golden gate bridge, alcatraz, chinatown, cable cars – we...

I SBN 978 -1 -74220 -571 -7

9 781742 205717

99125

2ND EDITIONPublished Jun 2012First Published Jan 2011

USA $21.99UK £14.99

TheMarina &Fisherman's

Wharf(p47)

GoldenGate Park &the Avenues

(p203)

The Haight &Hayes Valley

(p183)

Nob Hill,Russian Hill &

Fillmore(p125)

North Beach &Chinatown(p101)

Downtown &Civic Center(p77)

The Mission,SoMa &

the Castro(p147)

Our promiseYou can trust our travel information because Lonely Planet authors visit the places we write about, each and every edition. We never accept freebies for positive coverage so you can rely on us to tell it like it is.

Experience the best of San FranciscoGolden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Chinatown, cable cars – we’ve selected the most iconic sites and top experiences so you can enjoy the real San Francisco with the minimum of fuss.

puts the streets of San Francisco in your pocket

PULL-OUT MAP

recommend what not to miss

LOCAL EXPERTS

CITY WALKSlet you discover the city on foot

reveal the must-see attractions and unbeatable experiences

HIGHLIGHTS

Experience the best of San Francisco

DiscoverSan Francisco

PULL-OUT MAP

HIGHLIGHTS

LOCAL EXPERTS

CITY WALKS

San FranciscoD

iscover

WITHPULL-OUT

MAP

discover-san-francisco-2-cover.indd 1 20/02/2012 6:29:32 PM

IContents

This edition written and researched by

Mariella Krause,Alison Bing, John A Vlahides

Experience the best of San Francisco

San Francisco Discover

01-title-discover-dc-sfo2.indd 1 21/02/2012 3:55:29 PM

Downtown & Civic Center (p 77 ) Downtown has all the urban amenities: galleries, hotels, dining, theaters and shopping galore.

Don’t Miss: Ferry Building

The Marina & Fisherman’s Wharf (p 47 ) Some of San Francisco’s biggest attractions are located here.

Don’t Miss: Alcatraz, Fisherman’s Wharf, Golden Gate Bridge

North Beach & Chinatown (p 101 ) Steep yourself in culture in bohemian North Beach and the largest Chinatown outside of Asia.

The Mission, SoMa & the Castro (p 147 ) Where’s the party? Here, amid killer burritos, rainbow flags and the creative class.

Don’t Miss: San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)

Nob Hill, Russian Hill & Fillmore (p 125 ) Cable cars deliver visitors to hilltop bars and high-fashion boutiques.

Discover San Francisco


Golden Gate Park & the Avenues (p 203 ) Sunny days bring picnics, paddleboats and croquet. Foggy afternoons are spent exploring museums.

Don’t Miss: Golden Gate Park

The Haight & Hayes Valley (p 183 ) Two chill ’hoods that are home to skateboarders, fashionistas, hippies and Zen monks.

TheMarina &Fisherman's

Wharf(p47)

GoldenGate Park &the Avenues

(p203)

The Haight &Hayes Valley

(p183)

Nob Hill,Russian Hill &

Fillmore(p125)

North Beach &Chinatown(p101)

Downtown &Civic Center(p77)

The Mission,SoMa &

the Castro(p147)


Contents

Welcome to San Francisco ......................6

Highlights Map ............8

San Francisco’s Top 25 Experiences ................10

Top Days in San Francisco ........... 32

Month by Month .......40

What’s New ............... 42

Get Inspired .............. 43

Need to Know ...........44

Drinking & Nightlife .... 118Entertainment ............120Shopping ..................... 121

Nob Hill, Russian Hill & Fillmore 125Highlights ....................126Walking Tour ...............128Sights ..........................130Eating...........................133Drinking & Nightlife ....138Entertainment ............140Shopping .....................142Sports & Activities .....145

The Mission, SoMa & the Castro 147Highlights ....................148Walking Tour ...............150San Francisco Museum of Modern Art ............152 Sights ..........................154Eating...........................165Drinking & Nightlife .... 170Entertainment ............ 175Shopping ..................... 178Sports & Activities .....180

The Haight & Hayes Valley 183Highlights ....................184Walking Tour ...............186

The Marina & Fisherman’s Wharf 47Highlights ..................... 48Walking Tour ................ 50Alcatraz ....................... 52Fisherman's Wharf .... 54Golden Gate Bridge ... 58 Sights ........................... 60Eating............................ 65Drinking & Nightlife ......70Entertainment .............. 71Shopping .......................72Sports & Activities .......73

Downtown & Civic Center 77Highlights ......................78Walking Tour ................ 80Ferry Building ............. 82 Sights ........................... 84Eating............................ 85Drinking & Nightlife ......93Entertainment ............. 96Shopping ...................... 98

North Beach & Chinatown 101Highlights ....................102Walking Tour ...............104Sights ..........................106Eating........................... 115

Plan Your Trip Discover San Francisco


San Francisco Today 240History ........................ 242Family Travel .............. 248Food & Drink .............. 250Arts & Architecture ... 254Hills & Fog .................. 259GLBT SF ..................... 263Cable Cars ................. 265

Sleeping .................... 270Transport .................. 278Directory .................. 283

Behind theScenes ......................288

Index .........................292

Map Legend ........... 303

Sights ..........................188Eating...........................189Drinking & Nightlife ....196Entertainment ............198Shopping .....................198

Golden Gate Park & the Avenues 203Highlights ................... 204Walking Tour .............. 206Golden Gate Park.....208 Sights ..........................212Eating........................... 217Drinking & Nightlife ....221Entertainment ........... 222Shopping .................... 222Sports & Activities .... 224

Day Trips 227

Survival GuideIn Focus


Welcome to San Francisco

The city is naturally

rebellious

Quick, name the main attractions in San Francisco. Even if you’ve never been here before, you can probably rattle off Fisherman’s Wharf, Alcatraz, the cable cars and the Golden Gate Bridge without much thought. And while those places do sell the most postcards, San Francisco is equally famous for the unscripted moments that exist in between.

San Francisco has always been one to set itself apart. A climb to the top of one of San Francisco’s 47 hills yields a unique panorama of Victorian houses, monumental bridges, funny-shaped skyscrapers and stairway gardens, all surrounded by a glittering bay. The city is naturally rebellious, shrugging off typical California stereotypes with fog that turns a warm summer day into an excuse to buy outerwear and enough hills to give the feeling of a slow-moving roller coaster. With a population of free thinkers, crafty inventors and weirdos passing as normal, this city stubbornly refuses to be brought down to earth.

Did we mention the food? With an abun-dance of ultrafresh, locally grown ingredients and the most restaurants per capita anywhere in North America, San Francisco is spoiled for choice. And it’s not just lavish, multicourse meals with wine pairings. From burrito joints and food trucks to every sort of ethnic food imaginable, cheap eats are not just plentiful but fabulous.

If you’re bored in SF, you’re not doing it right. Even people who live here stick to a rigorous schedule of year-round farmers markets, free concerts in Golden Gate Park and what seems like an endless supply of street fairs. The city has a way of bending to your will, becoming whatever you want it to be. Child friendly? Gay friendly? Pet friendly? All that and more. So consider permission granted to indulge in whatever you want: that just means you’ve gotten the hang of San Francisco.

California St Cable Car (p 267 )ANGUS OBORN /LONELY PLANET IMAGES ©

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