16 . POINTS OF INTErEST | Never the same. Always San Francisco. Cliff House POINTS OF INTEREST CONTINUED NOE VALLEY West of Dolores St. between 22nd and 30th streets. PORTSMOUTH SQUARE Kearny St. between Clay and Washington streets. The heart of Noe Valley, San Francisco’s “village within the city,” is 24th St. This colorful and pedestrian-friendly thoroughfare boasts an array of trendy boutiques, comfortable pubs, outdoor cafés and restaurants. Visitors can explore retailers selling imported cheeses, gelato, herbs and oils, hard-to-find magazines, and coffee beans and teas from around the world. Commander John B. Montgomery disembarked from the sloop Portsmouth to raise the U.S. flag on this spot on July 9, 1846, claiming possession of San Francisco (then Yerba Buena). California’s first public schoolhouse stood here, African-American pioneer William A. Leidesdorff opened the city’s first hotel (City Hotel) at the corner of Clay and Kearny streets, and a monument to Robert Louis Stevenson was erected in 1897. Nowadays, it’s the heart of Chinatown and is a popular gathering place for neighborhood residents. NORTH BEACH North of Broadway and east of Columbus Ave. POTRERO HILL 16th St. to Cesar Chavez between U.S. 101 and I-280. There’s no beach like North Beach — in fact, there’s no beach at all. The area’s name comes from the 1850s, when a finger of the bay extended inland and the neighborhood was a sunny shore. Today, it encompasses one of San Francisco’s busiest nightlife areas with cabarets, jazz, cappuccino houses, off-beat bistros and established restaurants. All around are the vibrant accents of the city’s inhabitants of Italian descent. Delicatessens are filled with enticing appetizers: provolone, prosciutto, focaccia and on and on. Washington Square is an ideal spot for a picnic lunch. OCEAN BEACH Along Great Highway at the western edge of San Francisco. On the westernmost edge of the city is an area of sand and surf that has long been a favorite with tourists and sunset watchers. Swimming and wading at this beach are strongly discouraged because of strong currents and frigid waters. Seal Rocks are small, stony islands just offshore at the foot of Point Lobos Ave.; except for a few loners, most of the sea lions have departed for cozier quarters at PIER 39. Here, too, is the Cliff House. Within the city’s “sunbelt,” Potrero Hill takes advantage of its sunny outlook with outdoor film series and numerous sidewalk cafés. It is also one of the few areas to survive the 1906 earthquake and fire. One of 12 historic districts in the city, the neighboring area known as Dogpatch is home to several urban wineries and the Museum of Craft and Design. THE PRESIDIO OF SAN FRANCISCO Northwest corner of San Francisco; main gate at Lombard and Lyon streets. Outdoor Adventures ANGEL ISLAND STATE PARK • CRISSY FIELD FORT MASON • GOLDEN GATE NATIONAL RECREATION AREA • GOLDEN GATE PARK LAKE MERCED • THE PRESIDIO OF SAN FRANCISCO OLD ST. MARY’S CATHEDRAL 660 California St. at Grant Ave.; 415-986-4388. Old St. Mary’s is the city’s first cathedral. Erected in 1854, it is diagonally across from St. Mary’s Square, where a statue of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, by sculptor Beniamino Bufano, presides. Founded in 1776, the Presidio served as a military garrison under the flags of Spain, Mexico and the U.S. before it became a national park in 1994. Its long history is reflected in many places: 17th-century cannons, a diversity of architectural styles, and a forest planted in the 1880s. Within the boundaries of this 1,480-acre (599 hectares) preserve are The Walt Disney Family Museum, the Officers’ Club, San Francisco National Military Cemetery and Fort Point. The Presidio is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area . view of North Beach sftravel.com Scott Chernis Photography (2)
San Francisco Travel Planner's Guide 2019 TPG: Page 16
