Off the beaten path – San Francisco: Top 5 neighborhoods to visit
San Francisco is a large city with so much to do and to see. If you don’t want to go where all the other tourists go, stay off the beaten path when visiting San Francisco. Rather than seeing Fisherman’s Warf over and over again, visit some more hidden jewels of San Francisco. When planning your San Francisco tour you should know that the city is divided in 26 neighborhoods and you will need quite some time to see them all. Our Follower on Twitter, @FoodieAdventure also made us aware of some cool Foodie walking tours through different neighborhoods in San Francisco. If you like walking and food, this might be a cool thing to do! So here is a brief description of the 5 neighborhoods you ought to visit – other than ChinaTown and Union Square, which should already be on your list of neighborhoods to visit during your San Francisco tour anyway!
Hayes Valley – th
e London influence
During your San Francisco tour you should consider visiting a neighborhood where you will be surrounded by locals rather than tourists; this is the neighborhood to visit then! Hayes Valley has a European/ London touch, with its many bars, coffee shops, clothing stores and art galleries. You can find a lot of good restaurants and a charming park to rest a little. Even though this neighborhood is quite new, you can feel a strong sense of community surrounding you.
North Beach – the Italian influence
The next stop of your San Francisco tour should be North Beach, also known as Little Italy. Have you ever had Tiramisu? Now is your chance! North Beach is a great day time stop for its shopping and Italian restaurants or coffee shops. You can visit the oldest street of San Francisco – Grant Avenue and stop at the Beat Museum for a poetic break. But North Beach is also a great neighborhood to visit later in the day for its night life.
The Castro – the Harvey Milk influence
One of the most popular stops, The Castro is one of the best neighborhoods to visit by night, especially during Happy Hour. This neighborhood is known as the gay and lesbian neighborhood, historically marked after the events of 1978 as the gay rights activist community. You have a vaste choice of cuisine, from Thai to Japanese or Mexican, as well as many shopping opportunities. If you like garlic, eat at the Stinking Rose Restaurant on the corner of Columbus and Broadway! Every dish has more garlic in it than you would eat in a month, but it tastes delicious! Just remember: If you share a room, everybody has to join in on this meal!
The Haight – the Hippie influence
Now your San Francisco tour is taking you back to 60s… well, almost. Plan to visit this neighborhood in the morning. The Haight is famous or its coffee shops, vintage clothing boutiques and thrift stores. Enjoy a nice brunch and shop around, you might be able to find that CD you always wanted, or those pants you wore in high school… and after that you should head towards Golden Gate Park, and enjoy the colorful houses on your way.
Pacific Heights – the Hollywood influence
After you visited the artist, the gay and the hippy neighborhoods, why not take a more elegant stop on your San Francisco tour? Pacific Heights, the “Beverly Hills of San Francisco” is the neighborhood to visit for the eye. This privileged, luxurious and quiet neighborhood gives you a great scenic view. It is quite a shopping opportunity too, but just like in Hollywood, luxury has a price tag.
Of course this should not be the only neighborhoods to visit if you have a little more time to discover San Francisco. But if you want to see a more “real” and less touristy San Francisco, that’s where you should start.
More about San Francisco here…
