2019-12-19 04:26:35
Each of San Francisco’s neighborhoods has its own charm and culture, from art in SoMa and shopping in Union Square to pizza in North Beach and dim sum in Chinatown. Here’s an introduction to the city’s most prominent locales. Discover more about these and other San Francisco neighborhoods at sftravel.com/neighborhoods. BAYVIEW Home to the oldest opera house in San Francisco, this area also boasts a vibrant artists’ colony at the old Hunters Point shipyard and scenic nature trails. CASTRO/ NOE VALLEY Find outdoor cafés, unique history and bustling bars in the Castro, known as the “LGB TQ capital of the world.” Neighboring Noe Valley is a charming, Victorian neighborhood. CENTRAL MARKET A bustling combination of tech businesses, arts groups, retail and restaurants, Central Market is also home to a concentration of performance venues like the Orpheum and Golden Gate theaters. CHINATOWN This storied neighborhood is North America’s first and oldest Chinatown, featuring colorful pagoda roofs, dragon lampposts, acclaimed dining and unique gift shops. CIVIC CENTER/ HAYES VALLEY This cultural hub includes stately City Hall, the War Memorial Opera House and the Asian Art Museum, alongside more modern additions like the SFJAZZ Center and New Conservatory Theatre Center. EMBARCADERO/FINANCIAL DISTRICT This historic seaport boasts views of soaring skyscrapers; the Ferry Building, a public space housing a food hall and farmers market; and the Exploratorium, a hands-on learning laboratory. FILLMORE One of the primary incubators for the city’s music scene, Fillmore continues to be a place for legendary performances. FISHERMAN’S WHARF One of the city’s most popular attractions. Here you can “escape” to Alcatraz or set sail on the San Francisco Bay with chartered boat tours. Don’t miss the attractions at PIER 39, including Boudin, the city’s sourdough purveyor for 150 years. HAIGHT-ASHBURY The Summer of Love is immortalized in Haight-Ashbury’s vintage clothing, book and record stores. Nearby Alamo Square’s row of Victorian homes is one of the most photographed spots in San Francisco. JAPANTOWN The oldest of only three Japantowns left in the country, this neighborhood is packed with culinary delights, including ramen bars, shabu shabu, izikayas and Benkyodo, which has supplied the city with handmade rice confections since 1906. MARINA/ PACIFIC HEIGHTS From the posh plateau of Pacific Heights to the bayside Marina Green, these neighborhoods offer views, scenery and a restored “palace” from 1915. MISSION DISTRICT San Francisco’s oldest neighborhood and the center of its Latino culture has hip restaurants, music venues, boutiques and the city’s largest concentration of murals. NOB HILL Known not only as a geographic high point but an economic one, too, with a history of wealthy residents, Nob Hill is now home to luxury hotels, beautiful gardens and impressive homes. NORTH BEACH Rich in Italian heritage, North Beach has restaurants, quaint cafés, cabarets, jazz clubs, galleries, boutiques and gelato parlors. RICHMOND/PRESIDIO The southern anchor of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Presidio offers pristine nature, cultural attractions and terrific dining. In the Richmond, visit the historic Cliff House for unbeatable views. SOMA/YERBA BUENA This neighborhood has one of the densest concentrations of museums, nightclubs and Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants. SUNSET/ GOLDEN GATE PARK Within Golden Gate Park, you’ll find some of the city’s most famous attractions, including the California Academy of Sciences and the de Young Museum. True to its name, the Sunset neighborhood is a great place to watch the sun set over the Pacific Ocean. TREASURE ISLAND Views of downtown San Francisco, urban wineries and weekend flea markets are the draw to this mid-point for the luminous Bay Bridge. UNION SQUARE Union Square is the center of San Francisco’s shopping scene, with art galleries, small boutiques, designer shops and name-brand stores. You’re in the heart of the Theater District, too, with A.C.T.’s Geary Theater and the Curran, among others.
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