People's lives in San Francisco. San Francisco - the city of eternal spring

San Francisco is known as a city in the style of disco, it is always young, bright, cheerful, it does not get tired of changing, the most open and good-natured people on earth live here. Whom you can’t meet here on the streets, all types, races, nations, cultures, religions, and indeed a lot of all kinds of weirdos. If you want to be very serious, then this is very easy to do here. It seems that the slogan of the city: live and let live, there is no more liberal and tolerant city in the world. Everyone knows that San Francisco is famous for its tolerance and attitude towards all minorities, including sexual ones, but now we will not talk about that. San Francisco magnificent city for people with a different mindset, a different vision of the world. San Francisco is a place of life for advanced designers, constructors, artists, filmmakers, in general, purely creative people, developers from Apple live here, the city is famous for the fact that Paul Breg, the founder of the raw food diet and medical fasting, lived all his life, although he did not become an absolute long-liver. nevertheless gave the whole world a new look at human nature.

How do people live in San Francisco

San Francisco is the fourth most populous city in California, after Los Angeles, San Diego and San Jose, it is the 13th most populous city in the United States. San Francisco boasts several nicknames at once: "City by the Bay", "Fog City", "city that knows how", "Baghdad Bay", "Paris of the West". For 2016, San Francisco has the highest livability rating in the US, and San Francisco also ranks highest among other US cities in terms of quality of life, but there is also a small drawback in the form of a very high cost of living, including the cost of real estate. San Francisco is ideal for programmers, in the shadow of which people of other professions, not related to computer technology, will feel uncomfortable. 0.85 million people live in San Francisco, 4.6 million in the agglomeration.

San Francisco is at a latitude of 37 degrees, which is roughly the latitude of Cyprus. Here is an unusually favorable climate for life, especially for those who love warmth and a variety of fruits. Almost every second resident of the city is either a raw foodist or a vegetarian, it is no secret that the health of many immigrants in the United States worsens after arrival, the reason for this is a change in eating style, if at home a person ate very simple foods, carrots, cabbage, apples and semi-finished products were not available, then in the US, those foods that were not available at home became the main diet.

Since the 60s, San Francisco has become a city of cultural freedom, the hippie movement was born here, creating the phenomenon of cultural, social and political rebellion, the locals are very creative expression. In the 1980s, skyscrapers began to be built in San Francisco in the likeness of New York, even the term Manhattanization stuck to the city. Many San Francisco residents traditionally oppose any change to the city's landscape, saying that all modern infrastructure is killing the soul of San Francisco. At the same time, many homeless people appeared in San Francisco, this was facilitated by the deteriorating economic situation, a large number of degenerate people who have become victims of permissiveness, including alcoholism and drug addiction, the climate factor is also here, it’s not cold in San Francisco, you can sleep peacefully on the street almost all year round and you won’t freeze.

Natural and climatic conditions, weather San Francisco

In San Francisco, despite the Mediterranean climate, it is rather cool in summer, this fact greatly distinguishes San Francisco, for example, from neighboring San Jose, where there is some transition to a continental climate. The weather in San Francisco is strongly influenced by the cold currents of the Pacific Ocean, with little annual temperature fluctuation.

San Francisco has its own unique microclimate, and this microclimate can also be unique for different areas of the city. The high hills of San Francisco are responsible for high dispersion, they also protect the city center from cold and windy weather, San Francisco is often shrouded in fog, when only the tops of the golden (red) bridge support and hills look out from under the clouds.

The big minus of life in San Francisco is the threat of earthquakes, at the beginning and end of the 20th century there were two powerful earthquakes, the first earthquake that destroyed the entire city was especially remembered. The 1989 quake had a magnitude of 7.1, while seismically resistant skyscrapers were not damaged, but all the roads were destroyed, so they had to be replaced or demolished.

Jobs and vacancies in San Francisco

Since the 1990s, since the birth of the Internet, San Francisco has already become the birthplace of Internet companies, web developers, programmers, and Silicon Valley is also nearby, characterized by a high density of high-tech companies associated with the development and production of computers and their components. By the way, a series of the same name has now been released, so those who want to find work in San Francisco should definitely watch it, if you look like the heroes of the series, then you can safely go to San Francisco, employers are waiting for you there with open arms.

The decay of technical specialists and computer scientists led to the fact that they slowly began to move out of San Francisco ordinary people who were employed in other less profitable sectors of the economy, a little more and only programmers can afford to live in the city, since the cost of a square meter of housing or rent of such housing is approaching central streets Manhattan. The city today is unlikely to be able to accommodate everyone, San Francisco is surrounded by water on one side, and Mount San Bruno on the other, which leads to higher property prices.

A great contrast is made by various homeless people and beggars, they flock to the city because of the attractive climate, and the authorities do not fight this phenomenon, fearing to lose the image of a free and tolerant city. A big minus of life in San Francisco looms street crime, theft, car break-ins.

If you think San Francisco is all about the Golden Gate Bridge and cable cars, you're right, it is. However, in addition to these well-known symbols, the city has rich history, beautiful architecture, but the main thing that its inhabitants are proud of is the unofficial title of the free city in a world that San Francisco proudly wears. IN different times he somehow surprisingly became the center of attraction for adventurers and non-standard-minded people - it is no coincidence that the hippie movement was born here.

Bridge "Golden Gate" - "calling card" of San Francisco Understanding why this particular city is "the freest" is not so difficult if you remember the history of San Francisco. For tens of millennia, Indians lived on its territory, but in 1776 the Spaniards arrived here. Then the settlement was called Yerba Buena. In 1848, the city began to develop and grow rapidly - mainly due to the Gold Rush epidemic that covered these places; at the same time it received its modern name. In just a year, the population of San Francisco increased from 1,000 to 25,000 people, people from all over the world came here in search of work, but especially a lot of people from China. China Town still occupies a significant part of the city, a fifth of the population of San Francisco are Chinese.

In 1906, the city was almost destroyed by a strong earthquake, during which three thousand people died and another 300 thousand were left without a roof over their heads. However, over time it was restored. In the 80s of the last century, there was another devastating earthquake in the city, which destroyed the highway that ran along the embankment. By the way, they did not restore it - but now the city has a wonderful area for walking.

Today, San Francisco is one of the most vibrant cities in America, where many cultures and nationalities coexist. The hippie revolution that took place here in the late 60s of the last century turned it into a center of attraction for creative, non-standard and free-thinking people. Some of them are still here today - those who in 1967 took part in the "Summer of Love" festival, speaking on the side of the sexual revolution and proclaiming personal freedom as the highest good that a person can have.

Participants of the festival "Summer of Love" in San Francisco

San Francisco, late 60s In the 80s, San Francisco once again became the epicenter of dissent, this time thanks to homosexuals who first felt free here. To date, almost 15 percent of the city's residents are representatives of sexual minorities - this is more than in any other city in the world. By the way, it was here, in the Castro gay quarter, that the symbol of the LGBT community, the rainbow flag, once appeared. Harvey Milk, the first American politician who declared his orientation openly, also lived here. However, adherents of traditional love feel no less free here.

A couple of days is not enough to get to know San Francisco - this place is worth spending at least a week here.

Marina Savelyeva (HELLO.RU) "grabbed" the symbol of the city - a cable car Most travelers first of all rush to see the main attraction depicted on every postcard - the Golden Gate Bridge, the "Golden Gate". However, the bridge is far from the most interesting thing in this city. What really surprises here is the people. Elderly hippies, street musicians, gays and couples with children do not interfere with each other at all, living side by side.

Dolores Park in San Francisco In addition to hiking, during which it is best to get to know the townspeople, renting housing from local residents will also help to get closer to the city. Instead of staying in hotels located in tourist center city, it's far better to opt for one of the over-the-top Airbnb options and spend a week in a regular residential area.

Haight-Ashbury quarter.

This is one of the most interesting areas cities. Firstly, one of the few quarters that were not destroyed by the 1906 earthquake. Accordingly, the Haight-Ashbury retains old buildings dating from the 19th century. Secondly, this area is considered the birthplace of hippies. In the 50s of the 20th century, you could buy the cheapest housing in the city here, which provoked an influx of representatives of countercultures. As a result, in 1967, the center of this "movement" was formed here - thousands of people from all over the world celebrated the "Summer of Love". By the 80s, it was already part of history, and now Haight-Ashbury is considered quite a prestigious area to live in. Artists and musicians settle here, next to hippies, who can still be found here. Walking along the Haight Ashbury, do not be afraid to turn into the alleys - there you can see a lot of bright graffiti with which the walls of the houses are painted. Most of them are original slogans, with the help of which the “children of flowers”, like 50 years ago, call for love and freedom. By the way, graffiti is not only in this area, there are a lot of them throughout the city.

Graffiti depicting Carlos Santana, who lived in San FranciscoGraffiti in San Francisco takes up entire streets

The area, for every square meter of which there is some symbol of the LGBT community. Rainbow flags can be seen in every window, all the souvenirs in the shops are with the same symbols. Even the pedestrian crossing in Castro is colorful! And it's not just that. Castro is a gay quarter.

LGBT symbols are everywhere in the Castro area

Entire generations of people free from prejudice have grown up in San Francisco

However, do not expect to be surrounded on the streets by scantily clad men fighting for their right to love each other. Residents of this area have not proved anything to anyone for a long time - they just live. If it weren't for the colorful flags (most of which appeared here in support of a recent US law allowing members of sexual minorities to enter into legal marriage), you would hardly immediately understand how this area differs from others. Unless a couple of hours later, sitting in a cafe or standing in line at the checkout in a store, you would involuntarily catch yourself thinking that there are mostly men around.

Chinatown

As already mentioned, a fifth of the population of San Francisco are Chinese. For the most part, these are the descendants of immigrants who arrived here in the 19th century in search of work. However, if you decide to travel around the city by taxi, every second driver will be Chinese and most likely will speak terrible English. During the earthquake, Chinatown was destroyed and then completely rebuilt. Today, the district occupies a fairly large area in the city.

Lombard Street

The steepest street in every sense of the city, one of the sections of which has an angle of inclination of 27 degrees. The speed of vehicles here is limited to 8 km / h, but no one tries to go faster: Lombard Street is mostly visited by tourists who want to look at the street carefully and therefore are not in a hurry to pass quickly.

vintage stores

For lovers of vintage and San Francisco flea markets - real paradise. In numerous stores located throughout the city, you can find anything from designer jewelry for $ 2-3 to a spectacular leather chair of the 50s for $ 80.

Decades of fashion - one of the largest vintage stores

Showcase of the Decades of fashion store: here you can buy both real vintage items of clothing, and modern, sewn "antique"

A dress with a story can be bought for $30A real vintage bathing suit - for $ 15

Silicon Valley

In the southwest of San Francisco lies Silicon Valley (or Silicon, as we call it) - the largest technology center in the world. There are technical universities and head offices of Adobe, Apple, eBay, Google, Facebook, Oracle, Yahoo!, LinkedIn and many other companies. The staff includes the best scientists in the world, many of whom live in San Francisco. If you get a chance to visit any of these offices, go - you won't regret it. The internal structure of organizations is unusual and interesting. Airbnb was also founded in San Francisco in 2008 and is also headquartered here.

After walking along the streets and peeping at the life of local residents, you can go on "spot" excursions - visit the famous Pier 39, where dozens of sea lions rest, dine at Fisherman's Wharf. The best view of the city opens from Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill. 210 meters high, you can take excellent panoramic pictures of the city, the entrance to the tower is free, but you will have to pay to go to the observation deck.

The famous "Pier 39" - favorite place sea ​​lions

Another place that is criminal not to visit when you arrive in San Francisco is the famous Alcatraz prison. It is located on the island of the same name, which is visible from the pier. Now the prison has been disbanded, and within the walls of the gloomy buildings there is a museum that reminds visitors that at the beginning of the 20th century there was one of the most severe prisons in the world, where especially dangerous criminals served time. The narrow windows of the cells were arranged in such a way that the prisoners could see the city and the free life in it, realizing even more clearly that it was now inaccessible to them. It is believed that not a single prisoner managed to escape from Alcatraz, although attempts were made. Even those who managed to leave its walls could not reach the shore alive because of the cold waters and strong currents in the bay.

View of the island and Alcatraz prison from Coit Tower

The Painted Ladies are also worth a look, six colorful houses in the Alamo Square area. These and several thousand more houses were built in San Francisco during the Gold Rush. The earthquake destroyed most of the buildings, but these six houses remained intact. The fashion for bright, colorful houses at the end of the 19th century was widespread, local newspapers even wrote that if someone's house does not have a lemon or, for example, bright blue hue, then its owner simply does not have taste. Following these houses, which are also called "Six Sisters", "Painted Ladies" throughout America began to be called colorful houses in the style of the Victorian era.

And finally, about the "Golden Gate". This red bridge, almost 2.5 kilometers long, is a symbol of San Francisco. Despite the beauty of the object, it has a rather macabre reputation. The Golden Gate was popularly nicknamed the "suicide bridge", because for almost 80 years of its existence, more than 1000 people said goodbye to their lives with its help. Thick fog enveloping the bridge most time, looks spectacular and mysterious on postcards, but in real life it can interfere with seeing the bridge. So when planning a trip to Golden Gate, be sure to check the weather forecast.

Marina Savelyeva (HELLO.RU)

A few more tips:

1. For the United States, San Francisco has a well-developed public transportation system, however locals prefer to travel by car. So when planning your trip, be prepared to spend $30 to $50 a day on 20-minute round trips. Or you can travel by bus, it will cost you 5-7 dollars a day, but taxis are certainly more convenient and faster.

2. Traveling around the city will be easier if you use the services of Uber taxi. In the American Uber, everything is exactly the same as in the Russian one, and you don’t even have to reinstall the application on your phone - it will simply adjust to the country on the spot. However, there is one caveat: in America, Uber contains a Pool function, by selecting which you can take a fellow traveler along the road and split the bill with him in half.

3. The writer Jack London was born in San Francisco, the actors Robin Williams and Savely Kramarov lived, and to this day the houses of Carlos Santana and Steven Spielberg are located here. Find out in advance where they lived to see the city through their eyes.

It seems to me that in order to understand what San Francisco is, before leaving, you must definitely listen to the track of the same name by Scott Mackenzie, which at one time became the anthem of the hippie movement. That relaxation and the mood that the song creates, and you need to take it with you to SF. Scott speaks the absolute truth about the people, the positive vibes and the streets of the city. Once San Francisco became a city of hippies and, perhaps, retained this atmosphere in everything. Well, do not forget that in California there is a full legalization with all the ensuing consequences. Kind people with flowers in their hair is what you will meet there :)

And by the way, don't believe people who say you can call San Francisco "Frisco". This is not entirely true. The locals do not really like this nickname of the city, of course, they will not reprimand you, but it will most likely show them your low level of awareness of the culture of the city. It's better to just say SF.

How to get there

Taking into account the fact that we live on another continent, and derezhables no longer fly, only the plane remains. If you are from a region of Russia, then, of course, it is more profitable to watch flights from Moscow and St. Petersburg. Early booking cannot be overestimated here. I looked at all the prices that I will give below two months ahead, but this is not enough. If possible, it is better to choose tickets four or six months in advance. In general, the logic is clear and works with any air tickets, perhaps :) Here you can monitor prices so as not to miscalculate.

By plane

There is only one international airport in San Francisco, so when you depart from Russia, you will land here.

There are several options for getting to SF.

• You can buy a ticket directly from Moscow / St. Petersburg to San Francisco, which will cost you about 35 thousand rubles round-trip per person (subject to booking two months before the expected date).
• Or buy a ticket from Moscow / St. Petersburg to New York (about 23 thousand rubles / round trip per person), and then move from NY to San Francisco (about 11 thousand rubles).

The second option is good and will allow you to save money, but only with proper planning of your movements. It is desirable that you arrive and depart from the same airport so that you do not have to spend time / money / nerves on moving. And also, when independently forming flight connections, take into account unforeseen circumstances, for example, from time to time due to heavy fog at the San Francisco airport there may be flight delays. Again, prices vary and are highly dependent on the date of booking. Flights are operated by large Russian companies: S7, Aeroflot. If a transfer is planned along the way, then by European carriers: AirBerlin, AirFrance, Lufthansa, etc. The flight time, including connections, can be 20-30 hours. You can see the schedule and prices here.

How to get to the city center

The airport is located 21 kilometers from the city center. You can easily get there by metro if your flight is not too late, or rather, it does not fall between 12 am and 4 am, during the rest of the time the trains run at intervals of 20-30 minutes, depending on the time of day. You can get on such transport right on the territory of the airport in the international terminal, on the third level, there is a boarding platform. Travel, suppose to the center, the main street of the city of Market Street, will take about 40 minutes and cost 8.95 USD.

The metro connects to the BART underground train network, which will take you to the suburbs of the Northern Fleet. The map and timetable can be found online or on the subway.

There is another option - the bus. It runs around the clock and stops at the first, second and international terminals. The cost of the trip is 6.50 USD. The journey by bus will take about 50 minutes, excluding traffic jams.

Taxi will cost 40-50 USD. But if you don’t have bulky luggage with you and you didn’t arrive late at night, I still advise the metro - convenient, fast and cheap. Although for security reasons it is better to take a taxi if you have a late flight, and it will also take you only 15 minutes by car from the airport to the city center.

Clue:

San Francisco - the time is now

Hour difference:

Moscow 10

Kazan 10

Samara 11

Yekaterinburg 12

Novosibirsk 14

Vladivostok 17

When is the season. When is the best time to go

I would compare the weather and climate of San Francisco with St. Petersburg - humid, foggy, cool. Despite the proximity of the ocean, swimming in the SF will not work. Even in the hottest month, September (yes, September is considered the warmest month there), the water temperature does not rise above 14 degrees Celsius. Agree, an invigorating mark. But if you don't mind cool ocean water, then why not.

But in general, I would advise visiting this city from July to October.

San Francisco in summer

There is a funny saying floating around the internet: "The coldest winter I've ever experienced is a San Francisco summer." Honestly, I don’t know who exactly it belongs to, but the author clearly knew what he was talking about. The average temperature from June to August is 16 - 17 degrees.

Above, I compared the weather in SF with the weather in St. Petersburg - this is my subjective feeling, average temperature summer is true. And even the average annual rainfall is about the same. True, in San Francisco from June to September there is about 0 mm of precipitation, which cannot be said about St. Petersburg.

San Francisco is still one of the hottest states. But the island location of the city and the cold currents of the Pacific Ocean greatly affect the climate. It’s even interesting, if you remember how hot it is in Los Angeles almost all year round.

The heat from the land and the cold from the water meet to form the fogs that San Francisco is so famous for. But at the same time, these factors make the climate mild with a slight temperature difference, so the seasons in San Francisco do not have clear temperature boundaries.

Of course, when San Francisco is relatively warm, there are many tourists in the city. Many establishments and the museum increase their opening hours on summer days.

San Francisco in autumn

The rainy season begins in October and continues until April. The highest amount of precipitation occurs during the period from November to February. The average air temperature in San Francisco in September is almost +18 degrees (this is the warmest month in the city), October and November are +17 and +14, respectively.

September in the Federation Council is considered the most best month in terms of weather. Usually in the first month of autumn there are still many tourists, then their number declines.

San Francisco in spring

In the spring months, the temperature is kept at the level of +13 to +15 degrees. As you can see, the air temperature is approximately the same all year round.

Of course, you can visit SF in the spring, there are few tourists at this time, but you can’t feel the beauty of the city either.

San Francisco in winter

There is almost no snow in San Francisco, as well as negative temperatures. Average winter temperatures are +11 - +13 degrees. For almost 150 years, snow in the Northern Fleet fell no more than 10 times, and the maximum snow cover reached only 9 centimeters, and this was at the end of the 19th century. More such precedents the city has not seen.

I think winter is not exactly the right time to plan a trip to this city. The only plus is the minimum number of tourists.

Clue:

San Francisco - monthly weather

Districts. Where is the best place to live

Life in San Francisco is not cheap. Some compare the cost of living with New York, and more specifically with Manhattan. Real estate prices are rising, the booming Silicon Valley is attracting young people from the intellectual sphere, and they are buying apartments in the city. And since the income of a specialist in these professions is quite high, the prices for everything around are rising. The most expensive holiday item in San Francisco will be housing. You can book it on and compare prices.

• SOMA area. Above, in the screenshot, I marked the SOMA area, which means South of Market. Market street is the most popular street in SF, it can be considered the center of the city. In this area, rent is not cheap, but on the other hand, both attractions and public transport routes are very conveniently located. There are also a wide range of housing options. A lot of young people gather in this area, the area is considered bohemian. There are a huge number of bars and establishments with any format. The price per night in a hostel or hotel may be different. As usual, early booking will save you money, and if you constantly monitor housing offers in SF, you can get a very good discount or short-term promotion. The minimum cost of accommodation for one person, which I managed to find in this area, is about 3,000 RUB, well, ad infinitum. But then again, for this little money you don’t count on “royal conditions” - you have to tighten up :) But this is nothing, the main thing is that you are in the Federation Council! By the way, some hostels even include breakfast.
• Bernal Heights. The lower circle is a bit further out from the center, but it is a great place to stay in Victorian houses. The area is located on a hill, as its name suggests, so you will not encounter problems with a view of the city. Also, the area is considered reliable in terms of security. There are no hotels here, but there are excellent apartments that you should try to book. Here you can try to find options from the locals. Very popular among travelers who prefer home comfort and style, as well as a quiet environment in the area. It might be more suitable for tourists middle age or those people who will live in SF long term. Typically, these apartments are offered for five people or more. Then it will be profitable and justified. Therefore, if you are traveling with a large group, consider this accommodation option. Perhaps it will be the most successful for you. You can find apartments for 2500 USD per month (and of course, more expensive). If you divide this amount, for example, by five people, you get 500 USD per month from each. Quite an acceptable price tag for the city with the most high cost real estate in .

Both areas are relatively safe, but remember to take some simple precautions. I wrote more about this below :)

If you notice that there are housing options on the map in the Mission District, then I would still not advise choosing this area, the area is not very safe. Below I have described what troubles you can expect there.

The Castro district is chosen by representatives of the LGBT community. In general, it all depends on your relationship with them. And yet, Castro borders on the above-mentioned Mission District, so the crime situation there is almost the same, although Castro is still calmer.

What are the prices for holidays

As I wrote above, the most problematic part of the holiday is the rent. But the joy is that SF is surprisingly picturesque and relatively Big city, it can be walked on foot in a couple of days without much strain, thereby saving money.

There is also a well-developed transport system - buses, metro, trams. Everything is convenient and affordable, the ticket price is about 5 USD, depending on the type of transport. The Uber service is working, which is now developed in our country, so you should actively use it, this is a proven and comfortable way to order a car, and most importantly, economical. If you use a regular taxi, then for 5 kilometers you will have to pay 10-12 USD + tips (do not forget), then using Uber, you will pay 3-5 USD less from the basic price.

In some student hostel you can find a bed / place in an eight-bed room for about 50 USD / night, and it will be near the main Market Street. You can, of course, and more expensive - it all depends on your capabilities.

Food in stores is more expensive than on the East Coast. For example, a liter of milk costs about 1.5 USD, a dozen eggs (12 pieces) - 4.20 USD, a kilogram of chicken breast fillet - 11.90 USD. On average, prices are 2-3 USD higher, depending on the product name.

If you are not going to cook, then, of course, there are McDonald's and other eateries where you can buy a hot dog and something else like a French fry for 6-8 USD.

Main attractions. What to see

There is an expression that says (my free interpretation, but something very similar): "if you are sad, San Francisco will cheer you up, if you are dead, it will revive you." Probably because nothing is impossible for this city! It is impossible to come there and not be impressed by its beauty, landscape, ocean, houses, unique trams, streets and people.

We often see its panoramas in films, clips, because this city is very photogenic. I dreamed of getting here because of the Golden Gate Bridge and, perhaps, I was not original in my desire. There are crowds of tourists in San Francisco, but the city does not seem alien and detached, as, for example. There is something special about him that is very difficult to describe. But I will try to find words and talk about places that leave the best memories.

The great thing is that San Francisco has tons of free attractions that you can visit just by walking the streets. But, of course, having money has never bothered anyone :)

And I also want to say - in the Northern Fleet it is quite windy and, moreover, almost always. Even in the hottest sun, a light jacket (windbreaker) will not hurt you. In the evening, around 6 o'clock, it becomes cool in summer. I would advise putting a light hat or scarf in your bag - it will come in handy.

Top 5

This list can be called subjective, so be it. But the sensations from these places will be incredible. The list of attractions in SF can be expanded to double digits, but perhaps these are among the most attractive.

• Bridge "Golden Gate". I don't think comments are needed here. Just come and see it with your own eyes. I'm sure it will impress you.

• Pier number 39. Just take pictures and be touched sea ​​lions who get out of the water to bask in the sun.

• Twin Peaks. An excellent natural observation platform with a steep view of the city. In addition, this attraction is absolutely free.

• The most curved street is Lombard Street. The slope of the hill is 27%, the curved road helps smooth out this angle of inclination. By the way, the street is on Russian Hill. During the Gold Rush, there was a Russian cemetery here, which was later moved. Most likely, the buried people were sailors and entrepreneurs from Fort Ross (a Russian fortress that existed in California in the early 19th century).

• Chinatown. The largest Chinatown in North America.

Beaches. Which is better

When I described the weather and climate, I mentioned that in San Francisco you are unlikely to be able to swim, unless you are a walrus :) The water is cool around +14 even in summer. Of course, if you want to sit on the sand (the beaches are sandy with medium-sized grains of sand) and look at the horizon that is lost in the distance, then there are places for this. Infrastructure, respectively, is not. So you will have to sit on what you took with you. By the way, drink and eat too.

Swimming in the ocean in San Francisco is somehow not customary. It is more convenient to go to the more southern part of California.

Museums. Which are worth a visit

San Francisco is a contrasting city. For all his swagger, he is very cultured. This is confirmed by an incredible number of museums. I'll tell you a little about the most interesting, in my opinion.

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)

If you are told anything by the names of Warhol, Kahlo and Dali, you will definitely like it here. Get ready to look at modern art, you will have to connect your imagination and immerse yourself in the world of beauty.

Address: 151 3rd St, San Francisco.

Opening hours: on Wednesday the museum is closed, on Thursday from 10 am to 9 pm, and on all other days from 10 am to 5 pm. From May 27 to September the museum is open until 8 pm.

Entrance tickets: adults - 25 USD, people over 65 - 22 USD, teenagers (13-18 years old) and children under 12 years old - admission is free.

Walt Disney Family Museum

The magical world of Disney isn't just for kids. All adults love and know his heroes. Here wonderful atmosphere fairy tales and magic.

Address: 104 Montgomery St, San Francisco.

Opening hours: the museum has a day off on Tuesday, but the rest of the week it waits for its visitors from 10 am to 6 pm. Here is the museum website.

Entrance tickets: 30 USD - for adults, after 65 years - 25 USD, students with a valid ID - 25 USD, children (6 - 17 years old) - 20 USD.

The Exploratorium

Visual physics. The exhibits can not only be viewed, but also tested. The expositions demonstrate natural and physical phenomena. Very clear and informative.

Address: Pier 15, The Embarcadero & Green St., San Francisco.

Opening hours: on Monday - a day off, all days except Thursday from 10 to 17, and on Thursday from 10 to 17 and 18 to 22.

Entrance fees: for adults - 29.95 USD, for senior citizens over 64 and children from 13 to 17 years old - 24.95 USD, and for children from 4 to 12 - 19.95 USD.

Cable Car Museum

If you are interested to know how the symbol of the city appeared and why it became so widespread here, you can visit the cable car museum.

Address: 1201 Mason St, San Francisco.

Opening hours: every day from April to October - from 10 to 18, from November to March - from 10 to 17. Admission is free.

parks

In total, there are over 200 parks in San Francisco. Most famous park- Golden Gate Park.

• Golden Gate Park. The park is quite large, even larger than Central Park in New York, so if you decide to explore the park well, then you will definitely need a bike. However, in the summer until October, walks around the park free bus. Once the entire territory of the park was covered only with grass and sand dunes, but now the park consists of thousands of artificially planted plants and trees. The park has several different gardens, the most famous of which are the flower conservatory, the Japanese tea garden and the Streebing Arboterium botanical garden.

• Lafayette park. It is located on a hill with stunning views of the city, as well as Alcatraz Island.

tourist streets

It seems to me that you can not visit San Francisco and not visit Market Street. Most likely you will not be able to pass by, because SF is not a big enough city. The locals call it the square. Its length in length and width is 11 km, it turns out that the area of ​​​​the city is only 121 km ^ 2.

This is perhaps the main street of San Francisco, its length is about 5 km. It is better to walk on foot to see everything better. There are shops, cafes, restaurants, quaint buildings, parks; ordinary and cable trams run, crowds of passers-by walk, street musicians perform. Walking along it means getting to know the character and atmosphere of the city itself.

You can also visit the Castro area. This is the largest in America (and probably in the world) area of ​​the LGBT community. The concentration of minorities per square centimeter is over the top. If you are not interested or you are not mentally ready to see same-sex people walking hand in hand or something else, then it is better not to be there in order to maintain moral balance. Location: Market Street to 19th Avenue. There are many gay bars and other establishments here.

What to see in 1 day

Let's assume that you are ready to go on an exciting walk in SF at 9 am. So, let's begin:

• 9 am - you are already standing on Twin Peaks and looking around the sleepy, but beautiful surroundings. Here, of course, you need to pay attention to the weather. San Francisco is often foggy, so if the haze is thick, there is a risk of not seeing anything. But as long as the weather is great and the sun is shining brightly, it will take anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes to enjoy the views of SF.
• 10.30 am - walk along the pier. Be sure to check out Pier 39 for cute fur seals drying their skins on floating pantones.
• 11.00 am - rent a bike, right there at any agency located along the piers and go to the Golden Gate Bridge. You can drive over the bridge and find yourself on the other side of the bay in the town of Sausolito. The bridge just the same connects this small town and San Francisco. You can also take a walk there, and if you don’t have the strength left for the trip back, use the ferry, which will take you and your bike. They go quite often.
• 15.00 - now you can go to Chinatown and eat some real Chinese food.
• 17.00 - walk along Market Street.
• 18.30 - you can choose a wine or beer bar to get acquainted with the establishments of the SF.
• 20.30 - go to a nightclub.

Instead of any event, you can plan a trip to Alcatraz, below I wrote how to do it. But overall I highly recommend getting there. The tour will take 2-2.5 hours.

What to see in the surroundings

• Fort Ross. It is located 80 kilometers from San Francisco, to get there you have to go by car. There are also bus routes, but it will take you 4 hours and you need to go with two transfers, so it's better to have a car. Fort Ross is a Russian settlement, which was formed in 1812 and functioned until 1842. It was intended for trade and fishing. Now, it is a historical monument of California. There are guided tours around the area. The house of the last Russian commandant has been preserved, the rest of the buildings are reconstruction.

• . The one where the hero of Jack London lived - Martin Eden. The guy went to San Francisco and back on a bike, if you want you can repeat his path, but probably better by car or subway. The distance from the SF is about 20 kilometers.
• Yosemite. Of course, I understand that it is about 300 kilometers to go to it, but this is Yosemite! I think this national park needs no introduction. To go there, you will need a car and a whole day in reserve, and maybe a day, so that you can stay overnight without any problems.

nearby islands

Well, of course it's Alcatraz! I don't know anyone who hasn't heard or didn't know about this island. You should definitely have a trip to it. But there is one caveat - it is very popular destination, and the ship (or boat, in general, the ship :) goes to this island strictly on schedule and not every day + the number of places, of course, is limited.

Therefore, if you are interested in getting there, be puzzled by early booking. If you can do it in about a month, do it. Otherwise, it will be very insulting, but even crying, nothing can be done. I speak from my own experience. But I didn’t even think that a trip there should be a separately planned event. So learn from my mistakes - please plan this tour in advance.

And yet, Alcatraz is famous for the fact that one of the most legendary mafiosi, the famous Al Capone, served time there. That is, the level of trust in this prison was so high that the authorities decided to imprison America's most important gangster of those years.

Food. What to try

If you are a real gourmet and love to eat new, unusual dishes, you are in heaven. Giant portions, steaks of different roasts, authentic national cuisines, eateries with a budget, but delicious food and expensive restaurants. Everything you want you can find in SF.

Budget

• Miyako Old Fashioned Ice Cream. Unprecedented low price tag and divine taste. Here you can eat ice cream, frozen yogurt, sandwich and hot dog. It looks like a shabby eatery, but if you save before that, you will lose a lot in gastronomic terms. Big portions of everything. For a meal for one, 5 - 6 USD is enough. Perfect place. Address: 1470 Fillmore St,San Francisco, CA.

• Molinari Delicatessen. Address: 373 Columbus Ave, North Beach, San Francisco.

• The Codmother Fish & Chips. Address: 496 Beach St, between Jones and Taylor, San Francisco.

• Super Duper Burgers. Address: 721 Market St, San Francisco.

Intermediate level

• Brenda's French Soul Food. Address: 652 Polk St, San Francisco.

• Zazie. Address: 941 Cole St, San Francisco.

• Hakkasan San Francisco. Address: 1 Kearny St, San Francisco.

• The house. Address: 1230 Grant Ave, San Francisco.

Expensive

• Don of The Bimini Twist. Address: 188 King Street unit PH7, San Francisco. Tasty and expensive, they serve the freshest seafood: lobster, cod, oysters. A varied menu, there are even soups. Prices from 20-100 USD.

• Seven Hills. Address: 550 Hyde St, San Francisco.

• boulevard. Address: 1 Mission St, San Francisco.

• Kokkari Estiatorio. Address: 200 Jackson St, San Francisco.

Holidays

There is always movement in San Francisco. Stars come here with concerts, marathons, fairs, festivals and parades are held.

For example, on July 7 there will be a festival dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the hippie movement. The aim of the festival is to remember original culture this era. The entrance is free.

Since SF is the most popular city among the LGBT community, festivals of various minorities are held here. Scheduled dates from July 24-25.

Safety. What to watch out for

As in all of California, San Francisco is a dime a dozen homeless people, beggars and drug addicts, and the degree of their drug intoxication varies. Sometimes a person can be under "grass" and sometimes under something really heavier. In any case, you should not walk alone at night (after 10-11 pm), and the company too - it's better not to risk it. At night, marginal elements, of which there are plenty in the Federation Council, go out into the streets.

In general, the experience is better than from Los Angeles in terms of security, but there is discomfort. For an evening walk, I would choose the main street of the city - Market Street, but I would not stay on it until late either.

During the day, the question of safety does not arise. And the streets are full of good-natured people who will be happy to show you and tell you if you suddenly get lost.

Just for example, I leave this photo - I missed the right train. At 11 pm there was not a soul in the subway, it was creepy.

In the photo below, I marked the areas of the city where the crime rate is high. I do not recommend to appear there in the evening, somewhere after 10 pm.

• The Tenderloin. There are a lot of homeless people and drug addicts here. The area is classified as dangerous enough at any time of the day. Robbery and harassment are also not uncommon.
• mission district. Not as dangerous as number one, but can get unpredictable after 9pm.
• Golden Gate Park. A wonderful place for walking during the day, but not comfortable for spending time in the evening. But I think no one goes for a walk in the park at night and in his city :)
• Western Edition. They can break into a car, rob in the middle of the street. Not known for more serious crimes.

In general, I think you should never forget about elementary safety rules and they will definitely help you anywhere in the world.

Things to do

I think it will not be difficult to occupy and entertain yourself in one of the largest cities. If you don't get tired of walking, non-stop exclamations of admiration for the city and you still have the strength for shopping and nightlife, then you can turn around in San Francisco :)

Shopping and shops

Of course, there are giant malls here that occupy an area the size of a square hectare, but I would pay attention to original shops, such as Thrift shops or second-hand (thrift stores), as we used to call them. There you can find unique items for up to 10 USD. There are things of different quality and condition - the price will also depend on this. I bought a couple of vintage pieces and everyone is paying attention to them because they are so cool! And they are not at all like the mass market, with which everything is inundated both in Russia and in America.

Most of them are at the intersection of Ashbury and Haight streets.

This area is known for the fact that at one time it was from here that the spread of the hippie movement began. It is still considered a very bohemian area. Victorian houses, lots of thrift shops with completely different and sometimes downright strange things (bongs, latex suits, colorful parkas), as well as cozy coffee houses.

These are the “outfits” you can find in those shops :) Very extravagant, it seems to me.

It is also full of esoteric shops and art galleries. All this absorbed those times when "flower children" walked the streets and led a laid-back lifestyle.

Well, here are a couple of addresses of ordinary, giant hypermarkets with clothes.

• Westfield san francisco centre. Opening hours 10 am - 8.30 pm. Address: 865 Market St, San Francisco, CA.

• Crocker Gallery. From 10 am to 6 pm all days except Saturday - 10 am - 5 pm, and Sunday is a day off. Address: 50 Post St, San Francisco.

Bars. Where to go

The schedule of bars in the Federation Council suggests a certain question. Almost everything closes at 2 am. And this is practically the maximum time, although it may be assumed that people go further to a club or some other institution.

Of course, there are a lot of beer bars, but I think we have plenty of them too. But the wine ones are not so common. Moreover, it is famous for its wine. And if you haven't tried it yet, you should.

Drinking in America is allowed from the age of 21, before that you will not be sold. Americans are very conscientious and law-fearing.

• whitechapel. A real cocktail bar where the bartenders can make a drink especially for you according to your mood. They also have an impressive bar list, you can choose and get acquainted with the assortment, you can also have a bite or drink wine / craft beer, but there are only a couple of them. A serving of a cocktail will cost about 12 USD, but it all depends on the composition, it can cost more. Address: 600 Polk St.

• Heart. This is not only a wine bar, but also a restaurant, as well as a space for various events and an art gallery. The list turned out to be bohemian, in principle, everything is so. Address: 1270 Valencia St., San Francisco

• Bacchus. A small, cozy wine bar located on Russian Hill. Quite a popular place, so it may happen that you have to wait for a free place at the counter. Open seven days a week from 5.30pm to midnight. The price tag for wine depends on it, somewhere from 10 to 28 USD per glass. Address: 1954 Hyde Street, San Francisco.

• Pause wine bar. A classic wine bar with an impressive bar list and menu to go with wine. open every day except Sunday from 4.30 pm to midnight. By the way, this institution became one of the best in the city in 2016. Address: 1666 Market Street, San Francisco.

Clubs and nightlife

There are a lot of clubs in San Francisco. Walking along Market Street, you can turn into any. I think they will delight you with their color. But here are the top three.

• Ruby Skye. Quite a popular club. The building used to be a theater built in the 1890s. Open from 8.00 pm to 3.30 am except Sunday. Entrance is free, but depends on the events that take place in the club. On event days 25 USD. Address: 420 Mason St., San Francisco CA.

• mezzanine. Cool musicians and DJs of different formats perform here. Indirok and RnB can be heard. Performances are always live. Entrance strictly after 21 years. As for the dress code: in general, Mezanin invites guests to look as they wish. But there are exceptions for special events. They say no to caps, sportswear, swimwear. Address: 444 Jessie Street, San Francisco, CA 94103.

• Infusion Lounge. The club is decorated in Asian style, by one of the best designers in Hong Kong. World-class DJs play, the club is open from Wednesday to Saturday from 9 pm - 2 am. There is a dress code, the same as in regular clubs. You can not come in glasses, sportswear, flip flops and so on. The price tag for an average check is from 31-60 USD. Address: 420 Mason St, San Francisco.

extreme sports

San Francisco is very popular with windsurfers because of its winds. Walking along the Golden Gate Bridge, you can look at the ocean and see a fearless surfer who is trying to cope with the elements, but perhaps such adrenaline is not available to beginners. Therefore, fans of extreme sports can rent a bike and try downhill from the hill, at the same time pump your skills in downhill. Well, of course it's a joke.

Those who love sea trips can ride the ocean on a yacht with a professional team. Address: Pier 39, Pier 39 Concourse, San Francisco.

Souvenirs. What to bring as a gift

A ton of photos with views of the city and yourself against their background! Because it's really full of places of worship that we see in TV shows, movies and celebrity clips.

But I think it's funny this: buy postcards, for example, with a picture of the sight you like and send them home to your address, well, or to parents / friends. While the postcard gets to the addressee, it picks up a bunch of stamps / stamps of the post offices that it ends up in. It is interesting to look at her path, the main thing is not to be upset that the postcard travels more than you :)).

How to move around the city

By the way, San Francisco has the most developed public transport system in almost all of America. It is convenient to use the metro, trams, buses and even commuter trains, which are quite popular. Although, it seemed to me that on the East Coast, the train is not considered a profitable and convenient means of transportation. And, in general, passenger rail transportation is poorly developed.

Taxi. What features exist

Perhaps now the most profitable application for a taxi is Uber, so we feel free to use this blessing in San Francisco.

If you hail or call a taxi the old fashioned way, then don't forget about tips, which are about 10-15% of the fare, and also ask before getting into the car if the driver accepts cards. Otherwise, an unpleasant situation may result. It is better to have some cash for such cases.

Trams

San Francisco is famous for its cable cars. The development of this network is connected with the complex landscape of the city. Cable trams appeared at the end of the 19th century and exist to this day, but they already have an aesthetic function. A ride on such a “moving SF symbol” will cost 6 USD, while on a regular tram - 2.25 USD.

Metro

Very cool, understandable and convenient thing in SF. The map is quite simple, and the variations of transfers and interchanges are comfortable and allow you to come up with any route. From metro trains, you can transfer to BART underground high-speed electric trains, which connect SF with the suburbs and even with Oklad. The cost of the trip starts from 1.85 USD and depends on the destination. The schedule is very convenient, during the day trains run at intervals of 10 minutes, in the evening the waiting time increases.

Buses

Of course, there are also buses in SF. But for some reason, the population prefers metro or trams to them. The bus ride costs 2.25 USD.

You can buy a travel card that will cover trips on the subway, bus, tram, trolleybus, and even cable tram for only 15 USD per day. There is an option to buy a travel card for three and seven days - 23 USD and 29 USD, respectively.

Transport rental

For freedom of movement in San Francisco, you can rent a car. Car rental companies offer a wide range of cars for different preferences - family, economical, small city cars and more.

Here you can compare prices from different companies.

The company with the highest rating and best reviews- Alamo. There are several offices of the company in the city, which is convenient. You can leave your rented car in any of them. On average, a car will cost 30-35 USD per day. But do not forget about gasoline and a deposit. For renting a car, taking into account all additional costs need to plan about 100 USD. After the car is returned safe and sound, your deposit will be returned.

Russian law listed in America, so this should not be a problem.

Driving in SF is very specific due to its hilly location. If there is no special need, it is probably better not to take the car. Instead, walk or rent a bike, but again, drive with care. Sometimes, you just can’t physically see what awaits you on the top of the hill, and also check the brakes before renting a bike. If you rent a bike, somewhere along the piers, then it will cost you 30-50 USD for the whole day, depending on the office. Also, most likely, you will be asked to leave a deposit equal to or slightly more than the cost of a day of rental.

San Francisco began as a city of adventurers obsessed with the glitz of the Gold Rush and the opportunity to get rich instantly. From a small settlement of Yerba Buena, it has grown to a large modern city which today attracts thousands of tourists.

Unfortunately, everything that was built before 1906 has practically not been preserved. As a result of a massive earthquake old san francisco ceased to exist. But gradually a new one began to appear - with magnificent squares, business districts and huge parks.

There are many amazing places in the city - this is Pier 39 with a colony of California lions that settled right in the city, and a mysterious prison island, and a group of miraculously surviving Victorian mansions. In a word, everyone can find an attraction to their taste.

The best hotels and hostels at affordable prices.

from 500 rubles/day

What to see and where to go in San Francisco?

The most interesting and beautiful places for walking. Photos and a short description.

The main transport artery of Northern California and a recognizable symbol of San Francisco. The Golden Gate Bridge was opened to traffic in 1937. The design fell in love not only with motorists, pedestrians and cyclists. Many filmmakers have filmed the Golden Gate in their films. Grandiose flying spans of red color can be seen in the films "Interview with the Vampire", "Terminator 4", "Superman" and others. The bridge was designed by D. Strauss, I. Morrow and C. Ellis. The length of the structure is 2737 meters, the width is 27 meters.

Former prison on an island in San Francisco Bay. This place became famous for the fact that well-known and especially dangerous criminals were kept under the strictest guard. Until the closure in 1963, not a single person managed to escape from Alcatraz and survive. In 1969, the island was occupied by Indian leaders who protested against the government and believed that the Americans had occupied their rightful lands by force. Alcatraz has now been turned into a museum.

Historical public transport which started operating in 1873. The cable car moves like a funicular along cable car, that is, the engine is not in the car itself, but in the depot at the substation. Now this transport is used more as a tourist attraction, but the system is capable of carrying up to 7 million passengers a year. In the middle of the 20th century, there was a serious struggle to preserve the historical line, as a result, after several reconstructions, it was decided to leave the tram.

One of central squares San Francisco, located in the area of ​​the same name. It is surrounded by huge shopping centers, boutiques, hotels, souvenir shops, restaurants, salons and galleries. Life here is in full swing around the clock and does not stop for a minute. The square is the starting point for exploring the city; locals arrange dates and business meetings here.

A picturesque street, or rather, a 400-meter section of the highway, located on the Russian Hill. Lombard Street is famous for being in the shape of a winding ribbon that descends to the highway at a rather steep angle. For cars, this is a rather difficult section of the road, for tourists it is an interesting sight like an attraction. The pavement of the street is made of red brick, green lawns are planted along the edges.

A city park with a rather vast territory (the area is about 400 hectares), which starts in the city center and ends on the ocean coast. Inside there are artificial lakes, hills, islands, waterfalls, dunes, plains, and there are also several museums. The park has all the conditions for sports, walking, cycling and just relaxing. In terms of attendance, Golden Gate is second only to Central Park New York.

A group of Victorian houses that survived the 1906 earthquake. The attraction is located on the territory of the elite urban quarter of Nob Hill. The name "Painted Ladies" was given to the houses due to their architecture and bright exterior painting, which B. Kardum worked on in 1963. Picturesque wooden facades of buildings are decorated with balconies, towers, verandas and other architectural delights.

Tourist port area, which became famous for the abundance of fish restaurants, shops, museums. Ferries to Alcatraz leave from here, as well as a cable car line. During the Gold Rush, Fisherman's Wharf became a habitat for unfortunate gold miners who began to fish for a living in order to somehow feed themselves. The area is home to the Marine Historical Park.

Pier with great choice entertainment venues, a popular vacation spot with visitors and residents of San Francisco. Pier 39's main attraction is the California sea lion rookery. Special wooden platforms have been built for animals in the water, on which they rest and bask in the sun in whole flocks. In total, about 1,500 lions live in the pier area, they first appeared in the bay in 1989.

Bright and colorful Chinatown with traditional red lanterns and pagodas. Chinatown is not only a place of residence for immigrants from the Middle Kingdom, but also a popular tourist attraction. The area began to take shape in the middle of the 19th century, it became home to numerous Chinese refugees from Guangdong. Over more than 150 years of history, the quarter has grown and acquired its own infrastructure.

A small urban area where a large number of representatives of sexual minorities live. On the streets of the quarter, rainbow flags of the LGBT community are hung everywhere. Local attractions are dedicated to the history of the emergence and development of the gay movement, as well as its struggle for equality. There is the "Museum of LGBT History", the famous gay club "Twin Peaks" with glass walls, the park "Pink Triangle".

The construction of the temple began in 1906 after an earthquake and continued for more than 50 years. Due to the seismic instability of the territory, the architect had to abandon additional elements of the facade decoration, as they could collapse during a natural disaster. The interior of the cathedral is made in neo-gothic style with numerous stained-glass windows, frescoes and massive bronze gates.

The building is located on the shore of an artificial lake. It is not a palace in the literal sense, the construction is an open arched white stone colonnade surrounded by a picturesque park. In fact, the palace fine arts- This is a more durable copy of the exhibit in 1915, which was called the "Tower of Gems". The design was so loved by the people of San Francisco that they called it a palace and decided to keep it for the city.

The largest museum on the West Coast of the United States and the second most popular in the entire country. It exhibits works by contemporary artists who worked in the XX-XXI centuries. Among the exhibits there are works by Pollock, Klee, Matisse, Saarinen, Warhol and other eminent masters. The gallery was opened in 1935, in 1995 an original modern building was built for it according to the project of M. Bott.

An interactive exposition founded by the experimental physicist F. Oppenheimer in 1969. Some visitors call it the "Mad Scientist Museum". Oppenheimer himself could not hold academic positions after being accused of un-American activities. He took a job as a high school science teacher. At this time, he made many experiments to study the properties of the environment and materials, which became the blanks for the future museum.

The exposition is located on the territory of the Golden Gate Park. Its founder was M. de Young, a journalist for a local news agency. The exhibition halls house a collection of objects and works of art belonging to the period of the 17th - 21st centuries. - paintings, clothes, furniture and more. Basically, the exhibits were collected in North and South America, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region.

Museum of Natural History, which is also a serious scientific organization. The academy was founded in the middle of the 19th century. The team is engaged in educational work, organizing exhibitions and conducting scientific research in various fields, which include marine botany, ichthyology, ornithology, paleontology, anthropology and other disciplines.

The exposition is housed in a building that previously belonged to the Public Library. The museum presents exhibits brought from various parts of the Asian region. The gallery also has a shop where you can buy jewelry, Chinese porcelain, silk and various antiques. There are free guided tours around the museum.

The museum was opened to the public in 2009 thanks to the efforts of the daughter of a famous cartoonist. The building is located in the Presidio Park. Here is a collection of personal belongings of W. Disney, his sketches and sketches, models and other exhibits. One of the walls of the building where the exhibition is located is made of glass. Thanks to this, you can admire the picturesque views of the San Francisco Bay.

Museum located in the open air in the bay. It includes several objects: a library, the museum itself, a marina and a visitor center. The exposition is devoted to the history of shipbuilding and navigation, as well as some events of the US naval history. On the pier you can look at the historical ships of the XIX-XX centuries. The museum library contains old documents - drawings, archives and maps.

City Hall building of 1915, built in an elegant architectural style bozar designed by A. Brown Jr. The structure is crowned with a monumental dome, the interior is dominated by marble trim, statues of the mayors of San Francisco are installed in the corridors. Excursions around the City Hall are organized for tourists, or you can go inside on your own - admission is free on weekdays.

The largest market in San Francisco, which is very popular among tourists. Retail space located in the building of the ferry station, which is located in the central part of San Francisco. In addition to shops with a large selection of drinks and quality products, the market has cafes, counters with ready-made food and outlets with products from local farms.

Pyramid skyscraper, the tallest building in San Francisco. The building was completed in the 1970s. The tower reaches a height of 260 meters, 48 ​​floors are placed in it, where offices and various commercial premises are located. Every day, 1.5 thousand people come to work here. Tourists cannot climb to the top of the tower, as only the first floor is open for free access.

The building is located on top of Telegraph Hill. The tower is an architectural monument of a difficult period in US history - the Great Depression (1930s). Inside, the walls of the buildings are painted with frescoes showing the current topics of those years: economic difficulties, unemployment, social protest. There are even drawings showing sympathy for communist ideas.

Shopping center and entertainment complex located in the central part of San Francisco. The interior of the building is made in a somewhat pompous style for such a place, many of the structures are decorated with gilding and finished with marble. More than 170 shops of the highest price category and several expensive restaurants are located inside the mall. Westfield opened in 1988.

Baseball stadium, which is located in one of the suburbs of San Francisco. It is an important sports facility and a popular tourist attraction. The arena is home to the San Francisco Giants (a member of the US Major League Baseball). AT&T Park is not only capable of hosting matches, it is also great for concerts, festivals and other large-scale social events.

Garden in a traditional Japanese style, located within the city park "Golden Gate". In 1894, it was a temporary exhibit at the World Exhibition, but then turned into a permanent garden. M. Hagiwara, an emigrant gardener from Japan, took care of the park for a long time. Thanks to his work, visitors can admire the picturesque alleys, pagodas, streams, cherry blossoms, arched bridges and stone statues.

A hill with an observation deck offering a breathtaking panoramic view of the city. On the slopes is natural Park. It is best to come to the site before sunset. At this time, the sun's rays flood San Francisco with golden light and bright reflections play in the waters of the bay. According to many tourists, no skyscraper observation deck can compare with Twin Peaks.

A beach on the Pacific Ocean, located in the western extreme part of the Golden Gate Park. The Great Highway stretches along the beach. The water in this place is quite cool, and in summer there can be fogs at a temperature of only 9 ° C. It is better to visit the beach in late autumn or early spring. Ocean Beach is the most attractive for surfing, but there are often dangerous currents here.

A small beach 800 meters long, located in the northwestern part of San Francisco. It's great for hiking, barbecuing or sunbathing, but the water is too cold for swimming. From the beach, the Golden Gate Bridge is perfectly visible, framed by picturesque coastal hills. Baker Beach is quite popular among nudists, specially reserved for them north side beach.

It is also rightfully called the "pearl west coast". Elegant and luxurious, modern and ancient, provincial and cosmopolitan, this amazing city will open with a special side. San Francisco literally fascinates with its gabled gables, numerous turrets and magnificent Victorian buildings, which are just the perfect match for the sunny coast, summer fogs and steep hills. Despite the fact that San Francisco is a true American metropolis, with its compactness and some special charm it resembles a seaside European city where you want to forget about all the problems and enjoy the easy and relaxed atmosphere.

Climate and weather

San Francisco has a Mediterranean climate with mild, rainy winters and warm, dry summers. The city is surrounded by water on three sides, so the weather is significantly affected by cold ocean currents. In summer, the average air temperature is +15...+24 °C, and in winter +10...+15 °C. The rainy season lasts from November to March, and snow is extremely rare. At the end of summer and from September to October, the city, especially its western regions, envelop fogs that may not subside throughout the day.

The best time to travel to San Francisco is during the dry season from mid-May to October.

Nature

The city is located on the west coast of California, on a small peninsula, which is located near the Golden Gate Strait, which connects the picturesque San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. In addition, the island falls under the jurisdiction of the city Alcatraz And Treasure Island, as well as the uninhabited Farallon Islands and part of the island Red Rock. A feature of the urban landscape is a large number of hills, for example, Knob Hill, Russian Hill, Pacific Heights, Telegraph Hill, Potreto Hill and etc.

It is worth noting that San Francisco is located next to two tectonic faults, so small earthquakes occur here from time to time.

Attractions

San Francisco has a fairly large number of all kinds of attractions, and many of them have global importance. The main symbol of the city is a huge suspension bridge. Golden Gate, which is equipped with a spectacular illumination system. Less famous, but no less remarkable, is the bridge Oakland Bay Bridge.

Lombard Street has become a curious tourist place in the city, which will appeal to lovers of hiking. It is located on the Russian Hill, and its main feature considered to be a very large slope (27°). No less popular is the memorial tower Coit Tower, which is dedicated to a local resident who volunteered to help firefighters. The most colorful part of the city is Chinatown, where you can see original oriental-style houses, as well as visit Chinese restaurants and shops.

Also worth noting is the entrance to the territory of Chinatown, which is a magnificent colorful gate. In addition, it is recommended to visit the old restaurant cliff House, fishing pier with sea lion colony, Museum Walt Disney in and the Museum of Russian Culture.

There are also interesting natural attractions in San Francisco, for example, two twin hills Twin Peaks from the tops of which offers stunning views of the city. Well, there are more than 200 various parks here.

Lastly, it is worth noting famous island Alcatraz which is located near San Francisco. It is known that he once served as a prison, which was considered the most reliable in the United States. Now the island is a historical monument.

Nutrition

San Francisco is a real city of gourmets, which can compete even with New York in the number and variety of restaurants. This is not surprising, because the conditions for running a restaurant business here are simply ideal: skilled chefs from all over the world, first-class wineries and numerous farms that supply the city with the freshest products. It should be said right away that the continuous flow of emigrants has almost completely absorbed the local national cuisine, along with its wings and potatoes. Therefore, Mexican, Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese and other ethnic establishments are most often found here. Half of the city's restaurants are located in districts Chinatown And Castro. The latter, by the way, is remarkable not only for its popularity among sexual minorities, but also for cozy cafes with summer playgrounds, which serves delicious shrimp and crab dishes, as well as bohemian coffee shops and chocolate shops. In addition, many gourmet restaurants are located at the shipyard. Fisherman's Wharf. It is there that they serve excellent seafood dishes, as well as juicy Californian steaks and the famous sourdough bread.

Of course, San Francisco is full of fast food places offering hamburgers and hot dogs, but they are not as popular as in other US cities. There are also many small pastry shops open here, where you can enjoy some chocolate dessert and a cup of coffee at any time.

San Francisco is also the true capital of wine. Moreover, Californian wines are distinguished by their exquisite taste and are considered among the best in the world.

Accommodation

San Francisco offers its guests a huge number of hotels of various categories. For those who want to save on accommodation, hostels and hotels will be the best places for temporary accommodation. B&B, which are scattered literally throughout the city, for example, The Pontiac Hotel & Hostel(from $20) or Mission Inn(from $39.2).

Also in the city there are many hotels of the middle price category (from $60) and expensive upscale hotels (from $300).

Entertainment and recreation

San Francisco can offer its guests a lot of entertainment for every taste, so you definitely won’t be bored here. For example, a visit to the zoo is suitable for a family vacation. San Francisco Zoo or aquarium Aquarium of the Bay. Lovers of outdoor recreation will also like it in the city, as there is simply an incredible number of beautiful parks and gardens on its territory. Of these, the park is the most popular. "Golden Gate", which is a real oasis in the city center. Other the most beautiful place San Francisco is Baker's Beach. Well, golf lovers are advised to go to the park Lincoln, on the territory of which there is an excellent golf center.

Fans of cultural pastimes will also like San Francisco: opera, ballet and symphony concerts - all this San Francisco can offer you in a huge variety. Most of the performances take place in opera house "Memory of War" and the American Conservatory Theater (A.K.T.).

The nightlife of the city is no less rich, as more than a hundred bars, nightclubs, showrooms and blues cafes are open here. In addition, San Francisco is a real city of holidays and festivals. Of these, the Folsom Street Fair, the Chinese New Year Parade, the Lovefest, the Christian Carnival and the Navy Week have gained the most popularity. Moreover, almost all city blocks have their own individual holidays.

An interesting pastime option can also be exciting excursions to the brewery Anchor Brewing Company and large wineries, as well as to the islands Alcatraz And Angel.

Purchases

San Francisco's shops are considered some of the best in the world, so it's not surprising that tourists come here directly to shop. The most popular shopping places in the city are Union Square, Upper Fillmore, Sacramento Street, Hayes Valley And Mission. It is there that the best shops are located, from fashion boutiques and jewelry stores to ethnic shops and design galleries. Well, among the shopping centers in the first place it is worth highlighting Westfield San Francisco Center.

On its territory there are representative offices of such famous brands as Abercrombie & Fitch, Nordstorm's and others, as well as boutiques of the most popular companies ( Macy's, Bulgari, Cartier, Louis Vuitton, MaxMara, Diesel, Prada, Celine, Gucci, Escada, Guess, Agnes B., Wilkes Bashford etc.). In addition, it is recommended to visit the huge market Ferry building and the colorful district of Chinatown. In general, it should be borne in mind that literally in every district of the city there is a large selection of shops, shopping centers and supermarkets, and many of them offer attractive discounts and promotions.

Transport

City public transport in San Francisco is represented by an extensive network of bus and trolleybus routes, ground and underground high-speed trams Muni Metro as well as trams. The cost of one trip is $ 1.5, all tickets can be bought from drivers and at underground stations Muni. It is worth bearing in mind that they are valid for 1.5 hours on all modes of transport, with the exception of cable trams and suburban metro BART. Light rails Muni Metro run from 5:00 to 00:00, however, two lines (L and N) operate around the clock.

In addition, there are a great many taxis in the city that operate at a single rate: $ 3.5 per landing and $ 2.25 per mile.

Connection

To call anywhere in the world, you can use one of the telephone booths that are installed in almost all streets of the city, as well as in many public places. Calls are paid for in small coins (cents) or phone cards. In addition, you can make any call from a hotel or a large restaurant.

Mobile communication has excellent quality and uniform coverage, but the frequencies on which it is carried out are not similar to European ones.

Internet access is provided in almost all hotels. There are also many access points in the city. WiFi.

Safety

In San Francisco, as in almost any major city, pickpockets and all sorts of scammers are operating. However, if you follow general security measures and do not lose vigilance in public places, then the likelihood of any trouble is excluded. The greatest caution should be exercised in the areas of Bayview-Hunters Point, Visitation Valley, Sunnydale, Fillmore District and Mishin ( Mission).

It is also worth noting that there are many beggars and beggars in San Francisco, who are recommended to simply be ignored.

Business climate

San Francisco is the main financial center of the US West Coast, home to important institutions such as the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and Bank of America, as well as many offices of multinational banks, international financial institutions and major insurance companies. San Francisco maintains a small business share, with 85% of the city's businesses being small companies with fewer than 10 employees. In addition, the world-famous Silicon Valley is located in the city, where specialists of the highest class are involved for the large-scale production of integrated circuits.

Real estate

According to many world experts, the San Francisco real estate market is one of the most stable and promising in the country. Moreover, both commercial and residential real estate is widely represented here. It is worth noting that the standard of living in San Francisco is very high, so the prices for local real estate are quite impressive.

However, investing in the local real estate market is one of the most promising commercial ventures in the US today.

Thrifty travelers It is worth bearing in mind that several times a month, San Francisco museums provide free admission. You can check the schedules of such events in any city tourist office. Also, for those who expect to devote time to excursions and seeing all the sights, it is recommended to purchase a welcome map of the city ( Go Card or CityPASS), which entitles you to discounted tickets to local museums and galleries.