Never the same. Always San Francisco. | POINTS OF INTErEST . 13 16 THE FINANCIAL dISTrICT North and south of Market Street, from Kearny Street to the Embarcadero. Skyscraper-lined Montgomery Street and its vicinity — between Market and Columbus — house the banking, corporate headquarters and stock brokerage firms. The carnelian marble-covered, 779-foot-high (237 meters) Bank of America building at 555 California Center; the unique, 853-foot-high (258 meters) Transamerica Pyramid at 600 Montgomery and the 724-foot-high (219 meters) 345 California St. are landmark additions to the city’s changing skyline. Recent additions include the Salesforce Transit Center, which opened in late 2017 and is a hub for 11 transit services, and the Salesforce Tower, which at 1,070 feet (326 meters) is now the city’s tallest building. 17 FISHERMAN’S WHARF Jefferson and Taylor Streets, extending east and west along the waterfront. Fishing boats, seafood stalls, steaming crab cauldrons and seafood restaurants... you know you’re at world-famous Fisherman’s Wharf. Souvenir shops, museums and attractions augment the atmosphere. The Blessing of the Fishing Fleet occurs on the first Sunday in October and the crab season extends from mid-November to June. Two cable car lines terminate in the area, with sightseeing boat tours leaving from Piers 39, 41 and 43½; cruises to Alcatraz Island depart from Pier 33. Many bus lines and the historic E-and F-lines serve the area. 17 10 CHINATOWN Grant Avenue between Bush Street and Columbus Avenue and adjacent streets. San Francisco’s Chinatown is one of the largest outside Asia, offering an array of exotic shops, restaurants, food markets, temples, museums and venerable Chinese institutions. Pagoda-style roofs and decorative balconies dominate the architecture, and street lamps are dragon-entwined. Grant Avenue, the district’s main street, is a spectacle during the annual Chinese New Year and Autumn Moon Festival celebrations. For eight blocks, between Bush Street and Columbus Avenue, visitors are assured a memorable walk through shops, restaurants, bakeries and more. 13 CrISSY FIELd Shoreline of the Presidio southeast of the Golden Gate Bridge. This gateway to San Francisco is a favorite spot to stroll, sit and sip a cup of freshly brewed coffee. Blue herons, 100,000 plants representing 73 native species and 100 acres of wild, windswept shoreline provide a great escape. The Crissy Field Center, a partnership of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and the National Park Service, provides a variety of programs, services and amenities for visitors including walks, workshops and special events. 18 FOrT MASON Upper Fort Mason, Bay and Franklin Streets (GGNRA Headquarters and San Francisco Inter-national Hostel), 415-771-7277. Fort Mason Center (cultural and recreation center), Buchanan Street and Marina Boulevard, 415-345-7500. Fort Mason, a former military installation, is the headquarters for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA). Information and maps on all GGNRA programs and facilities are available at Park Headquarters, Building 201, upper Fort Mason. A 156-bed hostel is located nearby. Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture’s Festival Pavilion, located in lower Fort Mason, is used frequently for large exhibitions, fairs, a popular food truck gathering called Off the Grid, and more. Information on events is available at the main office, Landmark Building A, Fort Mason Center. 14 THE EMBARCADERO Southeast of Fisherman’s Wharf. The Embarcadero stretches along the bay where miles of deep-water piers shelter ships of all flags. It’s also home to the Exploratorium, which features 600 exhibits. The Port of San Francisco opened a cruise ship terminal at Pier 27 in 2014. Here, too, at the foot of Market Street, is the Ferry Building, a vibrant public space housing high-end retailers, a food hall, restaurants and a farmers’ market. The Ferry Building is also the terminal for ferries to Marin County, Vallejo, Oakland, South San Francisco and Alameda. Travelers can experience historic streetcar service on the E Embarcadero line along the southern waterfront, south of Market Street. 11 CIvIC CENTEr Van Ness, Market and Golden Gate triangle. A monumental cluster of federal, state and city structures, San Francisco’s Civic Center is among the most impressive in the United States. The magnificent City Hall is crowned by a dome taller than the one on the nation’s Capitol. Tours of City Hall are conducted on a regular basis. For information, call 415-554-6139. Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall, the War Memorial Veterans Building and the War Memorial Opera House are collectively known as the San Francisco Performing Arts Center. Bill Graham Civic Auditorium — the scene of concerts and events — the Main Library and other structures are all nearby. The old Main Library has been transformed into the Asian Art Museum. 19 FOrT POINT NATIONAL HISTOrIC SITE 15 FILLMOrE STrEET Fillmore Street south of Broadway. Near Pacific Heights are a number of intimate cafes and restaurants as well as a concentration of upscale stores. The 2000–2200 blocks offer shoppers a smorgasbord of boutiques dealing in vintage clothing, used books, records, costumes and the next-to-new. The Juneteenth Celebration is an outdoor event held each June to celebrate African American culture. The Fillmore District (Fillmore between Geary and Eddy) is home to clubs and restaurants. Nader Khouri 12 CLIFF HOUSE 1066 to 1090 Point Lobos Avenue. The restored 1909 structure offers magnificent views of the Pacific Ocean and Seal Rocks; the main building offers three outdoor observation decks as well as several restaurants ranging from take-home favorites to an elegant main dining room with panoramic views. Reached via Lincoln Boulevard to Long Avenue, 415-556-1693. This much-photographed landmark at the base of the south tower of the Golden Gate Bridge was designated as a National Historic Site in 1970. The fort, constructed between 1853 and 1861, is a three-tiered structure surrounding a large courtyard built to accommodate 126 cannon mounts and 500 soldiers. Films chronicling the history of the fort and the building of the Golden Gate Bridge are shown daily. Free guided tours and cannon demonstrations are available and recommended to fully appreciate the fort and the life of the military once assigned to it. Iconic Experiences 2 ALCATRAZ ISLAND • 6 CABLE CARS 17 FISHERMAN’S WHARF • 20 49-MILE DRIVE 21 GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE 58 TELEGRAPH HILL/COIT TOWER sftravel.com
San Francisco Travel Planner's Guide 2018: Page 13
