San Francisco Neighborhoods

North Beach:

Located in Northeast San Francisco, this historic neighborhood is surrounded by Fisherman’s Wharf, Russian Hill and the Financial District. As San Francisco’s “Little Italy,” you can expect to find a great selection of old school Italian restaurants, bakeries and coffee shops. North Beach is a popular place to live if you are looking for a fun area with lots of fun bars, nightclubs and more.

Highlights: 

Vesuvio Cafe
255 Columbus Street
San Francisco, CA 94133

website: http://www.vesuvio.com/

Washington Square
Filbert St. & Stockton Street
San Francisco, CA 94133

website: https://sfrecpark.org/

Caffe Trieste
601 Vallejo Street
San Francisco, CA 94133

website: http://coffee.caffetrieste.com/

Fisherman’s Wharf:

Definitely the most popular “tourist” neighborhood, Fisherman’s Wharf is located on the San Francisco Bay in Northeast San Francisco. Home to popular attractions like Ghirardelli Square, Pier 39 and tons of shops, museums and restaurants, Fisherman’s Wharf attracts well over 10 million visitors per year.

Highlights: 

Pier 39
The Embarcadero
San Francisco, CA 94133

website: https://www.pier39.com/

Ripley’s Believe it or Not Museum
175 Jefferson Street
San Francisco, CA 94133

website: https://www.ripleys.com/sanfrancisco/

Gary Danko
800 North Point Street
San Francisco, CA 94133

website: http://garydanko.com/

The Castro:

Among the first gay neighborhoods in the United States, The Castro is a prominent symbol of LGBTQ culture worldwide. Located in the center of the city, The Castro is a wonderful place to spend the day walking around, enjoying food at amazing restaurants or grabbing a drink at one of the popular bars and nightclubs.

Highlights: 

Castro Theater
429 Castro Street
San Francisco, CA 94114

website: http://www.castrotheatre.com/

GLBT Museum
4127 18th Street
San Francisco, CA 94114

website: https://www.glbthistory.org/

Moby Dick
4049 18th Street
San Francisco, CA 94114

website: https://www.sfgayhistory.com/neighborhoods/castro/castro-gay-bars/moby-dick-4049-18th/

Haight-Ashbury:

Known for the Summer of Love and birthplace of Hippie culture in the 1960s, The Haight is a neighborhood filled with interesting historical significance. Located in Central San Francisco near The Castro and The Mission, The Haight is a fun place to visit for locals and tourists. You can see the houses where the Grateful Dead and Janice Joplin Lived, Grab some Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream on the corner of Haight and Ashbury, relax in Buena Vista Park or just walk down Haight Street and check out the unique stores, restaurants and bars.

Highlights: 

The Grateful Dead House
710 Ashbury Street
San Francisco, CA 94117

The Kezar Pub
770 Stanyan Street
San Francisco, CA 94117

Amoeba Music
1855 Haight Street
San Francisco, CA 94117

website: https://www.amoeba.com/

Alembic
1725 Haight Street
San Francisco, CA 94117

website: https://alembicsf.com/

The Marina:

With gorgeous views of the Golden Gate Bridge, The Marina Green and the bars and restaurants on Chestnut Street, The Marina is a very desirable place to live in San Francisco. This is a very active neighborhood with lots of activities for children and adults. People enjoy running along Marina Blvd, grabbing drinks at the busy Marina bars and shopping at the many shops in the area.

Highlights: 

Palace of Fine Arts
3601 Lyon Street
San Francisco, CA 94123

website: https://palaceoffinearts.com/

Chrissy Field
1199 E Beach
San Francisco, CA 94129

website: https://www.parksconservancy.org/programs/crissy-field-center

Fort Mason
2 Marina Blvd.
San Francisco, CA 94123

website: https://fortmason.org/

Balboa Cafe
3199 Fillmore Street
San Francisco, CA 94123

website: https://www.balboacafesf.com/

Union Square:

The main shopping area in San Francisco, Union Square is filled with large department stores, art galleries, boutiques and hotels. In the center of Union Square, there is a plaza which is used for concerts, performances and other activities. This is one of the busiest areas in San Francisco, particularly on weekends and during the holiday season.

Highlights: 

Cable Car Turnaround
2350 Taylor Street
San Francisco, CA 94133

website: https://www.sfmta.com/getting-around/muni/fares

Bourbon & Branch
501 Jones Street
San Francisco, CA 94102

website: http://www.bourbonandbranch.com/

Belden Place
Belden Pl.
San Francisco, CA 94104

The Mission:

The Mission District is a lively, diverse area with a great selection of bars, shops and restaurants. It is also the home of San Francisco’s oldest standing building, the 18th century Mission Dolores. If you visit the area make sure to try one of the famous burritos at El Farolito, La Cumbre or La Taqueria.

Highlights: 

El Farolito
2779 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94110

website: https://elfarolitosf.com/

Mission Dolores
3321 16th Street
San Francisco, CA 94114

website: https://www.missiondolores.org/old-mission/visitor.html

Pirate Supply Store
826 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110

website: https://shop.826valencia.org/