Never the same. Always San Francisco. | NEIGHBOrHOOdS . 11 BAYVIEW Home of the oldest opera house in San Francisco, this area is also an incubator for the city’s creative scene. The old Hunters Point shipyard houses America’s largest artists’ colony. GOLDEN GATE PARK/ SUNSET NOB HILL CASTRO/ NOE VALLEY Find outdoor caf é s, stately Victorian homes, a historic theater and bustling bars in the “LGBTQ capital of the world.” The 1,000-plus-acre Golden Gate Park is home to some of the city’s most famous attractions, including the California Academy of Sciences, Conservatory of Flowers 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. Known not only as a geographic high point but an economic one, too, with a history of wealthy residents and now luxury hotels, beautiful gardens and impressive homes. NORTH BEACH HAIGHT-ASHBURY Head to Coit Tower atop Telegraph Hill for historic murals and spectacular views. Enjoy Italian-American classics at Original Joe’s. CENTRAL MARKET This neighborhood features Twitter’s HQ and a concentration of performance venues, including SHN’s Orpheum and Golden Gate theaters. 1967’s Summer of Love is immortalized in Haight-Ashbury’s vintage clothing, book and record stores, while nearby Alamo Square’s row of Victorian homes is one of the most photographed locations in San Francisco. PRESIDIO/ RICHMOND CHINATOWN JAPANTOWN The southern anchor of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Presidio offers pristine nature and cultural attractions such as The Walt Disney Family Museum. In Richmond, try the historic Cliff House for unbeatable views. Colorful pagoda roofs, dragon lampposts, acclaimed dining and unique gift shops — this storied neighborhood is North America’s first and oldest Chinatown. It also features the newly-opened China Live gastronomy complex. The oldest of only three Japantowns left in the U.S., the 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. SOMA/YERBA BUENA CIVIC CENTER/ HAYES VALLEY MARINA/ PACIFIC HEIGHTS SoMa (South of Market) is museum central. The Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, The Museum of the African Diaspora, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) and more can be found here. This cultural hub includes stately City Hall, the War Memorial Opera House and the Asian Art Museum alongside more modern additions, such as the SFJAZZ Center and New Conservatory Theatre Center. Pacific Heights includes some of the city’s most opulent homes and excellent boutique shopping. The Marina is filled with trendy restaurants and features one of the city’s most striking landmarks, The Palace of Fine Arts. TREASURE ISLAND Nestled in the San Francisco Bay beneath the Bay Bridge, Treasure Island offers a burgeoning urban winery scene, popular flea markets and photo ops of the downtown skyline. EMBARCADERO/ FINANCIAL DISTRICT MISSION DISTRICT UNION SQUARE The world’s largest LED display, The Bay Lights , sparkles on the Bay Bridge. The Exploratorium offers hundreds of hands-on exhibits and a creative event setting. San Francisco’s oldest neighborhood and hippest district. From acclaimed restaurants and trendy boutiques to renowned galleries and the historic Mission Dolores, there’s plenty to enjoy. Shop ‘til you drop at Union Square, where big retailers — Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom, to name a few — offer all kinds of temptations. You’re in the heart of the Theater District, too, with A.C.T.’s Geary Theater, EXIT Theatre and the Curran. the city is Rich with rock and jazz history, Fillmore continues to be a place for legendary performances. Catch a concert at the famed Fillmore music hall or sample southern Indian cuisine at DOSA. built on population FISHERMAN’S WHARF 883,963 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 or Boudin, the city’s sourdough purveyor for 150 years. 34,000+ hotel rooms 26.1 million annual visitors hills sftravel.com FILLMORE 49 square miles (125 sq. km.) 43
San Francisco Travel Planner's Guide 2019 TPG: Page 11
