City Statistics
Location
California, USA.
Dialing code
1.
Population
744,230 (city); 7,533,384 (metropolitan area).
Time zone
GMT - 8 (GMT - 7 from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November).
Electricity
110 volts, 50Hz; two-pin plugs are standard.
Average January temperatures
11ºC (51ºF).
Average July temperatures
15ºC (59ºF).
Annual rainfall
508mm (20 inches).
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Overview
San Francisco was once simply
Yerba Buena (Good Herb), a
Spanish fishing village with a population of 400, set on a large natural harbour. About 75 years later, when the West Coast region became US territory in 1847, it was renamed San Francisco, after the old
Franciscan mission nearby. The city quickly mushroomed – the
Gold Rush of
1849 inspiring a
migration so rapid that seekers almost fell into the Pacific, in their desperation for a new life. The population soared to more than 300,000.
They came from the west but also from the
east – thousands of people escaped
famine in
China for a hard life on the
railroads, which were created to connect the isolated city with the rest of the country, a project completed in 1869. During this time, Chinese workers were subjected to appalling
discriminatory laws.
Japanese immigrants came, too, but settled separately, establishing their own businesses in the Western Addition neighborhood and, later, what is now Japantown.
Chinatown and
Japantown now constitute the biggest Asian enclave outside Asia, and the city today takes pride in its diverse population and has come to be
known for its tolerance overall.
Also changing the landscape of the city was the devastating
earthquake of
1906, the fires of which all but levelled its wooden Victorian homes – a handful that survived are the city’s famed and colorful
‘Painted Ladies’ in
Alamo Square.
Ever resilient, San Franciscans rebuilt their city on the sea. In place of horse-drawn streetcars that traversed Russian and Nob Hills, the introduction of
cable cars at the approach of the 20th century changed the way residents got around. When the
Golden Gate Bridge opened in 1937, it charted yet another horizon for man and nature working as one and soon becoming the symbol of a city that has it all.
Modern San Francisco retains its relationship between
materialism and
money on the one hand and
cutting-edge thought and
progressive politics on the other. In the 1950s, the bohemian
Beat movement grew up and out of San Francisco’s Little Italy neighborhood of North Beach, which helped foster the city’s importance in the
arts. The
counter culture flowered in the
Haight Ashbury neighborhood (now just called the Haight) during the 1967
Summer of Love and the
gay community fought for and found a home in Castro and Polk Street, where they could live openly and happily.
The city saw rapid growth in
dotcom industries (located South of Market, and in nearby
Silicon Valley) and has now recovered from downturns in that same area. San Francisco is the
financial capital of the
West Coast and once a prime shipping gateway to the Pacific, although most cargo ships now head for Oakland.
Tourism is the
key industry and nets San Francisco billions of dollars each year. The Bay, which fits neatly between the Golden Gate Bridge to the west and the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge to the east, is home to
14 small islands, including Alcatraz, Angel, Yerba Buena and Treasure. These can be the perfect escape from the city.
San Francisco has a
mild year-round climate but it should not be confused with hot and sunny Southern California. As a testament to the moderate temperature, many homes do not have central heating systems and
outdoor dining may be enjoyed almost year-round, thanks to the frequent use of outdoor patio heaters. A handy rain- and wind-resistant coat is always advised for those
foggy, chilly days.
Tolerance for all ways of life is perhaps the
city’s keynote, and people are constantly reinventing themselves. A city of cultural diversity ever since the Gold Rush days, San Francisco is not a melting pot, but a salad bowl. Her irresistible charm that captivates all who visit is perfectly echoed in the words of the song ‘I Left My Heart in San Francisco’.
One would be hard pressed to name another city positioned so glamorously, between the
ocean and
Sierra Nevada mountains to the east and west and
redwood forests and the
California desert to the north and south. Alistair Cooke, the British-born commentator, summed up this most beautiful and breathtaking of American cities as a
‘fortuitous mating of marine grandeur and terrestrial snugness’. It remains the best summation on record, of this city, perched precipitously at the
edge of the world. ...
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Tourist Information
WalkingToursA good public transport system has made walking more a pleasure than a necessity and yet there is a walking tour for every taste. For those interested in discovering the gay community and environs,
Cruisin’ The Castro (tel: (415) 255 1821; website:
www.cruisinthecastro.com) is a three-hour tour that includes lunch. Tours depart from the Rainbow Flag, corner of Castro Street and Market Street, 1000-1300.
The
Foot! (tel: (415) 793 5378; website:
www.foottours.com) tours explore some of the city’s most famous areas (including Nob Hill, Union Square, Chinatown and North Beach) and are led by professional comedians. The 2 ½-hour
Haight Ashbury Flower Power Walking Tour (tel: (415) 863 1621) takes the nostalgic visitor not only back to the 1960s and the famed Summer of Love but also further back to the Haight that was a Victorian resort destination. Tours depart from the northeast corner of Stanyan Street and Waller Street, Tuesday and Saturday at 0930. Reservations are recommended for all walking tours.
Local Tastes of the City Tours (tel: (415) 665 0480
or 1 888 358 8687; website:
www.localtastesofthecitytours.com) savors the best of San Francisco’s culinary traditions. Three-hour walking tours experience a behind-the-scenes look at local bakeries, cafes, restaurants, and the places where locals shop. Sample fresh bread, pastries, chocolates, truffles, coffees, dim sum, seafood and olive oils, or watch artisans at work. Tours explore North Beach, Fisherman’s Wharf, Chinatown, Golden Gate Park or the Haight-Ashbury area.
BusToursGray Line (tel: (415) 434 8687; website:
www.graylinesanfrancisco.com) offers a ‘Deluxe City Highlights’ three-to-four-hour tour, which takes in many key sites, including the Golden Gate Park and the bridge. Reservations are required. There is a free shuttle pick-up service.
Tower Tours (tel: 1 888 657 4520; website:
www.towertours.net) offers a similar three-to-four-hour tour, which includes a hotel pick-up shuttle service, with three daily departures. Both companies also have trips to Alcatraz, Marin Country and the Wine Country.
OtherToursBike the Bridge with
Blazing Saddles Bike Rental &
Tours (tel: (415) 202 8888; website:
www.blazingsaddles.com). The most popular ride passes the Presidio, crosses the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito, takes the Bay Trail through magnificent Redwoods to Tiburon, then takes the ferry back to San Francisco. Allow 2 ½ hours for the 16-mile (23km) ride.
A boat tour of the Bay is a must, providing perhaps the best panorama of the city and a unique view of the Golden Gate Bridge. A number of tour operators offer departures from Fisherman’s Wharf.
Blue and Gold Fleet (tel: (415) 773 1188
or 705 5555 for tickets; website:
www.blueandgoldfleet.com) runs a daily narrated cruise, with regular departures from Pier 39. Tours last around one hour.
Electric Time Car Rentals (tel: (415) 674 8800; website:
www.etcars.com) is the most novel way to drive the streets of San Francisco, in GPS self-guided tours. Colorful two- and four-seater bubble-like electric cars, with street speeds of up to 40kmh (25mph), quietly cruise the hilly streets of the city on a choice of three different routes. An audio GPS narrates facts about historic sites while guiding the driver where to turn. Rentals depart from Fisherman’s Wharf.
Fire Engine Tours &
Adventures (tel: (415) 333 7077; website:
www.fireenginetours.com) Invigorate in the ocean breeze while driving across the Golden Gate Bridge on San Francisco’s world famous Fire Engine tour. The beautifully restored 1955 Big Red Shiny Mack Fire Engine is owned by Robert and Marilyn Katzman, who reside in the old firehouse at Fisherman’s Wharf. The 75-minute tours leave from The Cannery at Fisherman’s Wharf. Charters are available for private groups.
San Francisco Seaplane Tours (tel: (415) 332 4843
or 1 888 732 7526; website:
www.seaplane.com) depart daily from Sausalito, with complimentary shuttle service available from Pier 39. There is also a sunset tour with champagne which lasts 40 minutes.
The Urban Safari (tel: (415) 282 5555
or 1 866 697 2327; website:
www.theurbansafari.com) is not just another city tour. Travel off the beaten track in Daniel Oppenheim’s zebra-striped Land Rover, complete with safari jackets and pith helmets, for four hours of adventure and fun with this avant-garde explorer. Trek through the urban jungle to famous movie sites, crooked streets, farmer’s markets and world-renowned chocolatiers. Learn secrets of this beautiful City by the Bay, embark on a spiritual safari, or custom-design your own. ...
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