2018-12-07 00:11:53
YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO. ANSWERED. HOW BIG IS SAN FRANCISCO? Surrounded on three sides by the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, San Francisco’s compact 49 square miles (127 sq. km) crowd the tip of the San Francisco Peninsula. The city is built on 43 hills. The hub of the Bay Area, San Francisco has a population of 883,963 and more than 26.1 million annual visitors, conventioneers and business travelers. DOES SAN FRANCISCO EVER HAVE SHORTS-AND-T-SHIRT WEATHER? San Francisco is blessed with a temperate marine climate and enjoys mild weather year-round. Temperatures seldom rise above 70° F (21° C) or fall below 40° F (5° C). San Francisco weather can change by the hour, so the best things visitors can do are pack layers and have a light jacket or coat handy for cool evenings. WHAT PHONE NUMBERS ARE IMPORTANT TO HAVE ON HAND? Emergency Service (for police, fire, ambulance) no area code required ........................................911 California Road Conditions ..............800-427-7623 (U.S. only) Visitor Information Center ............. 415-391-2000 San Francisco International Airport Ground Transportation ...800-435-9736 (U.S. only) Transit Service Information ...........511 (Bay Area) or ..............................................888-500-INFO (4636) City Services .....................................311 (Bay Area) or ..........................................................415-701-2311 or .......................................................... 415-701-2323 (TTY) City Services numbers connect customers with highly trained customer service representatives ready to help with non-emergency matters, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. WHAT’S EXPECTED WHEN IT COMES TO TIPPING/GRATUITIES? Restaurant service is not included in restaurant checks, although some are adopting this custom. The average tip is 15–18 percent of the total check. A standard tip is sometimes included for groups of six or more. A San Francisco health initiative has impacted costs at local restaurants and diners may encounter an additional charge related to this. Taxis’ average tip is 15 percent of the fare. Airport and hotel baggage handlers’ average tip is $1 per bag, one-way. WHAT ARE THE TAX RATES? Sales tax is 8.5 percent. Hotel fees in San Francisco include 14 percent occupancy tax and a 1.0625–2.25 percent Tourism Improvement District (TID) and Moscone Expansion District (MED) assessment (depending on the location of the property). CAN MY CLIENTS SMOKE IN PUBLIC PLACES? In the state of California, it is illegal to smoke tobacco products in any public gathering space including parks, restaurants and bars, stores and office buildings. WHAT ARE THE RESTRICTIONS ON MARIJUANA USE? Cannabis remains classified as a Schedule I drug under the federal Controlled Substances Act, and its purchase, possession, distribution, or use within California may be unlawful under federal law. Recreational use has been legalized in the state of California; however, there are a number of rules and regulations governing usage. For additional resources, visit sftravel.com and search “marijuana.” WHERE CAN I FIND INFORMATION ON ACCESSIBILITY IN THE CITY? For information about disabled access in the Bay Area, contact Access Northern California at accessnca.org, or request a copy of the brochure “San Francisco Access” from the San Francisco Travel Association. When using public transit, request a copy of the Muni Access Guide. MUNI ACCESSIBLE SERVICES PROGRAM One S. Van Ness Ave., San Francisco, CA 94103. 311 (within San Francisco), 415-701-2311 (outside Bay Area) or 415-701-4485, 415-701-2323 (TTY) HOW CAN VISITORS ENSURE THEY HAVE A SAFE EXPERIENCE? San Francisco is a very walkable, approachable and safe city. While visiting any city, travelers should take a few precautions. Safety tips are available online at sftravel.com. WHERE DO I FIND MORE VISITOR INFORMATION? San Francisco Travel has three official Visitor Information Centers. The Moscone Center location at 749 Howard St. is open daily Monday- Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., and weekends from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., excepting closures on Sundays, November – April, and Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s days. Hours will also be extended when The Moscone Center is occupied. A second location is in Macy’s Union Square, 170 O’Farrell St. Hours are the same as store hours. A variety of services are available, including multilingual assistance. The California Welcome Center is located on PIER 39 in Building B on Level 2, open from 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. daily, except Thanksgiving and Christmas. PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS JUST CLICK TO ORDER OR DOWNLOAD Many of the promotional items San Francisco Travel offers are available online in the Travel Trade section of the website at sftravel.com/travel-trade. THE VISITOR’S PLANNING GUIDE San Francisco Traveler is our exclusive guide to San Francisco and the Bay Area. The award-winning guide features “what’s fresh” in San Francisco, a calendar of events, neighborhood coverage, maps and more. SAN FRANCISCO CITY BROCHURE Get a snapshot of the City by the Bay with this 4x9-inch brochure that includes a neighborhood map, neighborhood descriptions, transit tips and more. This brochure is an ideal handout for clients interested in a snapshot of the city. SAN FRANCISCO VISITOR MAP Points of interest along the 49-Mile Scenic Drive, as well as citywide, downtown, regional and state maps, are tucked into this 4x9-inch guide/map to help delegates get oriented. Available in Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish. A DAY IN THE LIFE: SAN FRANCISCO VIDEO Promotional videos are available from San Francisco Travel, including the award-winning “A Day in the Life: San Francisco,” “Never the same. Always San Francisco,” pieces on Chinatown and the Mission District, video visits to three classic restaurants and a variety of short 49-second videos on numerous locations. IMAGES AND B-ROLL San Francisco Travel can also provide highresolution images and b-roll footage of San Francisco for immediate download from San Francisco Travel’s website. Information is available at sftravel.com/media. MEDIA RESOURCES Fact sheets and background stories on San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area are available at sftravel.com/media.
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