San Francisco California

San Francisco, California is also known as "The Cityis planted with thousands of non-native trees and
by the Bay". The City and County of San Francisco isplants and is rich with attractions including the
the fourth most populous city in California and theConservatory of Flowers, the Japanese Tea Garden
fourteenth most populous city in the U.S., with anand Strybing Arboretum. The Presidio and Crissy Field
estimated populated of 744,041 as of 2006. The cityare part of the Golde Gate National Recreation Area,
is most well known for its chilly summer fog, steepwhich includes Alcatraz. Buena Vista Park is the city's
rolling hills, eclectic mix of Victorian and modernoldest park, established in 1867. Lake Merced is a
architecture, and its peninsular location.freshwater lake surrounded by parkland.
Famous landmarks include the Golden Gate Bridge,San Francisco is characterized by a high standard of
Alcatraz Island, the cable cars, Coit Tower andliving. Property value and household income have
Chinatown. Fisherman's Wharf is also a must-see forescalated to be among the highest in the nation,
tourists and a favorite place for residents.allowing the city to support a large restaurant and
The city is also infamous for the major earthquakeentertainment infrastructure.
on the morning of April 19, 1906 that ruptured gasReflecting San Francisco's high-class economy, luxury
lines and ignited fires that destroyed overdining graces the streets of the city. Some of the
three-quarters if the city. More than 200,000 peoplecity's fine dining includes Park Chow, Universal
were left homeless and settled into temporary tentCafé, Restaurant Gary Danko, The Blue Plate,
villages in Golden Gate Park, the Presidio, on theLuna Park, The Last Supper Club, Restaurant Lulu,
beaches, or elsewhere. When it was time to rebuild,Limon Restaurant and Levende Lounge. Favorit Italian
the destroyed mansions of Nob Hill became grandrestaurants in the city include Rose Pistola, Little City,
hotels, City Hall rose again and the city celebrated isBuca Giovanni, The Stinking Rose, Il Fornaio,
rebirth in 1915 at the Panama-Pacific InternationalCafé Macaroni and more. The city spices things
Exposition.up a bit with favorite Mexican restaurants such as La
The San Andreas and Hayward Faults are responsibleCumbre, La Rondalla, Chevy's, Left at Albuquerque,
for much earthquake activity, although neither passesCafé Marimba and Taqueria El Toro. Streetside
directly through the city itself.and waterfront cafes are the perfect place to sit for
San Francisco's peninsular geography makes the citya while, some of which are Union Square Café,
unique. San Francisco, California is located on theMuddy's, Café Francisco's and Starbucks.
west coast of the U.S. at the tip of the SanBoasting the best Asian food in the country, San
Francisco Peninsula. It includes significant stretches ofFrancisco has authentic Japanese, Thai, Korean and
the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay. SeveralChinese restaurants. Some favorite Thai restaurants
islands are also part of the city including, Alcatraz,are Khan Toke Thai House, Bethelnut and Zao.
Treasure Island and Yerba Buena Island. TheChinese restaurants include R&G Lounge and Hong
uninhabited Farallon Islands are also included in the cityKong Flower Lounge. Korean cuisine can be enjoyed
and are 27 miles offshore in the Pacific Ocean.at The Slanted Door or Ace Wasabi's. Other
San Francisco is famous for hills, with more than 50restaurants include The Golden Dragon, Golden
just within the city limits. Some of these illustrious hillsMountain, Naan and Curry, Maharani Restaurant and
include Nob Hill, Pacific Heights, Russian Hill, Potrero HillAngkor Wat.
and Telegraph Hill. Mount Sutro is the site of SutroSan Francisco's entertainment allures tourists and
Tower, a large red and white television transmissioncaters to the city's residents. The War Memorial and
tower. Twin Peaks is a pair of hills resting at one ofPerforming Arts Center features some of the longest
the highest points in the city and is a popular spot forperforming arts companies in the U.S. The War
tour groups. The city's tallest hill, Mount Davidson, isMemorial Opera House houses the San Francisco
925 feet high and is capped with a 103 feet tall cross.Opera and San Francisco Ballet. The Davies
Entire neighborhoods such as Marina and HuntersSymphony Hall is home to the San Francisco
Point and sections of Embarcadero sit on areas ofSymphony. The Herbst Theatre stages a mix of
landfill because the city has outgrown its natural limits.musical performances and public radio's City Arts &
Treasure Island was constructed from materialLectures. The Fillmore is a popular music venue and
dredged from the bay as well as material resultinghas fostered the San Francisco Sound with artists
from tunneling through Yerba Island during the buildingsuch as the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin and Jefferson
of the Bay Bridge.Airplane.
The historic center of San Francisco is home to theThe American Conservatory Theater routinely stages
Financial District, with Union Square, the principaloriginal productions. The city also frequently hosts
shopping and hotel district nearby.touring Broadway productions in a number of vintage
Union Square is home to some of the finestvenues in the Theater District including Curran,
department stores including Macy's, Neiman Marcus,Orpheum and Golden Gate Theatres.
Saks Fifth Avenue and Bloomingdale's. Nordstrom's isSan Francisco celebrates history and art in the
just off the square on Market. Fine designers such asMuseum of Modern Art, the Palace of the Legion of
Christian Dior, Gucci, Kate Spade, Prada, Yves SaintHonor, the De Young Museum, the Asian Art
Laurent, Ralph Lauren and Versace can be found atMuseum. Tthe Palace of Fine Arts today houses the
Union Square. Other popular clothing stores areExploratorium, a popular science museum dedicated
Banana Republic, Bebe, Diesel USA, Guess?, Gap,to teaching through hands-on interaction. The
Victoria's Secret, Levi's Flagship Store, UrbanCalifornia Academy of Sciences is a natural history
Outfitters, Nine West, Cole-Haan, Johnston &museum and hosts the Morrison Planetarium and
Murphy, Loehman's and DSW. Jewelry stores atSteinhart Aquarium. The San Francisco Zoo cared for
Union Square include Tiffany & Co., Bulgari, Cartier,roughly 250 animal species, 39 of which have been
Swatch and Simayof.deemed endangered or threatened.
The city is a gracious host to tourist, offeringTourism is the backbone of the San Francisco
charming bed and breakfasts as well as hotels. Bedeconomy. Its frequent portrayal in music, film and
and breakfasts in the city include The Inn Sanpopular culture has made the city and its landmarks
Francisco, Red Victorian B&B, Chateau Tivoli,recognizable worldwide. San Francisco attracts the
Victorian Inn On the Park, Archbishop's Mansion,fifth highest number of foreign tourists of any city in
Albion House Inn, Bocks B&B, Golden Gate Hotel,the United States and claims Pier 39 near Fisherman's
Hayes Valley In, Jackson Court, The Mansions andWharf to be the third-most popular tourist attraction
more. Area hotels include Nob Hill Motor Inn, Comfortin the nation.
Inn by the Bay, Castle Inn Motel, Heritage MarinaSan Francisco is also the principal banking and finance
Hotel, Carriage Inn, Hotel Britton and Hotelcenter of the west coast. Known as the "Wall Street
Americania. Luxury hotel suites are widely available atof the West", Montgomery Street is home to the
Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, Mandarin Oriental, PalaceFederal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. The Wells
Hotel, Argent Hotel, Hilton, Hotel Vitale, Pan Pacific,Fargo corporate headquarters and the site of the
Grand Hyatt, Prescott, Sir Francis Drake, Galleria Park,former Pacific Stock Exchange are all held there. Bank
Stanford Court, The Omni Hotel, Hotel Monaco, Elof America was also founded in San Francisco. San
Drisco, Hotel Griffon, Hotel Nikko and Huntington, toFrancisco is a Beta World City, with over thirty
name a few.international financial institutions, six Fortune 500
The San Francisco night life has something thatcompanies and services including law, public relations,
appeals to everyone with its many clubs and barsarchitecture and graphic design.
including 1751 Social Club, Velvet Lounge, Brunos, TheSmall businesses make up 85 percent of the city's
End Up, The Fillmore, Café Du Nord, Ashkenaz,establishments. The penetration of national big box
New Wave City, Toronado, Bottom of the Hill,retail chains into the city has been slow. The Small
Bimbo's 365 Club, Elbo Room, Sweetwater and RubyBusiness Commission supports a publicity campaign to
Sky.keep a larger share of retail dollars in the local
The beauty of San Francisco is appreciated in itseconomy in an effort to buoy small privately owned
many parks. The Golden Gate Park, stretches frombusinesses in San Francisco.
the center of the city to the Pacific Ocean. The park