Chalet are at the Pacific end of Golden Gate Park, where you can enjoy a view of the ocean or sit in the lawn area. Magnolia

Sleep

Individual listings can be found in San Francisco's district articles San Francisco offers a wide range of accommodations, from a healthy supply of hostels and budget hotels to the lavish, luxurious hotels in the city center, as well as just about everything in-between. The majority of accommodations are in the northeastern portion of the city, in and around the popular areas of Downtown, Chinatown, and Fisherman's Wharf. As one moves into the mostly residential neighborhoods to the west, the sleeping options filter down to small inns and bed and breakfasts. Decide if you want to be in walking distance of your destinations, or are up to driving and parking (which can be quite an undertaking in some of the busier areas of San Francisco) or taking public transit. If you have a specific destination in mind, look also in the Districts sections. Hotel costs are particularly variable in San Francisco. The price of a night's stay, especially in the SoMa neighborhood, depends significantly on what's happening at the Moscone Convention Center. Hotel rates can triple when the biggest events are underway. If your trip dates are flexible, you can save a lot of money by avoiding busy dates (it amounts to about half the year). In general, the biggest hotels are more expensive than smaller chains and local outfits. If you'd rather stay closer to the San Francisco International Airport, there are plenty of standard airport accommodations in the cities surrounding the airport — Brisbane, Burlingame, Millbrae, San Bruno and South San Francisco. From there, you can drive or take BART or Caltrain into San Francisco.

Go next

Bikes can be rented from around the northern waterfront (Pier 41/Fisherman's Wharf/Aquatic Park area) or near Golden Gate Park for trips to Marin County via the Golden Gate Bridge. Stanyan near Haight at the end of the park has several good shops. Golden Gate Transit also serves the North Bay from San Francisco, and has bike racks on most buses.

Bay Area San Jose — The heart of Silicon Valley and the biggest city in the Bay Area. Take Caltrain there. Oakland — A diverse and vibrant city, Oakland was once considered San Francisco's "sister city," and has been regaining that title due to a general renaissance of the city. Although not a major tourist destination, it's worth a visit for its many distinct and charming neighborhoods. Take BART, or the ferry for great views. Berkeley — Home to the University of California, Berkeley is one of the nation's most progressive communities. Also a hub of liberal political activism for the past several decades. It is also home to quite a few superb restaurants. Accessible by BART's Red Line (towards Richmond). Sausalito — Enjoy a ferry ride across the bay to beautiful Sausalito where you can walk along the water and admire the San Francisco skyline. Stroll to the waterfront restaurants, shops, and galleries. Healdsburg — A charming Wine Country town located among some of California's greatest wine appellations: Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Russian River Valley and Chalk Hill. Relaxed yet sophisticated atmosphere, with excellent restaurants, shopping and wine tasting. About 70 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Napa Valley — The main wine growing region in the United States, a trip to the many wineries makes for a fun day, while those wanting a longer adventure can relax in any one of the many spas, bed and breakfasts, or other lodging options. Take the ferry to Vallejo, then VINE bus #11 to the City of Napa. Muir Woods — A 560-acre forest of old-growth redwood trees located in Mill Valley just north of the Golden Gate Bridge, Muir Woods is a pleasant respite from the city, and accessible by Golden Gate Transit on summer weekends. Point Reyes National Seashore — Located just north of San Francisco along the Pacific Coast Highway (State Highway 1), Point Reyes is a beautiful seashore that is particularly nice to visit when gray whales are migrating along the coast, usually best in mid-January and then from March through May. Peninsula — Just south of San Francisco, the peninsula has excellent nature preserves. Palo Alto — On the Peninsula south of the city, Palo Alto is home to Stanford University