San Francisco

On November 2, 1769, the Spanish arrived to San Francisco and were attempting to expand the Spanish colonial territory from the south. The city was named after St Francis. Spaniards held the city until the Mexicans took over in the Mexican revolution and later became isolated. On January 30, 1847, the United States claimed San Francisco during the Mexican-American War.

California had a gold rush in 1848 that brought an influx of migration and immigration; the city of San Francisco started growing.

In 1906, an earthquake that destroyed the city shook San Francisco. There were fires everywhere for three days straight. Around 80% of the water was contaminated and around 3,000 people died. Earthquakes have since continued to plague the city and its environs.

The city became more accessible with the opening of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge in 1936 and the Golden Gate Bridge in 1937. In the second half of the 20th century, San Francisco became a magnet for America’s counterculture, attracting artists, rock musicians, writers, and hippies. It eventually became the base of the Gay Liberation movement and even today San Francisco has the highest percentage of gay men and lesbians than any other U.S. city.

Summers are characterized by being “foggy” and temperatures average from 60- 70° Fahrenheit, although rain in the summer is very rare with a total of less than an inch. The warmest temperatures are normally found farthest from the coast and in the wind sheltered valleys east of the Coast Range bisector.

Winters are known for their rain, and temperatures average from 50 - 60° Fahrenheit during the day. It is even possible that on a very cold day, temperatures may fall to 41° Fahrenheit and freezing at night. Despite these low temperatures, snowfall rarely occurs.

The city is known for its “foggy” weather that can immerse the western half of the city in fog all day during the summer and early fall, and can even reach as far as 35 to 50 miles inland, though this inland fog is typically burned off during the day. The fog is less dense during the late spring and during the months of September and October. These months are generally San Francisco’s “summer” as they are typically the warmest months of the year. While the rest of inland California can experience sweltering temperatures in the summer, San Francisco remains a great place to go and get cooled off.

A vital part of the economic and cultural fabric of northern California, the port of San Francisco covers 71/2 mi of waterfront. The port is home to a broad range of commercial, maritime, and public activities. Its major shipping terminals serve shipping lines from around the world. Fisherman's Wharf, Alcatraz, Hyde St. Pier, and Pier 39 all make the port of San Francisco one of the world's leading visitor destinations.

The electronics and biotechnology industries are well represented throughout the Bay Area. With nearly 30% of the worldwide biotechnology labor force and 360 biotech firms, the Bay Area has been appropriately called “Bionic Bay.”

Tourism is one of San Francisco's largest industries and the largest employer of city residents. In 2000, more than 17 million people visited San Francisco, and visitor spending was $7.6 billion, providing 82,000 jobs.

San Francisco is also the banking and financial center of the West and is home to a Federal Reserve Bank and a United States Mint. More than 60 foreign banks maintain offices there.

The city of San Francisco is unique with its steep rolling hills, being surrounded by both the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean, as well as its eclectic blend of architecture which includes both modern skyscrapers and Victorian style houses.

The San Francisco Renaissance during the 1950s, the beat generation, hippie culture, gay civil rights, women’s liberation movement, and the Summer of Love in the 1960s have been the key movements that made San Francisco a gathering place of alternative culture and lifestyles.

These movements helped to swing San Francisco significantly to the left and the city is known today for its liberalism. San Francisco has a strong influence in government affairs, as it remains one of the major strongholds for the Democrat party.

San Francisco is also known for its food industry. San Francisco is renowned for starting trends in food and the culinary revolution made San Francisco a dream place for gourmet food. Young San Francisco chefs were responsible for the innovation of combining Asian cuisine with mainstream Californian and American fare and this concept has grabbed the fancy of chefs across the nation.

Alcatraz Prison: Park rangers give tours and recount the prison’s thrilling history along with intriguing anecdotes about Al Capone, the Birdman of Alcatraz and other legendary figures that slept in the prison.

Golden Gate Bridge: Stretching 4,200 feet and towering as high as a 65-story building, this well-known bridge is the gateway to San Francisco.

Ferry Building Marketplace: A city landmark transformed into a gourmet food emporium and farmers market.

Chinatown: This electric neighborhood of 100,000 is not to be missed, and it's not hard to find: listen for the clack of mahjongg tiles and nose out the salty spicy squid

Fisherman's Wharf: Shopping area beginning at Pier 39 and ending at Ghirardelli Square, the wharf is home to such famous sites as The Wax Museum, Haunted Gold Mine, Laser Maze and Medieval Dungeon.

Golden Gate National Recreation Area

North Beach: Rebuilt by Italian immigrants after the 1906 earthquake, the Italian cultural influence is evident in the scores of cafes and cozy restaurants.

Haight-Ashbury: Center of the long-gone hippie culture of the 1960s, this trendy neighborhood is now a whole new scene with upscale boutiques, Internet cafes and hip restaurants

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art: The museum itself is a work of art that houses a strong collection and traveling shows.

Union Square: This bustling square near the theater district has everything from upscale department stores and boutiques to discount houses.

Lombard Street was built in 1920 and is known as the “Crookedest Street in the World.” This has eight angles along a single block. It is a 40-degree descent down the brick-lined street and there are always a lot of tourists in the area that come to see this sight.

Museums:

Be sure to see the 4,700 paintings inside the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art has a collection of 4,700 paintings and around 9,000 photographs

The Randall Museum is a museum that kids will like with rooms for birds, lizards and a whole lot more for an enjoyable afternoon. It also has a petting zoo room.

Virtually anything you wish to learn about there is a Museum in San Francisco for:

Asian Art Museum

California Academy of Sciences

California Palace of the Legion of Honor

Randall Museum

Pacific Heritage Museum

Nightlife:

San Francisco has a great choice of nightclubs for a choice of nightlife fun. Some places are:

Suite One 8 One
Upscale nightclub featuring three rooms, VIP services and dancing. One of San Francisco's after hour spots.

13 Views Lounge Bar
Waterfront views, lunch and afternoon snacks make this an ideal place to visit any time of day. A full bar with an extensive list of local microbrews keeps spirits high.

Atrium Lounge
An upscale bar in a contemporary setting, featuring premium liquors, wines and beers and an excellent assortment of appetizers, salads and other delicious snacks.

The Bubble Lounge
One of San Francisco's premier champagne lounges, features over 300 Champagnes and sparkling wines, full premium bar and fine hors d'oeuvres in an elegant, comfortable atmosphere.

Dolce
Two thousand five hundred square feet enveloped in white curtains and stylish comfortable seating; with experienced guest relations, the staff will cater to client’s needs.

Fairmont Lobby Lounge/Afternoon Tea
Locals and visitors can mingle through an afternoon brunch at the Afternoon Tea or relax and enjoy live piano and drinks at the bar in the lobby lounge.

Fanatics Sports Entertainment Complex
A sports bar/nightclub hybrid dedicated to bring exciting activities, top-notch sports and live entertainment to San Francisco with great food and music makes Fanatics a truly unique experience.

Fluid Ultra Lounge
Sophisticated style, celebrity clientele and exceptional service. Features a one-of-a-kind, computer-controlled walkway and bar.

Harry Denton's Starlight Room
This rooftop nightclub on the 21st floor of the Sir Francis Drake Hotel offers views of the entire city. Enjoy cocktails, a light menu and dancing to live music.

The Lobby Lounge
Refreshing specialty drafts, microbrews, cocktails and good conversation. Enjoy tantalizing appetizers and sandwiches accompanied by friendly, efficient service and relaxing atmosphere. MC, V.

Mezzanine
Dance the night away at one of San Francisco's hottest clubs; world-renowned DJs, live music performances, monthly art shows, and the West Coast's only custom-built Funktion One Sound System.

Pacific Bar
Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres nightly until midnight. Live piano entertainment.

Gracie Allen comedienne;

Luis Walter Alvarez Nobel Prize winner in physics;

David Belasco dramatist and producer;

Mel Blanc actor and voice specialist;

Rosemary Casals tennis player;

Isadora Duncan dancer;

Clint Eastwood actor;

Robert Frost poet;

Rube Goldberg cartoonist;

William Randolph Hearst publisher;

Bruce Lee actor;

Mervyn LeRoy director;

Jack London novelist;

Johnny Mathis singer;

Lloyd Nolan actor;

O. J. Simpson football player;

Robert G. Sproul educator;

Irving Stone novelist;

Natalie Wood actress.