6 SAn FRAnCISCo FACT SHEET STOP SAN FRANCISCO FACT SHEET YoUR QUESTIonS ABoUT SAn FRAnCISCo. AnSWERED. HOW BIG IS SAN FRANCISCO? Surrounded on three sides by the Pacific ocean and San Francisco Bay, San Francisco’s compact 49 square miles (127 sq. km) crowd the tip of the San Francisco Peninsula. The hub of the Bay Area, San Francisco has a population of 883,963 and welcomes more than 26.1 million annual visitors, conventioneers and business travelers. Promotional Materials JUST CLICK TO ORDER OR DOWNLOAD Many of the promotional items San Francisco Travel offers are available online in the Travel Trade section of the website at sftravel.com/travel-trade. CAN MY CLIENTS SMOKE IN PUBLIC PLACES? In the state of California, it is illegal to smoke tobacco products in any public gathering space including parks, restaurants and bars, stores and office buildings. DOES SAN FRANCISCO EVER HAVE SHORTS-AND-T-SHIRT WEATHER? San Francisco is blessed with a temperate marine climate and enjoys mild weather year-round. Temperatures seldom rise above 70° F (21° C) or fall below 40° F (5° C). San Francisco weather can change by the hour, so the best things visitors can do are to pack layers and have a light jacket or coat handy for cool evenings. WHAT ARE THE RESTRICTIONS ON MARIJUANA USE? Marijuana remains classified as a Schedule I drug under the federal Controlled Substances Act, and its purchase, possession, distribution or use within California may be unlawful under federal law. Recreational use has been legalized in the state of California; however, there are a number of rules and regulations governing usage. For additional resources, visit sftravel.com and search “marijuana.” THE VISITOR’S PLANNING GUIDE WHAT PHONE NUMBERS ARE IMPORTANT TO HAVE ON HAND? Emergency Service (for police, fire, ambulance; no area code required) ...............................................911 California Road Conditions .................800-427-7623 (U.S. only) Visitor Information Center ...................415-391-2000 San Francisco International Airport Ground Transportation ....800-435-9736 (U.S. only) Transit Service Information ..................511 (Bay Area) or ...................................................888-500-InFo (4636) City Services .............................................311 (Bay Area) or .....................................................................415-701-2311 or ........................................................415-701-2323 (TTY) City Services numbers connect customers with highly trained customer service representatives ready to help with non-emergency matters, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. WHERE CAN I FIND INFORMATION ON ACCESSIBILITY IN THE CITY? Contact Access northern California at accessnca. org, or request a copy of the brochure “San Francisco Access” from the San Francisco Travel Association. San Francisco Traveler is our exclusive guide to San Francisco and the Bay Area. The award-winning guide features “what’s fresh” in San Francisco, a calendar of events, neighborhood coverage, maps and more. SAN FRANCISCO CITY BROCHURE MUNI ACCESSIBLE SERVICES PROGRAM one S. Van ness Ave., San Francisco, CA 94103. 311 (within San Francisco), 415-701-2311 (outside Bay Area) or 415-701-4485, 415-701-2323 (TTY) Get a snapshot of the City by the Bay with this 4x9-inch brochure that includes a neighborhood map, neighborhood descriptions, transit tips and more. This brochure is an ideal handout for clients interested in a snapshot of the city. SAN FRANCISCO VISITOR MAP HOW CAN VISITORS ENSURE THEY HAVE A SAFE EXPERIENCE? San Francisco is a very walkable, approachable and safe city. While visiting any city, travelers should take a few precautions. Safety tips are available online at sftravel.com. Points of interest in San Francisco, as well as citywide, downtown, regional and state maps, are tucked into this 4x9-inch guide/map to help visitors get oriented. Available in Chinese (traditional and simplified), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish. WHAT’S EXPECTED WHEN IT COMES TO TIPPING/GRATUITIES? Restaurant service is not included in restaurant checks, although some are adopting this custom. The average tip is 15 – 18 percent of the total check. A standard tip is sometimes included for groups of six or more. A San Francisco health initiative has impacted costs at local restaurants and diners may encounter an additional charge related to this. Taxis’ average tip is 15 percent of the fare. Airport and hotel baggage handlers’ average tip is $1 per bag, one-way. SAN FRANCISCO VIDEOS WHERE DO I FIND MORE VISITOR INFORMATION? San Francisco Travel has four official Visitor Information Centers. The Moscone Center location at 749 Howard St. is open daily, Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., and weekends, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., excepting closures on Sundays, november – April, and Thanksgiving, Christmas and new Year’s days. There are two additional locations: in Macy’s Union Square at 170 o’Farrell St. and in Chinatown at 625 Kearny St. A variety of services are available, including multilingual assistance. The California Welcome Center is located on PIER 39 in Building B on Level 2, open 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. daily, except Thanksgiving and Christmas. Promotional videos are available from San Francisco Travel, including our brand anthem, pieces on Chinatown and the Mission District, visits to three classic restaurants and a variety of short videos on numerous locations. IMAGES AND B-ROLL WHAT ARE THE TAX RATES? Sales tax is 8.5 percent. Hotel fees in San Francisco include 14 percent occupancy tax and 1.0625 – 2.25 percent Tourism Improvement District (TID) and Moscone Expansion District (MED) assessment (depending on the location of the property). San Francisco Travel can also provide high-resolution images and b-roll footage of San Francisco for immediate download from San Francisco Travel’s website. Information is available at sftravel.com/media. MEDIA RESOURCES Fact sheets and background stories on San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area are available at sftravel.com/media. OFFICIAL TRAVEL PLANNER’S GUIDE 2020
San Francisco Travel Planner's Guide 2020 TPG: Page 6
