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    Insight Guides Explore San Francisco (Travel Guide eBook)
    Insight Guides Explore San Francisco (Travel Guide eBook)
    Insight Guides Explore San Francisco (Travel Guide eBook)
    Ebook475 pages2 hours

    Insight Guides Explore San Francisco (Travel Guide eBook)

    By Insight Guides

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    About this ebook

    Pocket-sized travel guides featuring the very best routes and itineraries.

    Discover the best of San Francisco with this indispensably practical Insight Explore Guide. From making sure you don't miss out on must-see attractions like the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, the Palace of the Fine Arts and Haight-Ashbury, to discovering hidden gems, including 24th Street, the easy-to-follow, ready-made walking routes will save you time, help you plan and enhance your visit to San Francisco.

    Practical, pocket-sized and packed with inspirational insider information, this is the ideal on-the-move companion to your trip to the United States.

    - Over 14 walks and tours: detailed itineraries feature all the best places to visit, including where to eat along the way
    - Local highlights: discover what makes the area special, its top attractions and unique sights, and be inspired by stunning imagery
    - Insider recommendations: where to stay and what to do, from active pursuits to themed trips
    - Hand-picked places: find your way to great hotels, restaurants and nightlife using the comprehensive listings
    - Practical maps: get around with ease and follow the walks and tours using the detailed maps
    - Informative tips: plan your visit with an A to Z of advice on everything from transport to tipping
    - Inventive design makes for an engaging, easy-reading experience
    - Covers: Fisherman's Wharf, Alcatraz, North Beach and Telegraph Hill, Chinatown, South of Market & Union Square, Civic Centre & Hayes Valley, Nob Hill & Russian Hill, Japantown, Pacific Heights & Cow Hollow, Golden Gate Park & Haight-Ashbury, the Castro, the Mission District, Fort Mason & the Marina, Golden Gate Promenade and Berkeley.

    About Insight Guides: Insight Guides is a pioneer of full-colour guide books, with almost 50 years' experience of publishing high-quality, visual travel guides with user-friendly, modern design. We produce around 400 full-colour print guide books and maps as well as phrase books, picture-packed eBooks and apps to meet different travellers' needs. Insight Guides' unique combination of beautiful travel photography and focus on history and culture create a unique visual reference and planning tool to inspire your next adventure.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherInsight Guides
    Release dateJun 1, 2019
    ISBN9781789199048
    Insight Guides Explore San Francisco (Travel Guide eBook)
    Author

    Insight Guides

    Pictorial travel guide to Arizona & the Grand Canyon with a free eBook provides all you need for every step of your journey. With in-depth features on culture and history, stunning colour photography and handy maps, it’s perfect for inspiration and finding out when to go to Arizona & the Grand Canyon and what to see in Arizona & the Grand Canyon. 

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    • 5/5
      I bought this, not knowing when I’d be going to Tokyo, but found out I would be going there sooner than I thought. Less that a year after buying this book I found myself in Tokyo for a 4 hour layover. I hadn’t bookmarked anything in this book, and had barely read it, but I had broughtit along with me so when I landed in Japan, I’d know what to do. Thanks to this book I was able to go through the very difficult task of taking all the trains into the city from Narita Airport and rushing to Shibuya, Harajuku and Shinjuku. It was stressful and confusing, but I managed it, and am so happy I did. It totally worth the effort (not to mention money). If this book can guide me in a rush through Japan, then I’m sure it can do its job wonderfully if you actually read the whole book! And the maps Insight Guide includes with numbers, matching with sites being described is so helpful. It also includes a small fold out map (not entirely helpful) with a bunch of restaurants pinpointed on it. Defiantly a necessity for all planning on going to Tokyo.

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    Insight Guides Explore San Francisco (Travel Guide eBook) - Insight Guides

    Table of Contents

    Recommended Routes For...

    Architecture Buffs

    Art Enthusiasts

    Children

    Churches and Temples

    Foodies

    Literary Types

    Parks and Gardens

    Shoppers

    Explore San Francisco

    City Development

    Center stage

    Contemporary appeal

    Geography

    Diverse neighborhoods

    Climate

    Earthquakes

    The People

    Living standards

    Health and Environment

    Recreation

    Food and Drink

    International Flavors

    Sustainable Food Movement

    Places to Eat

    Cafés

    Neighborhood bars and eateries

    High-end restaurants

    What to Eat

    Eating Patterns

    Drinking Culture

    Shopping

    Local Design

    Where to Shop

    Downtown

    Best streets for boutique hopping

    Other neighborhoods

    Entertainment

    Music

    Classical and opera

    Jazz

    Contemporary

    Theater

    Bars and Clubs

    The Movies

    A Movie-Making Tradition

    Star Locations

    North Beach

    Downtown

    Local Film Heavyweights

    Film Festivals

    History: Key Dates

    Early history

    Settlement and Founding

    20th Century

    21st Century

    Fisherman’s Wharf

    Pier 39

    Seafood and sourdough

    Jefferson Street attractions

    Pier 45

    Musée Mécanique

    SS Jeremiah O’Brien

    The Cannery

    Hyde Street pier

    Aquatic Park and San Francisco Maritime Museum

    Ghiradelli Square

    Powell–Hyde cable-car

    Alcatraz

    Visiting the park

    On the island

    Back on the mainland

    North Beach and Telegraph Hill

    North Beach

    Columbus Avenue

    City Lights Bookstore

    Vesuvio Café

    Red-light district

    Washington Square

    Saints Peter and Paul Church

    Telegraph Hill

    Filbert Steps and Napier Lane

    Levi’s Plaza

    Exploratorium

    Chinatown

    Chinatown Gate and Grant Avenue

    Dragon House

    St Mary's Square

    Old St Mary's Church

    Niche shops

    Portsmouth Square

    Culture Center

    United Commercial Bank

    Towards Stockton Street

    Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory

    Tin How Temple

    Chinese Historical Society of America

    Back to Chinatown Gate

    South of Market and Union Square

    111 Minna Gallery

    Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD)

    California Historical Society

    San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)

    Yerba Buena Gardens

    Contemporary Jewish Museum

    49 Geary Street

    Maiden Lane

    Union Square

    Westfield San Francisco Shopping Centre

    Civic Center and Hayes Valley

    San Francisco Public Library, Main Branch

    Asian Art Museum

    The collection

    San Francisco City Hall

    War Memorial Veterans Building

    War Memorial Opera House

    Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall

    Hayes Valley

    The Painted Ladies

    Nob Hill and Russian Hill

    Exclusive enclave

    Inter-Continental Mark Hopkins

    Renaissance Stanford Court

    The Fairmont San Francisco

    Pacific-Union Club

    Brocklebank Building

    Huntington Park

    Grace Cathedral

    The interior

    Cable-car Museum

    Ina Coolbrith Park

    Feusier House and 1907 Firehouse

    San Francisco Art Institute

    Lombard Street

    Hyde and Polk Streets

    Japantown, Pacific Heights, and Cow Hollow

    Japantown

    Fillmore Street

    Alta Plaza Park

    Lafayette Park

    Spreckels Mansion

    Haas-Lilienthal House

    Whittier Mansion

    James Leary Flood Mansion

    3119 Fillmore Street

    Old Vedanta Society Temple

    Union Street

    Octagon House

    Golden Gate Park and Haight-Ashbury

    Golden Gate Park

    De Young Museum

    Japanese Tea Garden

    California Academy of Sciences

    Garden of Shakespeare’s Flowers

    San Francisco Botanical Garden

    Koret Children’s Quarter

    National Aids Memorial Grove

    Conservatory of Flowers

    Haight-Ashbury

    Haight Street

    The Castro

    Buena Vista Park

    The Castro District

    Harvey Milk Plaza

    Castro Theatre

    Cliff’s Variety

    The Mission District

    Mission Dolores

    16th Street

    The Women's Building

    Mission Dolores Park

    Valencia Street

    Mission Street

    24th Street

    Balmy Alley

    Galería de la Raza

    Fort Mason and The Marina

    Fort Mason

    Center highlights

    Yacht Harbor to the Wave Organ

    The Wave Organ

    Palace of Fine Arts

    Chestnut Street

    Golden Gate Promenade

    Golden Gate Promenade

    Fort Point

    Highlights

    Golden Gate Bridge

    Berkeley

    University of California, Berkeley Campus

    Campus libraries

    Sather Tower

    University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley and Lawrence Hall of Science

    Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive

    Telegraph Avenue

    Sproul Plaza and Sather Gate

    Tilden Park

    Restaurants

    Fisherman’s Wharf

    North Beach

    Chinatown

    Financial District

    Union Square and Tenderloin

    South of Market

    Civic Center and Hayes Valley

    Nob Hill and Russian Hill

    Marina

    Central Neighborhoods

    Haight-Ashbury and Golden Gate Park

    The Mission and Castro

    Outer Neighborhoods

    Nightlife

    Bars and Clubs

    Cabaret

    Classical Music

    Comedy

    Contemporary Music

    Dance

    Jazz and Blues

    Theater

    A-Z

    A

    Age restrictions

    C

    Children

    Climate

    Clothing

    Crime and safety

    Customs

    D

    Disabled travelers

    E

    Electricity

    Embassies/consulates

    Emergency numbers

    Environmental issues

    F

    Festivals

    January

    February

    March

    April

    May

    June

    July

    August

    September

    October

    November

    December

    G

    Gay travelers

    Guided tours

    H

    Health

    Drugstores (pharmacies)

    Insurance and hospitals

    I

    Internet

    M

    Media

    Money

    Currency

    Banks and currency exchange

    ATMs

    Credit cards

    Traveler’s checks

    P

    Police

    Postal services

    Public holidays

    S

    Smoking

    T

    Taxes

    Telephones

    Time zones

    Tipping

    Tourist information

    Transportation

    Getting to San Francisco

    Getting around San Francisco

    Getting Around the Bay Area

    V

    Visa information

    W

    Weights and measures

    Books and Film

    Books

    Non-fiction

    Fiction

    Memoir

    History

    Films

    How To Use This E-Book

    This Explore Guide has been produced by the editors of Insight Guides, whose books have set the standard for visual travel guides since 1970. With ­top-­quality photography and authoritative recommendations, these guidebooks bring you the very best routes and itineraries in the world’s most exciting destinations.

    Best Routes

    The routes in this book provide something to suit all budgets, tastes and trip lengths. As well as covering the destination’s many classic attractions, the itineraries track lesser-known sights, and there are also ex­cursions for those who want to extend their visit outside the city. The routes embrace a range of interests, so whether you are an art fan, a gourmet, a history buff or have kids to entertain, you will find an option to suit.

    We recommend reading the whole of a route before setting out. This should help you to familiarise yourself with it and enable you to plan where to stop for refreshments – options are shown in the ‘Food and Drink’ box at the end of each tour.

    Introduction

    The routes are set in context by this introductory section, giving an overview of the destination to set the scene, plus background information on food and drink, shopping and more, while a succinct history timeline highlights the key events over the centuries.

    Directory

    Also supporting the routes is a Directory chapter, with a clearly organised A–Z of practical information, our pick of where to stay while you are there and select restaurant listings; these eateries complement the more low-key cafés and restaurants that feature within the routes and are intended to offer a wider choice for evening dining. Also included here are some nightlife listings, and our recommendations for books and films about the destination.

    Getting around the e-book

    In the Table of Contents and throughout this e-book you will see hyperlinked references. Just tap a hyperlink once to skip to the section you would like to read. Practical information and listings are also hyperlinked, so as long as you have an external connection to the internet, you can tap a link to go directly to the website for more information.

    Maps

    All key attractions and sights mentioned in the text are numbered and cross-referenced to high-quality maps. Wherever you see the reference [map] just tap this to go straight to the related map. You can also double-tap any map for a zoom view.

    Images

    You’ll find hundreds of beautiful high-resolution images that capture the essence of the destination. Simply double-tap on an image to see it full-screen.

    © 2019 Apa Digital (CH) AG and Apa Publications (UK) Ltd

    Recommended Routes For...

    Architecture buffs

    Admire grand hotels on Nob Hill (route 7), the Beaux Arts buildings in Civic Center (route 6), modern museums in South of Market (route 5), and charming Victorians in the Haight and Castro (routes 9 and 10).

    Dreamstime

    Art Enthusiasts

    Head to South of Market for modern and cartoon art (route 5), Civic Center for the Asian Art Museum (route 6), Golden Gate Park for the de Young Museum (route 9), or the Mission for colorful murals (route 11).

    Nowitz Photography/Apa Publications

    Children

    Enjoy barking sea lions, an aquarium, and antique arcade games at Fisherman’s Wharf (route 1), explore the Children’s Creativity Museum (route 5) or ride the vintage merry-go-round in Golden Gate Park (route 9).

    Nowitz Photography/Apa Publications

    Churches and Temples

    See the old Mission Dolores that gave the Mission District its name (route 11), tiny temples in Chinatown (route 4), the Gothic Grace Cathedral on Nob Hill (route 7), and Saints Peter and Paul Church in North Beach (route 3).

    Nowitz Photography/Apa Publications

    Foodies

    Visit North Beach for Italian food (route 3), the Mission for burritos (route 11), Fisherman’s Wharf for fresh seafood (route 1), and the central neighborhoods for chic eateries (routes 7 and 8).

    Nowitz Photography/Apa Publications

    Literary Types

    Pay homage to the Beat writers in North Beach (route 3), rifle through anarchist literature in the Haight (route 9), and visit the inspiration for Armistead Maupin’s Barbary Lane on Russian Hill (route 7).

    Nowitz Photography/Apa Publications

    Parks and Gardens

    Enjoy Golden Gate Park’s lakes and botanical gardens (route 9); hang with hipsters at the Mission’s Dolores Park (route 11); relax by a lagoon at the Palace of Fine Arts (route 12); or picnic at a Pacific Heights park (route 8).

    iStock

    Shoppers

    Peruse Union Square’s emporia (route 5), Jackson Square’s antiques (route 3), Hayes Street’s boutiques (route 6), home decor and clothing on Fillmore and Union streets (route 8), and thrift stores in the Haight (route 9).

    iStock

    Explore San Francisco

    Built on sloping hills next to sparkling waters, San Francisco is often called the most beautiful American city. Many visitors are attracted by the city’s open-minded character, fertile ground for idealists and entrepreneurial gold-prospectors alike.

    With dramatic views from impossibly steep hills, inventive cuisine that caters to foodies, diverse cultural attractions, and vibrant neighborhoods, San Francisco is an easy city to love. Often considered the most European of large American cities, the lively, compact metropolis spans some 49 square miles (127 sq km), broken up by 43 windswept and fog-capped hills. These scattered slopes define the city’s skyline and urban landscape, offering arresting views of elegant bridges and the glistening blue-green Pacific and San Francisco Bay.

    Golden Gate Bridge

    Nowitz Photography/Apa Publications

    Hidden gems

    Tucked on and around the hills of San Francisco are dozens of small, distinct neighborhoods with their own microclimates, stereotypes, and special attractions. Landmarks like Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, and the city’s cable-cars, as well as the endless array of lesser known attractions − mural-lined alleys, a literary festival, and a 1910 hardware store that sells just about everything − all contribute to the special charm of the City by the Bay.

    city development

    San Francisco is no stranger to the spotlight on the world’s stage. Throughout the city’s history, more than one boom and bust has drawn international attention. In the 19th century, the discovery of gold in the Sierra foothills ignited the largest mass migration in history, with treasure-seekers flooding the then small town of 2,000 and turning it into a proper city of 10 times that size. In 1906, the world’s attention was drawn to San Francisco when it was struck by a massive earthquake measuring an estimated 8.3 on the Richter scale. Coupled with the ensuing fire that raged for three days, the earthquake left the city in ruins. Then, later in the 20th century, the San Francisco Bay Area witnessed first-hand the prosperous dot-com era and its subsequent rapid unraveling.

    Center stage

    The city has also attracted attention for its significant role in political moments and countercultural movements. The stage of the War Memorial Opera House saw the signing of the United Nations permanent charter in 1945. Then, in the late 1950s, North Beach became Beat-central, attracting writers such as Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Philip Whalen, and Michael McClure.

    In 1967, thousands of hippies descended on Haight-Ashbury and Golden Gate Park during the Summer of Love. More recently, the city has become a focal point for the gay community’s battles for equal rights; when Mayor Gavin Newsome began signing same-sex marriage licenses in 2004, the gay marriage issue became a national talking point.

    Contemporary appeal

    Yet, no matter what dramas befall this city, its charms only seem to grow. Millions of visitors come each year to absorb San Francisco’s legacy, explore Alcatraz, admire stunning views, dine on first-class cuisine, shop to their hearts’ content, and climb impossibly steep hills in the city’s iconic cable-cars. Whichever aspect of San Francisco intrigues, most visitors find it is difficult not to leave one’s heart here.

    Geography

    At just 7 sq miles (18 sq km) and with a population of around 870,000, San Francisco is small for a major city in terms of both geography and population. Yet, for a city of such narrow limits, San Francisco covers a huge spectrum of natural and social terrain. The city sits on a bay over 400 sq miles (1,000 sq km) in area, which is crossed by five bridges. One of these bridges is the world-famous Golden Gate Bridge, which was completed in 1937 and still remains an enduring, defining symbol of San Francisco. Space in the compact city is at a premium today, with real-estate prices among the highest in the country.

    Don’t Call It Frisco

    The surest way of giving yourself away as a tourist in San

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