About San Francisco

San Francisco is consistently voted America’s favorite city to visit, which comes as no surprise to tourists and locals alike.  From the sweeping bay views to the culturally-diverse neighborhoods, historic sites, world famous shopping districts and award winning restaurants, San Francisco offers many pleasant diversions.  During your stay here for the 4th annual Global Justice Forum, we invite you to get to know San Francisco.

Popular attractions include:

North Beach is San Francisco’s own “ Little Italy” and one of America’s oldest Italian neighborhoods!   Offering dozens of amazing Italian restaurants and cafes,  North Beach is also home to the famed Beach Blanket Babylon “a zany musical spoof of pop culture with extravagant costumes and outrageously huge hats.”  Take in panoramic views from Coit Tower or climb atop beautiful Telegraph Hill in search of its famous wild parrots.

The Ferry Building.  In addition to serving as a transportation hub for San Francisco, the Ferry Building is a food lover’s dream come true and houses a market hall of gourmet shops and restaurants.  On Saturdays and Tuesdays, the Ferry Building hosts a farmer’s market where local bay area purveyors sell fresh produce, meats, artisan cheese, cut flowers, prepared foods and more.

Alcatraz Island.  The site of the infamous federal prison that housed the country’s most notorious criminals.  Today, there are ferryboat rides to the island and tours of the old prison grounds.  Advance tickets are recommended.

Fisherman’s Wharf is a busy spectacle of street performers and souvenir shops but also a great place to try local seafood, such as clam chowder served in the famous San Francisco sourdough bread bowls.

Union Square boasts both high-end and bargain retailers from around the globe.  It is a great place to window-shop before a show in the nearby theatre district.  Take a moment to sip wine or espresso at the outdoor café on the Square and people-watch.

Chinatown is home to the world’s largest Chinese community outside of Asia.  Come for the novelty souvenirs or the delicious and inexpensive fare.  Explore some of the side-streets for traditional medicine shops and fortune cookie factories, as well as a lesson in American history.

The Mission - Historically a Hispanic neighborhood, today this past meets the city’s younger artistic scene.  Centering in and around Valencia Street and Mission Dolores Park, this neighborhood is packed with restaurants, bars, vintage boutiques, artists’ shops and galleries.  Topping it off, the Mission boasts the best weather in the city: often warm and beautiful while the rest of the city is covered in fog.

Golden Gate Park is a serene and expansive oasis in the middle of a bustling metropolis.  In addition to the acres of parkland and gardens, there are a number of renowned museums, including the recently reopened De Young Museum.  Favorite attractions also include the Hagiwara Japanese Tea Garden, Conservatory of Flowers and the Rose Gardens.

Cable Cars crisscross the historic sections of downtown San Francisco and offer a great way to see the famous views.  You can avoid the crowds at the Powell Street station by hopping on a cable car further down the street or riding a different line from the Ferry Building to Van Ness or Hyde Streets.

Golden Gate Bridge. This iconic San Francisco landmark is also a commuter lifeline to Marin County.  Pedestrians can walk the 1.7 mile span and look back towards the city skyline as fog rolls in from the sea.

If you are planning an extended stay, across the Golden Gate Bridge in Marin County are the Muir Woods and Mt. Tamalpais, which offer miles of extending hiking trails with breathtaking views and old-growth redwood forests.  Also north of the Golden Gate is the renowned Napa Valley, full of charming towns and bucolic vineyards, many of which offer daily tours and wine tastings. To the south you can find the elegant seaside enclave of Carmel and miles of unspoiled coastline in Big Sur. Finally, the mountains and lakes of Lake Tahoe and Yosemite are just a few hours away, offering spectacular hiking and other outdoors opportunities.

Please visit the following websites for additional information about visiting San Francisco:

City and County of San Francisco
http://www.sfgov.org/site/visitor_index.asp

San Francisco Chambers of Commerce
http://www.sfchamber.dpway.com/sfchamber/search.aspx

San Francisco Visitors
http://www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com/