San Francisco is a renowned cultural, musical, technological and artistic center. It is an eclectic city where hippies and students live side by side, tech giants and artists work, and vast emigrant enclaves. A visit to San Francisco is an introduction to the local nature, culture, cuisine: some of the best Asian and Mexican cafes in the country, beautiful parks and city attractions are located here. It is also one of the most expensive cities in the United States.
San Francisco climate
San Francisco's climate can be defined as "Mediterranean with cool summers." Winter temperatures and rainfall are reminiscent of the Mediterranean climate, but summers are chilly due to the cold current along the California coast, which acts as a natural air conditioner for the city and surrounding areas.
Precipitation is not abundant, about 485 mm / year, but the period from November to March is rather rainy; in April and October, rains are rare, and from June to September there is almost no rainfall.
Winters are mild and quite rainy, there are sunny, dry periods, the lowest temperature is 0 ° C. Daytime temperatures from June to September are around 17-19 ° C in western San Francisco. Due to the cold current, the sea in San Francisco is cold all year round - 12-14 ° C.
The best time to visit is summer: this is the driest, warmest season, but cool temperatures should be considered, and sometimes a little cold at night and early morning, morning fog.
San Francisco landmarks
- Former federal prison on Alcatraz Island - Rangers on excursions will acquaint you with the historical context of the island. Be sure to book your ferry early as they can get crowded. A ticket for a one-day tour costs $ 40, for a night tour - $ 48, and a behind-the-scenes tour - $ 93.
- The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most famous landmarks of San Francisco, a true work of engineering. Walk across the bridge, visit the visitor center, learn about the history of the park, look at it from all angles and take a photo.
- Explore the Golden Gate Park: a Japanese garden, a museum, an arboretum, and many pedestrian zones. It is three miles long and extends 30 blocks from the sea, surpassing New York's Central Park. The walk from end to end will take half a day.
- Near the city are the world famous wine regions of Napa and Sonoma . If wine is your thing, you need to come here: companies take day trips to the Napa Valley.
- The Palais des Beaux-Arts is a Roman-style building dating back to the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exhibition. The open rotunda (and its lagoon) is one of the city's most photographed landmarks. Take a leisurely stroll around the lagoon, relax under the rotunda, or have a picnic on the grass.
- After a busy day, relax in Dolores Park with great city views (including the famous Full House), fabulous Mexican food, cool bars and an eclectic culinary scene with hipster cafes.
- Take a cable car ride - a great way to tour the city and explore the different areas of San Francisco. The one-way cable car fare is $ 8, and the 1-day pass is $ 13.
- Get off Lombard Street on a cable car ride, look at the world's most crooked street, watch the steep peaks of motorists and bikers.
- Another important city attraction is the Coit Tower . It was built in 1933 to decorate the city and is decorated with 27 frescoes by various artists. Above opens a panoramic view of the city (entrance - $ 9).
- Chinatown is one of the most famous in the United States (and the largest!). Immigrants from China first came to the west coast and opened a store in San Francisco: because of racial segregation, this area became predominantly Chinese and remained so even after the end of segregation. Here you can eat Chinese food, there are wonderful teahouses, bars, souvenir shops, fortune cookies are sold.
- Take a day cruise around the bay to see the city from the water. The most budget-friendly way to explore the harbor is to catch the public ferry for $ 13: same views for a lower price.
- Castro is known as an LGBTQ area with many restaurants (serving local organic produce) and many entertainment clubs serving the LGBTQ community (but everyone's fun).
- Explore Haight Ashbury , the birthplace of America's counterculture. Hite was the epicenter of the summer of 1967 known as the Summer of Love. Previously, hippies lived here, but since then, yuppies have settled here, who bought up all the colorful Victorian houses, replaced the local shops with high-end boutiques, chic restaurants and trendy cafes. It's still an interesting place to visit, and Flower Power Walking Tours offer detailed, informative tours around the area from $ 20.
- San Francisco Free Walking Tours tell the history of the local area, show you the places with the delectable food that the city has to offer.
- Chrissy Field is a park with a beautiful beach, restaurants, fishing piers and frisbee parks. Locals run, walk their dogs or lie on the beach + stunning views of the harbor.
Food in San Francisco
- Eat at the ferry building - the best place to eat in San Francisco! On weekdays, many grocery stores are open near it, and on weekends there is a large farmers' market. Inside you will find restaurants and grocery stores selling specialties, as well as butchers, cheese makers, and a wine bar.
- Dutch crunch - a variety of fillings on several slices of Dutch bread. Roxie Food Center , near Balboa Park, is a simple no-frills grocery store, but its deli has some really delicious sandwiches.
- Cioppino - A rich fish stew (squid, crab, mussels and other popular seafood dishes combined in tomato broth) was born in San Francisco, making it a local exclusive. The choppino portion is huge and is best ordered along with bibs, large spoons and a slice of bread.
- Cheesecake from San Francisco easily competes with New York, it is lighter, more like a tender soufflé.
- Prime Rib - Nothing beats juicy chopped ribs served with cream and spinach garnish. The best place to get it is at the English-style House of Prime Rib restaurant, which has been serving this classic dish since the 1940s.
- Egg custard tarts - sweet, flaky, creamy, buttery - everything San Franciscans want from a dessert. Golden Gate Bakery does its best, as evidenced by the daily queue outside the door of the Chinese bakery.
- The Rebel Within is a delicious soft-boiled egg nestled in a sausage bun, served with a tiny bottle of Tabasco hot sauce. This dish introduces a whole new perspective on breakfast.
- There's nothing better in San Francisco than clam soup served in a bowl of sourdough bread, another East Coast invention. No one serves clam soup bread bowls better than the famous Boudin bakery , which has served the city since 1849.
- Xiao Long Bao , a traditional Chinese steamed bun, is an amazing product in San Francisco. These hot dumplings are cooked and served in a Chinese bamboo steamer. Can't come to China to enjoy dim sum? Travel to San Francisco.
- The city is turning into one of the best places for ice cream lovers - the iconic Swensen's Ice Cream reinterprets the traditional understanding of ice cream with gooey gummies. Delightfully supple, rich and mouth-watering, the treat has become a must when exploring culinary San Francisco.
- Swedish pancakes - delicious, fluffy, about the size of a silver dollar, this is a favorite breakfast for many. Since 1938, Sears Fine Food has served the city from morning to night, serving a whopping 18 Swedish pancakes to make up one delicious breakfast.
Transportation in San Francisco
It is best to get around the city on foot or by public transport. Most of the popular attractions are within walking distance of the city center, and the city's major transport system serves bus and tram lines, so there is no need to rent a car. The city's famous cable cars, bus tours are a more interesting, albeit slower way to see the city. To get into the city from San Francisco International Airport (SFO), you can take the Bay Area Rapid Transit commuter train (known locally as BART) or take a taxi for $ 45-65 (depending on your final destination).
Hiking
All areas of San Francisco can be explored without transportation thanks to its compact size and well-planned streets. However, if you find yourself in an unfamiliar place after dark, consider taking public transport or taxis.
Public transport
The multiple routes of buses, trams, and cable cars in the Mooney (San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency) system make the car unnecessary. Rides by bus and train cost $ 2.5, by cable car - $ 7, discounts are available for all transportation for children and the elderly. If you plan to travel a lot, consider purchasing the Muni Passport, which offers unlimited rides for 1, 3, 7 days ($ 21- $ 42).
BART
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) provides high-speed rail connections to the surrounding areas, San Francisco Airport. Fares vary by distance: you can expect to pay about $ 8.65 for a ride from the airport to the city center and about $ 1.95 for a ride within the city.
Taxi
Taxis in San Francisco are not easy to catch - it's better to call ahead or use a ride sharing app like Uber or Lyft. Taxi fares start at $ 3.5, each extra mile costs $ 3 more, and every minute you spend in traffic is $ 0.55.
Car
Driving in this city is stressful due to aggressive drivers, minimum bumper-to-bumper distances and high parking costs, not to mention the incredibly steep hills. Most of the major rental agencies are located at the airport.
Ferry
Golden Gate Ferry Service offers water transport services between downtown San Francisco to several nearby towns, including Sausalito, Tiburon, Larkspur. One-way fares vary by destination and start at $ 11 per adult. Ferry services between San Francisco and several nearby cities (including Angel Island and Oakland) are also operated by Blue & Gold Fleet. One-way fares range from $ 6.60 to $ 13.80.
Blue & Gold Fleet offers sightseeing cruises if you want to take a walk around the bay.
San Francisco connection
San Francisco's transition from the hazy, political-infused Northern California port city to the Mecca of technology is one of the most remarkable stories of the twentieth century. The city has launched countless tech companies over the years and, along with Silicon Valley, is one of the most tech-savvy regions in the United States. All four major US carriers have invested heavily in San Francisco's network infrastructure. Excellent coverage features Potrero Hill, Pacific Heights, Richmond County, Mission, North Beach, Ocean Beach and all intermediate points.
The network quality of the Big Four operators, coverage geography:
- AT&T - 100%, 52.79
- Verizon - 94.93%, 50.11
- T-Mobile - 95.02%, 50.16
- Sprint - 99.98%, 52.69.
