The Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars and hills covered in fog: "Welcome to San Francisco! A symbol of freedom and tolerance, "the city by the way" challenges all our prejudices about the USA!
A movie set
A chase through tumbling streets, candy-colored kitsch facades and a bridge immortalized by Alfred Hitchcock: we all have in mind a scene from a movie made in San Francisco! Engine, it turns to the Golden Gate Bridge, mythical work which spans the strait of a giant step and offers a panoramic sight until the first shivers of Alcatraz. The name of the island sounds like the key ring of the famous prison where the most illustrious criminals lived: Al Capone, Alvin Karpis and George "Machine Gun" Kelly. Back in the city, the star is the cable cars. These traction streetcars, still in service since 1873, take their bohemians along Nob Hill or Russian Hill and exhibit their bodies in the museum dedicated to them. The Painted Ladies, the pastel-colored dollhouses that brighten up the Alamo Square neighborhood and stand next to the tall towers of the Transamerica Pyramid and the Coit Tower, are also in the spotlight.
This weathered setting is animated by a cosmopolitan atmosphere, both traditional and avant-garde. Home of the hippy "Summer of Love" and the gay community, the city recently opened the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender History Museum in the Castro district. Speaking of museums, don't miss the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and its modern collections that pay tribute to Jackson Pollock, Paul Klee or Marcel Duchamp. The Asian Art Museum and its 15,000 original works allow us to measure the importance of the Asian population in the city. SF's Chinatown is the third largest Chinatown in the world! On Grant Avenue, the Dragon Gate marks the departure to this Asian bubble where fish markets, tea stores and typical restaurants guarantee the authenticity of the district. The Japanese community is also represented with Japantown, more recent than Chinatown. The Japanese garden of Golden Gate Park or the Peace Pagoda are a must, as well as the Kabuki theater which offers various Japanese shows.
Cosmopolitan atmosphere in the streets and on the plates
Ethnic mix and cultural diversity are echoed in the cuisine. From lasagna to kogi, we find the spirit of the "Cal cuisine" which relies above all on the freshness of the products of the local fisheries and farms. However, no one neglects the fantasy of double meat and grilled cheese that you can gulp down in an In-N-Out. For the gourmets, the seafood platters are accompanied by a vintage wine from Napa, Sonoma or Russian River Valley. A detour to the north, towards the wine country, is a delicious escapade for those interested in wines. In the early evening, we move to Mission, South of Market, North Beach or Tenderloin where we taste the best cocktails of the city; they say that it is here that the Martini was created! When the bars close, it's time for a round of nightclubs: Mezzanine, 1015 Folsom, Ruby Skye and The Endup, THE meeting place for the best international DJs who keep the party going until dawn.
Away from the hustle and bustle of the bars, Golden Park offers a pleasant stroll that some people continue on the beach. Baker Beach, China Beach or Ocean Beach, by far the most popular with Californians who never tire of the show put on by the surfers of this renowned spot. In the south, we go from a wild and torn coast to the mystical landscapes of Big Sure. In the north, it is a return to the prehistoric era, in the kingdom of the redwoods, these giant sequoias among the oldest in the world. There are also the turquoise waters of Lake Tahoe and the white and majestic Sierra Nevada. The cliffs and magnificent waterfalls of the Yosemite Park valley look like paradise, while the volcanic lands of Mono Lake offer a lunar landscape.
Bastion of the free thinkers, San Francisco is nowadays prized by artists, intellectuals and outsiders seduced by its unique way of life.
Discover now our San Francisco must-sees!
VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER. Very complete, the website of the tourist office gives multiple information for a stay in San Francisco. List of activities, accommodations, transportation, good addresses... Nothing is missing. There is even a section dedicated to weddings and a calendar of events.
COMPAGNIES DU MONDE - 5, avenue de l'Opéra, 75001 Paris - ✆ 0 892 234 432.""Californian getaway in San Francisco", hotels for free stays... Compagnies du monde offers you the choice to discover the city and its region.
