San Francisco in United States of America

San Francisco has an atmosphere of genteel chic mixed with offbeat innovation and a self-effacing quality so blatantly missing from brassy New York and plastic LA. Its hilly streets provide some gorgeous glimpses of the sparkling bay and its famous bridges.

Prior to European settlement in the area, the peninsula that now contains San Francisco was home to the Yelamu tribe, who were part of the larger Ohlone language group which stretched south from the Bay Area to the Big Sur of California. Due to San Francisco's characteristic foggy weather, the earliest European explorers completely bypassed the Golden Gate and the San Francisco Bay.

The first Europeans settlement in the area was founded by the Spaniards in 1776 as a mission community surrounding the Mission San Francisco de Asís, in what is today called the Mission Dolores in the Mission District. In addition to the mission, a military fort was built near the Golden Gate: the Presidio.

Upon gaining independence from Spain in 1821, the area became part of Mexico, but otherwise little changed in San Francisco. In 1835, an Englishman named William Richardson founded the town of Yerba Buena, the first significant settlement on the peninsula outside of the Mission Dolores area. As the new settlement gradually grew, Yerba Buena developed a street plan and became attractive to settlers.

In 1846, the United States claimed California and in July of that year the U.S. Navy arrived to raise the America flag above Yerba Buena. Over the next couple of years, California officially became part of the United States following the Mexican-American War and the name of the town was changed from Yerba Buena to San Francisco.

With the California Gold Rush of 1848, San Francisco began to explode in population. Waves of immigrants came to the city to seek their fortunes, including large amounts of Chinese immigrants who would create one of the largest populations of Chinese outside of Asia. During this time, many major businesses were created and flourished in San Francisco and famous (and infamous) personalities settled in the city. Of course, with all this success came many problems: the rapid growth of the city outstripped any efforts at city planning, meaning proper sanitation and infrastructure were largely undeveloped, which lead to a cholera outbreak in 1855. Violence and corruption were evident, and anti-immigrant violence resulted in many race riots. For a good book on the tumultuous early history of San Francisco, read Herbert Asbury's Barbary Coast.

In the 1890's, there was a large campaign to modernize and beautify the city, leading some officials to proudly call San Francisco the Paris of the West. But in 1906, a devastating earthquake and a resulting fire leveled much of the city. Nevertheless, officials at the time immediately set out on a plan to rebuild the city, with new parks, boulevards, the current civic center complex, and landmarks such as the Coit Tower atop Telegraph Hill. In 1915, San Francisco hosted the Panama-Pacific Exposition, to showcase the completely rebuilt city. Today, the Palace of Fine Arts complex is the only remnant of the exposition.

In the wake of the Great Depression of the 1930's, San Francisco remained largely unscathed. In fact, it was during this time that the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Bridge were conceived and built. It was also during this time that the Federal Government established a prison on Alcatraz Island, which would hold some of the most notorious criminals of the era.

After World War II, San Francisco continued to grow in population. Urban planning projects at the time led to more highrises downtown (including the Transamerican Pyramid) and the destruction of neighborhoods to build freeways (many of which were later torn down after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake). In the same period, San Francisco became a center of counterculture and the hippie movement, contributing to San Francisco's liberal outlook. San Francisco also became a center for homosexuals during this time, leading to the development of Gay neighborhoods like the Castro.

More recently, San Francisco has experienced a boom in business. Despite falling victim to the dot-com bubble burst in the 1990s, the city's economy largely recovered and gentrification of neighborhoods like SoMa continues on.

Today San Francisco is known for its liberal outlook and remains one of America's top tourist destinations, which is the city's largest industry.

As with many other major cities in the world, San Francisco has its share of problems. The areas that one should be most cautious are in the neighborhoods of Bayview-Hunters Point, Visitacion Valley, Sunnydale, Western Addition, Ingleside, Tenderloin, the area around 6th and Market, and parts of the Mission and Potrero Hill. San Francisco is at the peak of a 3-year surge in violent crime, and most of these murders occur in the southeast of the City. Two Hispanic gangs have been known to shoot or stab people for wearing the wrong color, so it is recommended to keep red or blue articles of clothing to a minimum while walking through the Mission District, especially around 16th and Mission and 24th and Mission. The South of Market (SoMa) district used to be somewhat dangerous; however, recent gentrification (something that has become fairly common and a social issue in SF) has transformed it into a rather hip and much safer neighborhood with plenty of art galleries and clubs. However, it is best to be careful even now.

San Francisco also has the largest homeless population per capita in the United States. If someone begs from you, you may either politely say that you do not have any change or just keep walking, and he or she will generally leave you alone. The main homeless area is around 6th and Market, heading towards City Hall, and in the Tenderloin. Haight Ashbury also has lots of panhandlers, and the area near Golden Gate Park at the end of Haight Street near McDonald's is notorious for junkies and should be avoided at night.

Pickpocketing can be expected, as with any other large city. Be especially cautious on crowded MUNI buses and during the busy holiday shopping season.

When parking in Bay Area parking lots, be wary of anyone strange demanding payment for the space. Scam artists may patrol lots where there is no attendant and tell motorists to pay them directly in cash, making sure they don't notice the payment machine. This can result in your car being towed.

Be careful to check for ticks after hiking in fields in the bay area. There is a high rate of lyme disease transmission in the Bay Area. If a bulls' eye rash develops at the tick bite site, immediately seek medical help and treatment with antibiotics.

By plane

There are three airports in the San Francisco Bay Area:

San Francisco International, http://www.flysfo.com located about 10 mi (16 km) south of the city.

Oakland International, http://www.flyoakland.com in the East Bay (Bay Area) East Bay.

Mineta San Jose International, http://www.sjc.org in Silicon Valley, about 1 hour south of San Francisco.

Oakland and San Jose tend to offer more discount airline flights, while San Francisco Airport attracts more international flights and can be more convenient for those staying in the city.

San Francisco and Oakland Airports are connected to downtown SF by the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system, which costs about $5 one-way. Taxis are considerably more expensive: a taxi from SFO to the city can easily cost upwards of $40, and over $60 from OAK. Shared vans will cost around $14. If you plan to drive from a car rental area near the SFO airport to downtown San Francisco, you can take the 101 freeway.

Note that taxi and van prices from San Jose to San Francisco are significantly higher.

Passengers arriving in SFO can walk (5 minutes from United's terminal) or take a free airport shuttle (AirTrain) to the BART station. From Oakland Airport, BART operates a regular shuttle to the nearest station. The cost of this bus is $3 for adults ($1 for seniors/children), and it takes 10-15 minutes. Trains from there run directly to San Francisco, with a 5-20 minute frequency and cost about $3.00-$4.00. BART trains head directly to downtown San Francisco and the Mission District, from where taxis and the MUNI can take travelers anywhere in the city.

The San Jose airport is served by a free shuttle to both VTA Light Rail and Caltrain. Passengers arriving in San Jose can use Caltrain to reach San Francisco directly (this costs $7.50 one-way). Caltrain also links with the BART system at the Millbrae intermodal station. Be aware that public transportation within the South bay is not as developed as around San Francisco.

Private pilots should consider Oakland rather than SFO, as the separate general aviation field there is more accommodating to light aircraft.

By train

Amtrak, +1 800 872-7245, http://www.amtrak.com serves the Bay Area (California) Bay Area with long-distance and intercity trains, San Francisco’s long distance station is across the bay, outside city limits. Passengers arrive in Emeryville in the East Bay (Bay Area) East Bay and may take an Amtrak California http://www.amtrakcalifornia.com Thruway bus over the Bay Bridge to San Francisco's Amtrak stop at 101 The Embarcadero (near the Ferry Building) and usually several other downtown destinations. Travelers on some shorter distance Amtrak routes can also transfer to BART trains at the Richmond or Oakland Coliseum stations (see below). Alternatively, riders approaching the Bay Area from the south may transfer to Caltrain http://www.caltrain.comhttp://www.caltrain.com at San Jose (California) San Jose 's Diridon Station for a direct ride to Fourth and King Streets in San Francisco.

Amtrak routes serving the Bay Area are:

The California Zephyr runs daily between Chicago and Emeryville with connections to/from the east coast. The Coast Starlight runs daily between Seattle, Portland (Oregon) Portland, Emeryville, and Los Angeles. To reach San Francisco, either transfer to Caltrain in San Jose or to the Amtrak bus in Emeryville. The Capitol Corridor http://www.capitolcorridor.org/ runs 16 times daily (11 on weekends and holidays) between Sacramento and Emeryville. Some trains also serve San Jose (California) San Jose but Caltrain (see below) is a better bet between San Jose and San Francisco. The most convenient transfer to San Francisco is actually to BART at Richmond's station, north of Emeryville, while the Oakland Coliseum station is another option on trains continuing south of Emeryville. Discount BART tickets can be purchased in the cafe car. The San Joaquins runs 4 times daily between Bakersfield, Stockton (California) Stockton and Emeryville. Travelers on the San Joaquins can continue on to San Francisco via the Amtrak bus at Emeryville or by transferring to the BART at the Richmond station.

Caltrain, +1 510 817-1717, http://www.caltrain.comhttp://www.caltrain.com operates a regional rail service from San Jose (California) San Jose to its San Francisco terminal at Fourth and King. The service also runs between San Jose and Gilroy during rush hour. Caltrain is very useful for travel between San Francisco and cities of the Peninsula (Bay Area) Peninsula, Silicon Valley or South Bay (Bay Area) South Bay. On weekdays Caltrain provides two trains per hour for most of the day but run more during commute hours, including Baby Bullet limited services that cruise between San Francisco and San Jose in 57 minutes; on weekends and public holidays trains run hourly, except that after 10PM only one train runs, leaving at midnight. The 4th & King terminal is served by Muni Metro (see 'Get around' below) giving connections to the rest of the city. Fares vary depending on how far you go. Tickets must be purchased before boarding the train from ticket vending machines at all stations or from ticket clerks at staffed stations. Tickets are checked on the trains and anyone found without a ticket is liable to a substantial fine. Bicyclists should use the designated car at the northern end of the train, and be aware that bike space is often limited during commute hours.

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), +1 415 989-2278, http://www.bart.gov provides a regional frequent rail service connecting much of the East Bay (Bay Area) East Bay and Contra Costa County with San Francisco and the San Francisco Airport through the Transbay Tube, a tunnel underneath San Francisco Bay. BART operates five routes, of which four reach San Francisco; there are three or four trains per hour on each route. In the East Bay and outer parts of San Francisco BART runs mostly on elevated track; in downtown San Francisco it runs in a subway under Market Street, and several underground stations provide easy access to downtown areas and simple transfers to the Muni Metro subway. BART also meets Caltrain at Millbrae. Bicycles are allowed on BART except between stations designated in the schedule brochure during commute hours. Fares vary depending with distance traveled, and start at $1.40 for trips within the city. You will need to insert your ticket into barriers when entering and exiting the system. Tickets hold a balance, deducting the appropriate price for each trip, so someone who plans to use the system several times can buy a $10 or $20 ticket and not worry about fares until the card is used up.

By bus

GotoBus, +1 617 354-2101, http://www.gotobus.com/ sells tickets to and from Los Angeles for a variety of bus companies. Greyhound, +1 800 231-2222, http://www.greyhound.com has frequent intercity service from San Francisco’s beautiful but decaying Transbay Terminal at First and Mission streets. Megabus, +1 877 462-6342, http://www.megabus.com travels to and from Los Angeles, with three trips in each direction. Buses stop at the bus shelter in front of the Caltrain station at Fourth St and King St. Fares start at just $1 when ordered well in advance. Unfortunately, Megabus will halt West Coast operations in late June 2008 due to low ridership numbers http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-megabus17-2008may17, 0, 2008552.story.

Several regional bus systems serve San Francisco from the immediate suburbs:

AC Transit, http://www.actransit.org from Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, and other East Bay cities samTrans, http://www.samtrans.com from San Mateo County Golden Gate Transit, http://www.goldengatetransit.org from Sonoma and Marin counties WestCAT, http://www.westcat.org/index.html from Contra Costa County Vallejo Baylink, http://www.baylinkferry.com/schedule/baylink-bus.php (in conjunction with BayLink Ferry) from Vallejo.

By car

There are four major highway approaches to San Francisco. US 101 comes up the eastern side of the SF peninsula and is the most direct route from the south, although it often backs up with traffic. Interstate 280 is a more scenic route into the city from the same direction, but with poorer connections than 101. Interstate 80 approaches the city from the east over the San Francisco Bay Bridge. From the north, US 101 takes you over the Golden Gate Bridge.

On foot

Walking can be an enticing option to get from one neighborhood to another, so long as you are aware of where you are and keep your street smarts--San Francisco is a city of friendly neighborhoods, but it is also big city--be aware of your surroundings and keep in mind the dangers that commonly accompany a city of San Francisco's size. Streets which often go straight up and down hills may make driving difficult, but make for breathtaking views (as well as good exercise) for the pedestrian. There are many stairway walks scattered throughout the city when the streets are too steep. You can find maps that include hiking trails, bikeways, and the grade pitch of all streets marked in varying colors by how steep each segment is, that can help you orient to city walks suitable to your ability and temperament, such as the downloadable map issued by the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition http://www.sfbike.org/?maps. Note that locals rarely use the designations street or avenue, even when differentiating the numbered streets and avenues. Numbered roads designated Street are located south of Market in Downtown, Castro, Noe Valley, and Mission. Numbered roads designated Avenue put you in the Richmond and Sunset districts.

Highlight walks include: Chinatown Grant from Bush to Broadway takes you through the heart of the famous district. Returning by the parallel Stockton or Powell will give you a better feeling of the day to day life of the residents, and are both good for those looking for imported commodities such as tea or herbs. Beach. Ocean Beach is entirely open to pedestrians in both the Richmond and Sunset districts from the Cliff House restaurant and Sutro Baths in the north to the Zoo in the south. For a shorter walk, the windmills near Lincoln at the end of Golden Gate park offers a good base for a stroll north. Telegraph Hill. Greenwich and Filbert Steps on the east side of Telegraph Hill, both strenuous and unforgettably beautiful, offer cottages and a flock of wild parrots to enjoy on the way up to the Coit Tower. North Beach. Columbus runs from North Point in Fisherman's Wharf, through the grand church and famous cafés at the heart North Beach to the landmark TransAmerica pyramid, accessible to transit on nearby Market. Haight Ashbury. Haight from Divisadero to Stanyan covers the shopping district famous for hippie culture, at Stanyan the street becomes a path through Golden Gate Park to a popular site (then and now) for relaxing and concerts. Cow Hollow. Union Street between Gough and Fillmore is one of the finest shopping streets outside of the city center. Mission. Mission between 15th and Cesar Chavez streets provides a look at a neighborhood famous for its Latino food and culture, as well as occasional gang activity; women alone should be careful here at night. Parallel to Mission, Valencia Street is the artery of the many higher end boutiques and offbeat cafés starting to characterize the neighborhood, and has little of the grit of Mission St. Pacific Heights. Fillmore between Pine and Broadway is lined with a good mix of shopping, views, steep slopes, and some of the city’s largest and most expensive homes. The Fillmore. Post from Laguna (near 38 bus stop) to Fillmore takes you through upscale shopping and restaurants in Japantown, and turning left onto Fillmore across Geary and on to Turk takes you past the internationally known Jazz venue and a mix of Black and Korean owned shops. The Castro and Noe Valley. Market from Church to Castro St. and a left down Castr St. to 19th takes you through the center of the city’s famous gay mecca. Continuing up Castro St. over the hill from there takes you to 24th St., the main drag of bohemian Noe Valley.

By public transit

Transport services within San Francisco are provided by several bodies; they are separate organisations and although they have many interchange stations, tickets are not normally transferable across the systems (except for monthly or longer period passes). The major transit systems are:

Muni-streetcars, metro, buses and cable cars within San Francisco city BART-regional rail services across the Bay Area CalTrain-regional rail services to San José

San Francisco's Municipal Railway or Muni, +1 415 673-6864, http://www.sfmta.com/cms/mhome/home50.htm runs a network of local transport that covers most areas of touristic interest well. An all day Muni Passport good on all Muni vehicles, including Cable Cars costs $11. Other passports and passes are available for longer periods: a 3-day pass costs $18, while a 7 day pass costs $24. The passports come in the form of scratch cards; be sure to scratch off the appropriate dates before using.

Passports, as well as maps of the public transport system, can be purchased from the information booths at San Francisco airport, the Cable Car ticket booth at Market and Powell, and many other locations. Monthly “FastPasses” can be a good investment, especially for those under 18. They are $10 for youth and $45 for adults and offer unlimited rides on the entire system.

A portable wallet-sized map of San Francisco, called PocketBay, and all its public transit (MUNI, BART, Caltrain) is also available at stores around the city or through their website http://www.pocketbaymaps.com. Nearly all of the city’s bus stops also have posted copies of this map with the location of the stop marked, a godsend for lost pedestrians.

90 minutes of travel on the Muni system (Metro, F-line, Buses) costs $1.50; be sure to get and keep a transfer ticket when you pay for your first ride; Muni inspectors may demand it at any time as proof of payment. Cable Cars are not included in these transfers and cost $5 per ride (one way, no transfers), or $11 per day. Before 7AM and after 5PM, Seniors pay $1. Muni Passports and FastPasses greatly reduce this cost, including cable cars in the regular daily, weekly or monthly fares. Payment must be made using exact fare-at Muni Metro stations, insert coins into the barriers to enter. Note that many Muni stations do not have change machines, and some change machines only issue $5 bills instead of the coins required for travel. Muni station staff do not give change.

Muni arrival times are available online for many lines at NextMuni http://www.nextmuni.com. An unofficial site http://www.rescuemuni.org/nextbus-pda.html, however, often has information on routes that are not listed officially.

Muni consists of: The world-famous Cable Cars run on three lines in the steep streets between Market Street and Fisherman's Wharf: the north-south Powell-Mason and Powell-Hyde lines and the east-west California Street line. These cars are a fun ride, especially if you get to stand on the running board, if a bit impractical for everyday use (though residents of Nob and Russian Hills do, in fact, use them on a daily basis). The cable car is such an attraction that, especially on weekends, it takes longer to wait in line to ride up Powell Street than it does to walk the short but sloping distance. Board through any door or just grab a pole on the running boards; tickets are checked and sold by a uniformed conductor. Do not buy tickets from anyone off the car except for clearly marked ticket booths-scam artists are common.

Buses--both diesel and electric--serve the rest of city. Board through the front door and buy tickets from or show your pass or transfer to the driver. Service ranges from a consistent two minutes on many lines leaving Market, to a more sporadic 20 minutes for buses to Treasure Island and between outlying neighborhoods. Bus delays, leading to waits of 20 to 30 minutes, are not uncommon and are a source of much grousing among locals. MUNI Operates Bus Service 24 hrs. day/seven days a week in San Francisco although late night Owl service is limited in both lines and stops.

Other public transportation options include: BART, the regional metro, has eight stations in San Francisco, making it a nice way to get between well-trafficked parts of the city, especially downtown and the Mission. BART gets you also across the Bay to Berkeley and Oakland and to the airports of San Francisco and Oakland. BART Trains run on 107 miles of track, servicing 46 Metro Style Sations. BART Trains operate on third rail power and accelarate to speeds approaching 70 MPH. BART Operates seven days a week from 4AM to 12:30AM. On Weekdays BART Trains depart Central San Francisco Stations at two to three minute intervals. Outer Stations in Far Outlying Suburbs have a maximum wait of fifteen to twenty minutes between BART Trains. After 12:30AM, AC Transit and other east bay transit providers, provide overnight bus service, serving principal BART Sations until about 6:00AM.

CalTrain has three stops within San Francisco. Other than the 4th and King terminal, these are the 22nd St. Station and the Bayshore Station (off of Tunnel Ave), neither of which are particularly attractive for visitors. Of interest to visitors who wish to travel outside of city is the Palo Alto Station (at University Avenue), across the street from the campus of Stanford University, and San Jose’s Diridon. CalTrain operates fast frequent commuter rail service, seven days a week. Service generally runs from 5AM to Midnight.

By bike

If you have strong legs and can tolerate traffic with intermittent bike lanes, bicycles can be a convenient form of transportation in San Francisco. The City is fairly small--about 7 miles on each side (11 km)--and it's fairly quick to get from one end to the other. But much of the terrain is hilly and hard to pedal up. Do not be misled by maps depicting the city's strict, regular street grid, as even the straightest of San Francisco's streets might include steep hills or even staircases instead of a roadway. A classic and relatively easy ride is from the tip of Golden Gate Park’s narrow Panhandle in the Haight, along paths and JFK drive through the park to Ocean Beach. JFK drive is lightly trafficked, and closed to cars on Sundays.

Downtown, SoMa, and the Sunset and Richmond districts are relatively flat. There are a number of bike paths and bike routes on city streets; the San Francisco Bike Coalition http://www.sfbike.org/ keeps a lot of information about them. There are a number of bike rental companies of town, including Bay City Bike http://www.baycitybike.com/, Bike and Roll http://www.bikerental.com/ and Blazing Saddles Bike Rentals http://www.blazingsaddles.com/index.html with locations in Fisherman's Wharf, and the Bike Hut http://www.thebikehut.com/ and Pacific Bicycle http://pacbikes.com/ in SoMa.

By taxi

Taxis in San Francisco are, for a large city, surprisingly inefficient and expensive, starting at $3.10 just for getting in the door. Except for taxi stations at or near downtown business hotels, or cruising just a few major arteries, taxis can be hard to find and hail--and calling for a cab can mean a 30-45 minute wait, if the cab shows up at all. Now, if you're anywhere near Union Square and are holding shopping bags, just by standing on the curb and hailing passing cabs will usually get you one quite quickly. It is significantly easier to catch a taxi on weekdays, not including Friday night. If you are heading to the airport, your best bet is to call ahead with a specific pickup time to one of the many taxi companies (Yellow by far has the most cabs and they all accept credit card).

By car

Perpetually-clogged traffic, steep hills, a confusing system of one-way streets downtown, expensive parking, and a fleet of parking control officers who enforce parking laws with zeal can make driving in downtown extremely frustrating; visitors to the city should seriously consider alternatives to automobiles when possible. In addition, traffic from the Golden Gate Bridge uses surface streets either along CA-1, 19th Avenue or US-101 on Lombard and Van Ness. The greatest hazard of driving is on Lombard Street between Hyde and Leavenworth, where a stretch known as The Crookedest Street in the World runs one-way down a steep hill making eight hairpin turns. Oversized vehicles such as pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles, and recreational vehicles should NOT attempt to pass through the winding stretch of Lombard Street.

The most difficult problem with your car in San Francisco will be parking. Parking throughout the city is scarce. Garages, where they are available, are quite expensive ($20-30/day downtown). San Francisco has some of the strictest parking laws and enforcement in the country. For day trips into the city, consider a park-and-ride at a Peninsula (Bay Area) Peninsula Caltrain station, at a Peninsula (Bay Area) Peninsula BART station, or at an East Bay (Bay Area) East Bay BART station.

When parking on a hill (and there are many of them in San Francisco), remember to always apply that parking break and turn your wheels so that the tires are against the curb (Facing uphill, the front wheels should be turned out until the tires are resting against the curb. Facing downhill, the front wheels should be turned in so that they are set against the curb). Failure to park properly doesn't just run the risk of having your car roll downhill, but it is also against the law and you may be ticketed.

Finding your way around

Cross streets: As San Francisco streets are numbered (100 per block) from the beginning of the street, and even and odd numbers are always on opposite sides. It is best when asking directions to ask for a cross street or neighborhood name. For instance, if you are at the intersection of Haight Street and Clayton Street, and you ask the driver of the 33 Stanyan bus Does this bus go to Market Street? it will get you a yes, but the bus won't get you downtown, it will get you south from that intersection to Market and 18th in the Castro district.

Numbered streets and avenues: San Francisco has both numbered streets, in the San Francisco/Mission District Mission, the San Francisco/Castro Street Castro, San Francisco/Noe Valley Noe Valle, and San Francisco/SoMa SoMa, and numbered avenues in the largely residential San Francisco/Sunset Sunset and San Francisco/Richmond Richmond districts. Mixing numbered streets and avenues when asking directions may leave you miles from your destination. This can be confusing, as San Franciscans will not say Street or Avenue unless it is required to avoid ambiguity. Thus, I live on Fifth Avenue but I live near Fifth and Geary. Street signs generally don't have Street or Avenue either; they just say GEARY or MASONIC.