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FRANCISCO TRAVEL INFORMATION San Francisco General Information Geography | Population | Climate | Language San Francisco Fast Facts San Francisco Weather Phone Facts | Area Code San Francisco Transportation San Francisco Shopping Guide San Francisco Travel Tips Introduction of San Francisco San Francisco is a golden dream come true, a place where heart, mind and soul embrace, lost in the simplicity of delightful deliverance. Fog and sun mingle playfully above America's favorite city; the cool, cloudy comfort of early morning slowly dissolving into the peaceful warmth of a gentle afternoon glow. Touch it....it is real. Feel it.....it is the essence of escape. Savor it.....it is one of a kind. Little wonder why San Francisco has been named the world's top city twice by readers of Cond? Nast Traveler; the top U.S. city seven times since 1988. San Francisco's neighborhoods comprise its inner beauty, enhancing daydreams, opening doors to new and exciting visions. The City is a cultural wonderland, an ethnic treasure chest where custom, tradition and history are preserved, celebrated, shared. So take your time and explore The City. You'll find that the Gold Rush days have never really ended here; there's still plenty of gold to be found. The restless spirit of The City's Barbary Coast past lives on, fueled by a desire to be different, nurtured by infinite viewpoints, personalities, styles. Magical moments abound. The echo of cable car bells from atop great hills. The rejuvenation of the soul upon crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. The splendor and elegance of a boat cruise on San Francisco Bay. The soft touching of wine glasses over a gourmet meal. The views. The people. The sights. The sounds. The City. So come and share the wealth. Let your heart, mind and soul wander. Stay as long as you like. San Francisco encourages lingering. It was designed with adventure, romance and pleasure in mind. It is one of life's great indulgences, so indulge. It is one of the world's most gratifying escapes, so escape. It is where the world comes to unwind. It is America's preeminent playground Background on a city is always helpful when traveling. Take note of the following as you discover and re-discover the magic of San Francisco. Geography surrounded on three sides by the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, San Francisco's compact 46 square miles (125 sq. km.) crowd the tip of the San Francisco Peninsula. Population "The City" has a population of 723,959; nevertheless it looms large in the imagination as the hub of the greater Bay Area. The nation's fifth largest metropolitan region registers a population of 6 million and hosts over 16 million visitors, conventioneers and business travelers each year. Climate Aerial View of San Francisco : San Francisco's climate really fits the description moderate, but this moderation makes the climate very unusual. The city has the least variety of weather of any city in the U.S.A.. This moderation is because of the temperature of the surrounding ocean and the winds. For much of the year the day starts with a mist rolling in from the bay, that remains for most of the morning. It never gets extremely cold - frost is almost unheard of, and similarly the temperature rarely goes higher than the 70s (fahrenheit). The Bay Area's weather makes for a very refreshing change for visitors from climates where it is either very cold or very warm. Probably the best way of describing the climate is by saying that it nearly always seems like spring. The greenness that this spring like weather brings is very attractive, and a huge variety of flora can be grown. In the summer months if one travels to San Francisco from other parts of California or even much of the rest of North America, San Francisco will probably seem almost cold in contrast. Light summer clothing is hardly appropriate, thin sweaters and spring wear are ideal year round. It can rain at any time of year, but there is usually more rain in January and February than during other months. The rain is often light, in keeping with the weather's moderate theme. Many say that the ideal months to visit are October and November, when fall and even winter weather is setting in throughout most of North America - in San Francisco it will still seem like spring. Language Although the first language in the United States is English, in San Francisco there is a wide diversity of cultures making it possible to converse with many different people in many different languages. Cantonese is common in Chinatown. Many inhabitants are of Mexican descent so Spanish is widely spoken. The use of Italian, German, Greek and Indian is also fairly wide spread. Getting connected in San Francisco It is possible to connect to the Internet through the phone sockets of most hotel rooms in the United States. If you own a mobile phone contact your phone company as it may be possible to use this to connect to the Internet. San Francisco Fast Facts Region : California Country : USA Continent : North America National Status : Democratic Federal Republic National Population : 277,825,000 (2000 estimate, Source: United Nations Population Division, 1996) City Population : 4,051,000 (2000 estimate, Source: United Nations Population Division, 1996) National Capital : Washington DC Local Time : GMT - 8. Daylight Saving Time is observed. Official Language : English Currency : US Dollar (USD) =100cents Religion : Christian majority, Jewish minority. San Francisco Weather The San Francisco Bay Area has some of the best weather in the nation. For year-round temperatures and a comprehensive five-day weather forecast.
Phone Facts Emergency Dialing Dial 911 to get help fast in any emergency situation. An operator will connect you to the police, fire department or ambulance. Area Code The area code for San Francisco is 415. The 510 area code encompasses all of Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the East Bay, including the communities of Oakland and Berkeley. The 650 area code covers most of the Peninsula and San Mateo County, including San Francisco International Airport. For dialing outside the 415 area code, callers must dial 1 plus the appropriate area code and seven-digit number. Information Please (all area codes 415)
San Francisco Transportation The Bay Area has the best transit system of any city in the western half of the United States. This is largely because car travel is not necessarily practical in the narrow, steep and congested streets, so the use of transit is more popular, as well as being environmentally responsible. The San Francisco Municipal Railway System (or Muni) is responsible for public transport , and this includes buses, trolley buses, trains, streetcars and cable cars within San Francisco. BART also offers transit service to points in the suburbs and East Bay area. There are also several county bus services connecting the whole area. And of course, ferry service from the area of Fisherman's Wharf to Alcatraz and several communities across the bay. San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is located fifteen miles south of the city. Regular BART buses leave the upper level of the airport. A taxi to the downtown area will cost around $30 plus tip. Depending on traffic the driving time to the major downtown areas is from half and hour to an hour. There are several private shuttle buses offering airport to door service (and return), these are very competitive, so check prices - for two people they still may work out a little cheaper than a taxi. SFO is a major world airport with direct service from all major airports in the U.S.A. and Canada, and many points in Australia and New Zealand, Asia and Europe. There is also domestic air service from many points in the U.S.A. to the other Bay Area airports at Oakland (with an easy BART shuttle connection) and San Jose. The San Francisco area is served by AMTRAK trains which serve the length of the West Coast from Vancouver B.C to San Diego and from the rest of the USA. The Amtrak stations in the Bay Area are at Oakland and Richmond, both having good BART connections to downtown San Francisco. The Bay Area is on the route of several Interstate highways making connections from the rest of North America relatively easy. Greyhound Buses reach San Francisco from all over the continent. San Francisco Shopping Guide Unlike the UK, where shopping areas are identified by streets, San Francisco prefers to lure its punters into vast retail & restaurant complexes scattered throughout the city. While this inevitably reduces the amount of opportunities to sample the atmosphere of street life, it does save time & shoe leather - welcome to the land of the one-stop shop. Listed below are a selection of some of the top retail centres. Union Square: Elegant department stores, art galleries & designer boutiques centrally located within a four-block radius bounded by Geary, Powell, Post & Stockton, but spreading out a block or two in all directions. Take a wad of credit cards. The Cannery: Former Del Monte peach canning factory, these historic buildings today comprise three levels of walkways, balconies & bridges set around a courtyard. Dozens of designer shops, modern art galleries, caf?s, knickknack outlets & tourist shops are the staple diet, washed down with an excellent comedy club & street performers. The Museum of the City of San Francisco is here, too. Near Fisherman's Wharf, comprising one square block bounded by Leavenworth, Jefferson, Beach & Hyde. Ghirardelli Square: (Pronounced 'Gear-a-deli.') The Ghirardelli family produced chocolate here from 1893 until the early 1960s. Today the complex styles itself as a 'festival marketplace'. In addition to some great views of the Bay, sculpted gardens & street performers, there are 70-odd shops & eateries. Very stylish, very 90s, & just by the Aquatic Park on the northern waterfront. Pier 39: Cacophony of sound, colour & contrasts, comprising over 100 specialist shops, ten restaurants, a theatre, two-tiered carousel, interactive computer centres & the Under Water World walk-through aquarium, landscaped gardens & much besides. Located two blocks east of Fisherman's Wharf at Beach St & Embarcadero. Embarcadero Center: Eight blocks & three levels of shops, eateries, two hotels, cinema complex, SkyDeck, sculpture collection, ice-rink, open-air kids' parties. You name it...they cater for it. Located between Sacramento & Clay, Battery & Justin Herman Plaza, steps away from the BART & MUNI. Highly recommended, especially if limited for time, as everything is under one roof & the layout & architecture is quite splendid. Note the incredible open-air, landscaped terraces. San Francisco Travel Tips When to Visit - Arts and Events In keeping with San Francisco's colorful reputation, there is an interesting mixture of festivals and exhibitions almost all year round in the city. There is everything from a Cable Car Bell-Ringing Championship in June and July through to Halloween night in Castro Street as well as Shakespeare performances and Opera and Blues in the parks during the summer. San Francisco Dining For a city graced with rich cultural diversity and a wildly imaginative spirit, it comes as no surprise to find the cuisine available in San Francisco echoes its innovative cosmopolitan air. Experience superb examples of the finest global fare from authentic Asian menus in China Town to the ever-changing thoroughly modern Californian seafood specialties. Spanish/Mexican classics, with all you can eat tariffs and the traditional USA 'surf and turf' grills are in abundance in the city that rarely sleeps. Many café bars stay open for twenty-four hours. Sometimes choosing what to eat is not as difficult as deciding where to eat. Many restaurants boast spectacular views of the bay and beyond. With impeccable, seamless service the norm, every San Francisco eating experience should be as pleasing as the city itself. San Francisco Tipping Advice Service charges are not included on restaurant bills throughout San Francisco. A standard gratuity of between 10 and 20 percent tends to be the norm. For other service personnel such as doormen, valets and baggage handlers, a tip of one US dollar per service is recommended. As a guide, adding 10 percent onto taxi fares is acceptable. |
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