Chinatown San Francisco is the largest Chinatown outside of Asia. It is also the oldest Chinatown in North America. It was created in mid 1800’s when the number of Chinese immigrants to America increased suddenly due to the volatile political and social conditions in China. The San Francisco Chinatown that you will see is a new Chinatown that came into existence after the 1906 earthquake in which almost all wooden shacks were demolished.
Chinatown San Francisco is located in the heart of the town near Kearny District and Financial District. While walking down the main streets provides a fair amount of entertainment, straying into the alleys can be a treat. There are also various other attraction that the place offers.
Visit Chinatown San Francisco: Walking Tours
The walking tours of Chinatown San Francisco will take you to the Fortune Cookie Factory and into the famous Chinatown alleys. Waverly Place, Spofford Alley and Ross Alley are some of the popular Chinatown alley’s that you may want to go to. While Spofford has various Chinese associations and clubs, the Ross Valley is where you shall find the Golden Gate Cookie Factory. Other alleys that you can consider walking through are
- Hang Ah – This alley continues to merge into the Pagoda Alleyas it approaches Sacramento Street. It is amazing to watch the alternate Chinese and English text on the ground as you walk.
- Walter U. Lum Place – Along the west side of Portsmouth Square, this alley is host to the Chinese New Year celebrations. At the south end you can see a beautiful mural of a phoenix.
Visit Chinatown San Francisco: Other Sightseeing Attractions
While in Chinatown San Francisco, plan to visit some of these attractions too.
- Bank of Canton – This was the Chinese Telephone Exchange that was finally closed in 1949. The closure happened when the technology changed to rotary dial telephones from a switchboard one. A surprising aspect of this exchange was that the Chinatown community thought that it was rude to refer to people by numbers and therefore telephone operators memorized telephone numbers.
- Bank of America – The Bank of America building in Chinatown San Francisco is decorated with gold dragons on the columns and doors. There are 60 dragon medallions on the façade.
- Sing Chong Building – One of the first buildings that were rebuilt after the 1906 earthquake, this is a classical building that you must see.
Visit Chinatown San Francisco: Chinatown San Francisco Events
If you are in San Francisco in the next few months, you could benefit from enjoying some of these events scheduled to be held in Chinatown San Francisco.
- The Architecture of San Francisco’s Chinatown exhibit on March 6, 2010 on Clay Street
- The Art of Tea – China and Beyond on March 6, 2010 on Commercial Street
- The 28th San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival from 11th March to 21st March
- The Children of Chinatown and Book Talk on 18th March on Mission Street
- The 53rd San Francisco International Film Festival from 22nd April to 6th May in Berkeley
- The 6th Annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration on May 15th on Larkin Street
Visit Chinatown San Francisco: Shopping at China San Francisco
Some interesting items that you can consider purchasing while at China town are:
- Dragon decorations, Chinese cleaver, chopstick set, bamboo steamer, woks.
- Botan rice candy, Ching kee egg rolls, oyster sauce, ginseng extract, shrimp chips, sriracha chili sauce, Chinese dried black mushrooms, bubble tea, chrysanthemum tea and more.
- Special Chinese toys like the Mashimaro.
- Ankle length Chinese dresses, Cheongsam, Chinese T-shirts, Qipao and bee and flower scented soaps and perfumes.
Oh, and don’t forget to try some authentic Chinese dishes while you are visiting Chinatown in San Francisco! It will be the best Chinese food outside of China!
Chinatown in San Francisco is a must-see spot of the city, so take your time and explore this area and get immersed in this fascinating culture without leaving the country!
