18 . POINTS OF INTEREST | Never the same. Always San Francisco. POINTS OF INTEREST CONTINUED 58 TELEGRAPH HILL/COIT TOWER Northeast corner of the city, reached via Lombard Street, 415-362-0808. Overlooking the North Bay, picturesque Telegraph Hill is a reminder of San Francisco’s artistic and literary traditions. Once known as the “Art Colony,” the area has become a fashionable residential district. Its name stems from earlier days when a semaphore was used to signal to the town below the approach of ships through the Golden Gate. At the summit of Telegraph Hill is Coit Tower, also known as Coit Memorial Tower. This elegant tapering column was built in 1933, the legacy of Lillie Hitchcock Coit, who left a $125,000 bequest to San Francisco “for the purpose of adding beauty to the city which I have always loved.” The ground floor lobby is adorned with a series of fresco murals by some 30 local artists, depicting life in 1930s San Francisco. Guided docent tours are available. An elevator to its 210-foot observation platform operates daily. Because of heavy traffic, public transit, the 39-Coit, is strongly recommended for access to Coit Tower; on weekends, parking near the tower may be limited to residents only. 59 THE TENDERLOIN Area slightly south of Union Square in the vicinity of Golden Gate Avenue. Thousands originally from Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam have given this 20-square-block district new life. Sermons on social justice blend with rockin’ choir music on Sundays at Glide Memorial Church on Ellis Street, symbolizing the neighborhood’s resurgence. An experimental theater house, the new Tenderloin Museum, jazz and blues clubs, bookstores, 200 restaurants and cafes point to an upbeat feeling. 58 63 UNION STREET/COW HOLLOW Union Street between Russian Hill and the Presidio. Discover charming Victorians and colorful courtyards filled with more than 200 very special shops. This charming 10-block area attracts an international clientele as well as city residents. Union Street features the latest fashions for men and women, custom-designed jewelry and crafts, children’s shops and an eclectic mix of galleries. Savor the taste of San Francisco’s renowned cuisine at a sidewalk cafe or one of Union Street’s many restaurants offering international and California cuisine. Lively by night, Union Street is bright, friendly and entertaining. Unique Shopping 15 FILLMORE STREET • 25 HAIGHT-ASHBURY 26 HAYES VALLEY • 27 JACKSON SQUARE 29 JAPANTOWN • 35 MISSION DISTRICT 38 NOE VALLEY • 44 POLK STREET 50 SACRAMENTO STREET • 57 SUNSET DISTRICT 62 UNION SQUARE • 63 UNION STREET 65 WEST PORTAL 60 TREASURE ISLAND East of San Francisco via the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. Treasure Island was created for the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition to celebrate the completion of both the Golden Gate and San Francisco-Oakland Bay bridges. With the close of the exposition, which drew more than 17 million visitors, the island was leased to the U.S. government and was a military base for decades. Its location offers spectacular views of San Francisco’s skyline. Work is ongoing for new development on the island. 65 WEST PORTAL North of Portola Drive near Sloat Boulevard. Like many of San Francisco’s residential neighborhoods, West Portal has a cozy character. “Detached homes,” somewhat of a rarity in San Francisco, are popular in the nearby residential areas. The tree-lined sidewalks of nearby St. Francis Wood, Forest Hill and Balboa Terrace are perfect for a “stretch-the-legs” stroll. Shops along West Portal Avenue include many local favorites as well as several toy and gift stores and restaurants of all persuasions. 64 WESTERN ADDITION Embracing four historic districts — Webster Street, Bush Street, Cottage Row and Alamo Square. Renowned for Victorian architecture, the Western Addition is one of the city’s most diverse areas. A thriving Japanese-American community and the Center for African and African American Art and Culture on Fulton Street reflect the neighborhood’s rich and varied heritage. A platform for the discussion of issues and trends affecting African Americans, the center also houses the San Francisco African American Historical & Cultural Society, Marcus Books, an art gallery and a theater. The area is known for a number of historic African American churches. The Saint John Coltrane African Orthodox Church emphasizes music as a medium to worship, while the Third Baptist Church, founded during the Gold Rush, was the first Black Baptist church west of the Rockies. Visitors interested in the city’s legendary volunteer fire companies should stop by the San Francisco Fire Department Pioneer Memorial Museum on Presidio Avenue at Pine Street. 61 TWIN PEAKS Center of the city reached via Twin Peaks Boulevard. Noted for their sweeping vistas and 360-degree views of the entire Bay Area, these crests once were romantically known as Los Pechos de la Chola, “The Breasts of the Indian Girl.” Now a 65-acre park (26 hectares), the area is popular with hikers and sightseers. 66 YERBA BUENA GARDENS Blocks bounded by Third, Fourth, Folsom and Mission Streets. Yerba Buena Gardens embraces 87 acres (35 hectares) of downtown development, including the city’s major convention facility, The Moscone Center. Numerous museums and galleries are headquartered here, including the new San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts’ visual arts and theater buildings, a sculpture court and garden. The center overlooks a park with terrace cafes, an outdoor performance area with lawn seating for 3,000 and a walk-through waterfall leading to a memorial for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Atop Moscone Center, the Rooftop at Yerba Buena Gardens features an ice skating rink, bowling center, carousel and the Children’s Creativity Museum, an interdisciplinary arts center for young people. 62 UNION SQUARE Two blocks on either side of Union Square bound-ed by Geary, Powell, Post and Stockton Streets. The hub of San Francisco’s downtown is strictly uptown. It’s Fifth Avenue, Rodeo Drive, State Street and local success stories all in one. Within a four-block radius of the park, elegant stores and richly appointed shops cater to every taste and do it with style, accented by a palette of posies brimming from sidewalk flower stands. sftravel.com © Louis Raphael
San Francisco Travel Planner's Guide 2017: Page 18
