PoInTS oF InTEREST 13 STOP CASTRO DISTRICT Market and Castro streets. Steep streets and brightly painted Victorian houses give this “Gay Mecca” that distinct, San Francisco look. Landmarks include the Castro Theatre built in 1922; Harvey Milk Plaza, dedicated to one of the first openly gay elected officials in the U.S.; and Pink Triangle Park, a memorial to 15,000 LGBTQ Holocaust victims. The GLBT History Museum on 18th St. collects, preserves and promotes an active knowledge of the history, art and culture of sexually diverse communities. The Rainbow Honor Walk honors pioneers and icons of the LGBTQ movement. The San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center is on nearby Market St. Each June, the SF Pride Parade draws more than 500,000 participants and spectators. FILLMORE STREET Fillmore St. south of Broadway. near Pacific Heights are a number of intimate cafés and restaurants, as well as a concentration of upscale stores. The 2000 – 2200 blocks of Fillmore offer shoppers a smorgasbord of boutiques with 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 St. between Geary Blvd. and Eddy St.) is home to clubs and restaurants. Cliff House CHINA BEACH CLIFF HOUSE Sea Cliff Ave., between Lincoln Park and the Presidio. This former campground for Chinese fishermen is situated right by the Golden Gate. The 600-foot (183-meter) beach is ideal for sunbathing and picnicking. Swimming is not permitted. 1090 Point Lobos Ave. The restored 1909 structure offers magnificent views of the Pacific ocean and Seal Rocks. The main building offers outdoor observation decks, as well as several restaurants ranging from take-home favorites to an elegant main dining room. CHINATOWN CRISSY FIELD Hotaik Sung / Shutterstock.com; @leahbrookebaker; Gabriele Maltinti / Shutterstock.com Grant Ave. between Bush St. and Columbus Ave. and adjacent streets. San Francisco’s Chinatown is one of the largest in the U.S., offering authentic shops, restaurants, food markets, temples and museums, including the Chinese Historical Society of America and the Chinese Culture Center. Pagoda-style roofs and decorative balconies dominate the architecture, and street lamps are entwined with dragons. Grant Ave., the district’s main street, is a spectacle during the annual Chinese new Year and Autumn Moon Festival celebrations. Shoreline of the Presidio southeast of the Golden Gate Bridge. This is a favorite spot to stroll, sit and sip a cup of freshly brewed coffee. Blue herons, native plants and an expanse of wild, wind-swept 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 events. THE EMBARCADERO Salesforce Park CIVIC CENTER Van Ness, Market and Golden Gate triangle. A monumental assembly of federal, state and city buildings, 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 U.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, the War Memorial opera House, Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, SFJAZZ Center, the Asian Art Museum, the Main Library and other institutions are all nearby. Southeast of Fisherman’s Wharf. The Embarcadero is where miles of deep-water piers shelter ships of all flags. It’s also home to the Exploratorium, which features more than 650 hands-on exhibits. The Port of San Francisco operates the cruise ship terminal at Pier 27. Here, too, at the foot of Market St., 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. Historic streetcars offer easy access to the area as well. THE FINANCIAL DISTRICT North and south of Market St., from Kearny St. to the Embarcadero. San Francisco’s bustling downtown is a center of commerce and architectural innovation. The carnelian marble-covered, 779-foot-high (237 meters) Bank of America building at 555 California St.; the unique, 853-foot-high (258 meters) Transamerica Pyramid at 600 Montgomery St.; and the 724-foot-high (219 meters) 345 California Center at 345 California St. are landmarks of the city’s skyline. Recent additions include the Salesforce Tower, which at 1,070 feet (326 meters) is now the city’s tallest building, and the Salesforce Transit Center, which includes a Grand Hall entrance, gondola and rooftop public park. FISHERMAN’S WHARF Boats Docked at Fisherman's Wharf Jefferson and Taylor streets, extending east and west along the waterfront. Fishing boats, seafood stalls, steaming crab cauldrons and seafood restaurants. That’s how 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 43. Cruises to Alcatraz Island depart from Pier 33. Many bus lines and the historic E and F lines serve the area. sftravel.com
San Francisco Travel Planner's Guide 2020 TPG: Page 13
