If you haven’t been to San Francisco yet, start by looking into discount hotels because you’ll find that the city on the bay is quite adept at emptying your wallet.
Then do whatever it takes to get there – whether that means by train, plane, ferry, car or air charter, you’re missing out on a special experience every moment you delay getting there!
San Francisco is a unique city well worth exploring, with a fascinating international flair to it.
Here are four reasons why this city is a must-visit…
The Neighborhoods.
Very few American cities possess an identity based on the composite of their neighborhoods.
Much of America is inundated with strip malls, suburbia and sterile, commercial culture. Cities like New York City, Boston, Chicago, New Orleans and of course San Francisco are leading examples of the depth and breadth that unique neighborhoods offer to a metropolis.
San Francisco’s Chinatown is the largest outside of Asia and the oldest in America. North Beach in San Francisco has a European flair with its many cafes, street side trattorias, beatnik history and innocuous red light district.
Chinatown and North Beach sit right next to each other, so in a matter of blocks, you’re transported between two worlds.
The Food Culture.
Most people outside of America think the quality of American food leaves a lot to be desired.
However, when your perspective is limited to McDonald’s (which are almost nonexistent in San Francisco), hot dogs and pizza, you’re unaware of true American culinary pleasures.
These iconic foods misrepresent America’s gastronomic talent.
In contrast, San Francisco features regional dishes where you’ll find magic at the end of a fork.
Eating here is done with sophistication and purpose. San Franciscan chefs continually stretch the boundaries of their trade, creating decadent, original dishes you’ll find nowhere else. If you ever eat poorly here, it’s likely your own fault.
San Francisco offers some amazingly delicious fresh seafood, any kind of Asian food you could ever imagine, fabulous Mexican and locally sourced, artisanal food products: milk, cheese, mushrooms, meat and many more.
The Street Culture.
Much like bustling European cities, San Franciscans love to be on the streets – people greatly enjoy walking here, and why not?
With so many neat places to discover, tucked all over the city, the only way to uncover them is to get intimate with the city and walk.
The many bicyclists, street vendors, trolleys, cable cars, even the elderly Chinese men pushing around their hand trucks in Chinatown translate into an unmistakable lively and boisterous atmosphere on the street.
The streets have a pulse that ebbs and flows, which you not only feel, but that finds you becoming a part of. As a result, San Francisco has some world class “people watching”.
Pull up a street side chair and a beer in the financial district to watch the locals, or go to North Beach and enjoy a cappuccino while life soothingly settles into a slow drip.
The Foreigners.
A lot of people from around the globe call San Francisco home. Sure you’ll undoubtedly see lots of foreign tourists in Fisherman’s Wharf and along the Embarcadero, but you’ll be surprised by how many you encounter off the beaten tourist path.
Whether it’s a French couple on BART (the local metro service), a Russian coed heading across the bay to Oakland, a lovely Italian woman that can barely speak English working in a bakery, or a Mexican mother doing her produce shopping, San Francisco’s diversity astounds.
Usually this kind of diversity owes to a city being a vital transportation hub. The port of San Francisco deserves credit for attracting an impressive multicultural assortment.
Have you been to San Francisco – did you enjoy your visit?
(photo credits: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4)
I am a very lucky girl as I live a very short distance from San Francisco. It is everything you mentioned plus more! There is always something new to discover and explore in the city by the bay.
Lucky you, living close to a city which is every-changing is perfect, as you don’t have to travel far to experience something new.
San Francisco has a great heritage value. I have not visited the space yet but I wish to go there very soon. It is one of the most beautiful cities of Europe. Thanks for sharing the post.
San Francisco is located in the United States, but it does have a very European feel.
love the “categories” you chose to feature. they say as much about the city as they do about you and your sense of observation and insight.
I’ve yet to visit San Fran but it’s a high priority
San Francisco is one of the greatest “missed” on my trip to the States. It’s diversity keeps it in my growing bucket list, and I know I will see it one day.
San Francisco is so diverse and always has something going on. This is a great article, and everyone should take a trip to SF and experience the city life. If you are looking for lodging, you should check out http://bescover.com/California. They have the best bed and breakfasts nationwide, and it is a great way to meet the locals.