Gianmaria Franchini is a writer based in Oakland, CA who makes his life between California and Italy. He’s a Senior Writer with Viator, and the in-house San Francisco expert.
Gianmaria Franchini is a writer based in Oakland, CA who makes his life between California and Italy. He’s a Senior Writer with Viator, and the in-house San Francisco expert.
Hi, I'm Gianmaria!Gianmaria Franchini is a writer based in Oakland, CA who makes his life between California and Italy. He’s a Senior Writer with Viator, and the in-house San Francisco expert.
Hi, I'm Gianmaria!Gianmaria Franchini is a writer based in Oakland, CA who makes his life between California and Italy. He’s a Senior Writer with Viator, and the in-house San Francisco expert.
Travelers often approve of San Francisco’s compact size. There are few lumbering street grids here; instead, the city packs steep hills, open-air spaces, and dense neighborhoods into a small coastal peninsula. When visiting, plan on mostly walking between destinations while making up longer distances on public transport. After all, there are old-school enclaves to visit, waterfronts made for tourism, and edgy quarters where hipsters rub shoulders with the working class.
In recent years, communities left off the typical tourist circuit, such as Potrero Hill and the Dogpatch, have blossomed into local favorites. Unsure about which parts of the city to visit? Fear not—these are the best.
Washington Square, Coit Tower, and Telegraph Hill cluster around North Beach, a neighborhood steeped in Italian-American heritage. First-timers often start their visit by walking up Columbus Street past the Italian cafés and restaurants—Caffe Greco and Caffe Trieste are local icons—to Fisherman’s Wharf.
Walking food and cultural tours are ideal for experiencing the buzzy neighborhood, with some even venturing to Chinatown next door.
Insider tip: if you need a break from walking, browse the collections at City Lights Bookstore or check out the Beat Museum.
It’s totally kitschy and short of working fishermen, but Fisherman’s Wharf is a lot of fun. Here, you can devour a Dungeness crab steamed whole, ride an Italian-made carousel, play vintage penny arcade games, and watch barking sea lions laze around Pier 39.
To visit, ride a cable car from Union Square to the end of the line. You can also combine your visit with trips to Alcatraz or bay cruises. Popular Segway tours dash along the waterfront, stopping at Ghirardelli Square and the Embarcadero, while Aquatic Park and the Maritime Museum are nearby options for respite from the crowds.
San Francisco’s Chinatown is one of the largest and oldest in the US—and a must-visit neighborhood. From the intersection of Bush Street and Grant Avenue, pass the Dragon Gate and head north on Grant, taking in the bustle of souvenir shops, tea houses, herbalists, bakeries, and hole-in-the-wall eateries. Most city sightseeing tours visit Chinatown in passing, often stopping at Portsmouth Square, known as the “Heart of Chinatown,” and one of the oldest public monuments in San Francisco.
It’s better, however, to spend time wandering the warrens of historic alleys and shops, sampling tea, fortune cookies, dim sum, and other treats along the way.
It’s good foodie practice to forage the Mission, a traditionally Latinx neighborhood, for “Mission-style” burritos and some of the city’s most progressive restaurants.
Start at the Mission Dolores, a Spanish California mission and the oldest surviving structure in San Francisco. It’s conveniently located next to Mission Dolores Park, where hordes of hipsters people watch and throw ultimate frisbees on sunny days. Make your way south on Valencia or Mission Street, stopping to check out murals in Balmy and Clarion alleys. Finish your visit by hiking to the top of Bernal Hill, where locals walk their dogs and catch top city views.
Die vielen beliebten Viertel von San Francisco, von denen jedes seinen eigenen Charme und seine eigenen Macken hat, sind das bestimmende Merkmal. Hier ist, was Sie über die wichtigsten Sehenswürdigkeiten in der Nachbarschaft für Essen, Geschichte, Shopping, Kultur und Nachtleben wissen müssen.
North Beach
Vom Finanzviertel bis zum Fisherman's Wharf lockt North Beach Einheimische und Besucher in sein Nachtleben, italienische Restaurants, Einkaufsmöglichkeiten in der Grant Street und Leute, die auf dem Washington Square zuschauen. Zu den Hauptattraktionen zählen der Coit Tower und Orte aus der Beat-Zeit wie die Buchhandlung City Lights, das Vesuvio Cafe und das Beat Museum. Buchen Sie einen Food-Rundgang durch North Beach, um die vielen kulinarischen Köstlichkeiten zu erkunden.
Fishermans Wharf
Viele Besucher beginnen ihre Erkundungen in San Francisco am Fisherman's Wharf, wo Sie eine Seilbahn zum Union Square nehmen, auf die Insel Alcatraz blicken, eine Schüssel Muschelsuppe genießen und die Seelöwen beobachten können, die am Pier 39 um die Docks faulenzen wie Madame Tussauds und Ripleys Believe It or Not sowie weniger bekannte Juwelen wie das Musée Mécanique. Viele Stadtrundfahrten beginnen und enden hier und machen es einfach, die Nachbarschaft vor oder nach der Besichtigung zu sehen.
Chinatown
San Franciscos Chinatown ist eine der größten und ältesten Chinatowns in Nordamerika und ein Muss. Beginnen Sie an der Kreuzung von Bush Street und Grant Avenue, gehen Sie durch das Drachentor und fahren Sie auf Grant nach Norden, um die Hektik der Souvenirläden, Märkte und Restaurants zu genießen. Chinatown stößt direkt an North Beach, sodass Sie beide problemlos erkunden können. Fast alle Stadtrundfahrten beinhalten einen Zwischenstopp oder eine Fahrt durch Chinatown.
Die Mission
Das Mission District liegt südwestlich von SOMA und ist San Franciscos Feinschmecker-Zentrum. Hier finden Sie alles von einfachen Taquerias bis zu einigen der gefragtesten Restaurants in dieser von Restaurants besessenen Stadt. Das Nachtleben macht es auch bei San Franciscans zu einem Favoriten. Um das Beste der Mission zu erleben, buchen Sie einen Spaziergang mit Essen oder Getränken oder besuchen Sie Mission Dolores, um ein bisschen Geschichte zu erfahren. Die Kirche gilt als das älteste Bauwerk von San Francisco aus dem Jahr 1776. An einem sonnigen Tag ist der Mission Dolores Park der ideale Ort, um Leute zu beobachten.
Haight-Ashbury
Haight-Ashbury ist aufgrund seiner Verbindung mit der Gegenkultur der 1960er Jahre, Hippies und dem Sommer der Liebe vielleicht das kultigste SF-Viertel und bekannt für viktorianische Häuser, Bars und die Nähe zum Golden Gate Park. Die Hauptstraße ist die Haight Street, die die Ashbury Street kreuzt und die Heimat von Vintage-Bekleidungsgeschäften, Headshops und dem unabhängigen Plattenladen Amoeba Music ist. Eine der beliebtesten Touren ist der Magic Bus mit Fensterprojektionen, die Sie zurück zu einer 60er-Jahre-Version des Haight führen.
A quiet neighborhood with few top attractions, the Richmond District (“the Richmond” in the local lexicon) isn’t a major tourist destination. Take a close look, however, and you’ll find one of the best under-the-radar food scenes in the city. It’s multicultural, too, with Russian markets and French and Chinese bakeries lining the outer avenues.
Plus, the neighborhood is also close to Golden Gate Park, Land’s End, and the Presidio—rent a bike and ride the dedicated lane on Cabrillo Street to the far west side of the city, where you can explore Ocean Beach and hike the Land’s End Coastal Trail.
Once the haunt of shipbuilders, the Dogpatch is an up-and-coming neighborhood that hasn’t lost its industrial vibe … yet. Take the T light-rail line to Chase Center and wander down Third Street—the dockside area to your left has a clutch of former warehouses turned into galleries and shops.
Also, check out the mix of trendy restaurants, brew pubs, and wine bars—and don’t miss the Institute of Contemporary Art and the Museum of Craft and Design. Better yet, explore the shoreline near Crane Cove Park, a former shipbuilding site lined with industrial relics, on the water.
Hop off an F-Market heritage street car at the end of the outbound line and head straight for the Castro, dense with pride flags, restored Victorians, and adult-themed bars and shops. Spot the Castro Theater, an offbeat movie palace, and treasured local icon—sneak inside or catch a screening, and continue to Harvey Milk Plaza and Pink Triangle Park and Memorial.
Don't miss the GLBT Historical Society Museum, either, which covers more than a century of Bay Area GLBT history. Another hidden gem is the Randall Museum atop nearby Corona Heights Park, which has live animal and nature exhibits perfect for kids.
