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Stories from San Francisco, California

Every story, long read and guide in the ULTIMATE San Francisco City Guide, in one place.

Culture

Arts & Culture in San Francisco

All of Arts & Culture

SFMOMA, the opera, theatre and the music halls: the de Young and the city’s murals, the War Memorial Opera House and the Japanese Tea Garden.

SFMOMA seen from Yerba Buena GardensThe back storyArt, architecture & cultureSFMOMA, the de Young and the city’s muralsThe stage of the War Memorial Opera HouseArts & CultureOpera, ballet & danceThe War Memorial Opera HouseThe Palace of Fine Arts in the MarinaArts & CultureArchitecture & landmarksThe Japanese Tea Garden and more

History

History & heritage

The Ohlone, the mission of 1776, the Gold Rush that made a city overnight, the 1906 earthquake, Chinatown and the counterculture: San Francisco’s heritage.

Mission Dolores, the oldest building in San FranciscoHistory & heritageOhlone villages, the Gold Rush and the 1906 earthquake: San Francisco’s heritageOhlone, mission, gold and the open cityThe back storySan FranciscoIn less than two centuries, a sandy cove became one of the world’s…

The San Francisco icons

The bridge, the island prison, the cable cars and the Ferry Building: the San Francisco everyone knows, and how to see each at its best.

The Golden Gate Bridge seen from Battery SpencerSightThe Golden Gate BridgeWelcome Center 9am–6pmAlcatraz Island seen from PIER 39SightAlcatrazFerry from Pier 33 onlyA cable car on California StreetSightThe cable carsThree lines, $9 a ride
  1. SightThe Ferry BuildingFarmers market Tue, Thu, Sat

Our advice

The bridge before the fog

Go early, before the fog rolls in or the wind picks up, and bring a warm layer: it is always cooler on the bridge than in town. San Francisco’s bridges

In depth

In depth: the Gold Rush, the bridges and the city on the hills

The city’s history, the San Francisco table, the year’s festivals and stages, and fun facts.

A Christmas tree in the lobby of the War Memorial Opera House, home of San Francisco BalletWar Memorial Opera HouseChristmas in San FranciscoThe Nutcracker America saw first, on Christmas Eve 1944The dining room at Tadich GrillFoodThe San Francisco tableTen dishes, wines and spiritsThe yearSan Francisco’s yearFestivals, stadiums and stages

On the bridge

Go early, before the fog rolls in or the wind picks up, and bring a warm layer: it is always cooler on the bridge than in town.

  1. Did you know?San Francisco fun factsHidden histories, each with its source
  2. In depth: nature & wildlifeWild San FranciscoSea lions, coyotes and the Golden Gate
  3. Road tripsThe Loneliest Road and the coast: great drives from the bayUS 50 to Great Basin, Highway 1 to Seattle
  4. The back storyThe Golden Gate and the Bay BridgeTwo great bridges, six months apart
  5. ULTIMATE Rail JourneysAmerica by trainThe golden spike, the Zephyr and the Starlight

Areas

San Francisco by neighbourhood

Ten neighbourhoods, from Union Square to the Golden Gate: grand hotels on Nob Hill, espresso in North Beach, Chinatown’s Dragon Gate and the murals of the Mission.

Union Square in DecemberNeighbourhood guideUnion SquareShops, theatres and cable carsThe Fairmont San Francisco on Nob HillNeighbourhood guideNob HillGrand hotels and Grace CathedralCity Lights Booksellers on Columbus Avenue, North BeachNeighbourhood guideNorth BeachEspresso, books and Coit TowerThe Dragon Gate at the entrance to Chinatown on Grant AvenueNeighbourhood guideChinatownThe Dragon Gate and Waverly PlaceMission Dolores Park and the downtown skyline from the top of the parkNeighbourhood guideThe MissionMurals, Dolores Park and Valencia Street

Two and a half centuries

Start at Mission Dolores, ride a cable car to the Cable Car Museum, walk down through Chinatown to North Beach and City Lights, and end at the Ferry Building at sunset.

  1. Neighbourhood guidePacific HeightsMansions, views and Fillmore Street
  2. Neighbourhood guideMarina & PresidioThe Palace of Fine Arts and Crissy Field
  3. Neighbourhood guideSoMa & EmbarcaderoSFMOMA, the Ferry Building and Oracle Park
  4. Neighbourhood guideHayes ValleyBoutiques and the opera house
  5. Neighbourhood guideFisherman’s WharfSea lions, ships and Irish coffee

Day trips

Beyond San Francisco

Across the Golden Gate to Marin, north to wine country and south down the coast.

The Sausalito waterfrontBeyond San FranciscoSausalito & MarinFerries, redwoods and Mount TamThe boardwalk path among the redwoods of Muir WoodsBeyond San FranciscoMuir WoodsReserve parking aheadVineyards in the Napa ValleyBeyond San FranciscoNapa ValleyWine countryWaves on the coast at Half Moon BayBeyond San FranciscoHalf Moon BayThe coast to the southOur sister siteThe California guideWine country, Big Sur, Tahoe and more

Our advice

September and October

Come in September or October, when the fog lifts, the days are warm, and Fleet Week and the festivals fill the calendar. Book hotels early for Fleet Week and Pride. San Francisco’s year

Plan your trip

Airports, getting around, money and the weather: SFO, BART and Muni, tipping, layers for the fog, and how buying property works.

The International Terminal at SFOBefore you goSan Francisco essentialsAirports, Muni, tipping, layersA BART train and the skyline at sunsetGetting aroundAirports, BART and MuniSFO, OAK, SJCThe Painted Ladies on Alamo SquarePropertyBuying propertyHow it works, transfer tax

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