San Francisco [antikvár]

Introduction Visually spectacular, historically colorful, and a regular trendsetter in everything from flower power to gay liberation, San Francisco consistently tops the polls as America's favorite city. The city's irresistible attraction starts with the way it looks. Streets soar up and plunge down the steep hills, framing spectacular views and hiding quiet little pockets within the urban chaos. In the background there's always the Bay, crossed by not one but two of the world's best known bridges. What's more, San Francisco is a city of multiple disguises; sure there's a booming downtown business center, but there are also a host of micro cities. San Francisco's colorful, crowded, and frenetic Chinatown jostles up against ritzy Union Square. It quickly fades into the bars, cafes, and restaurants of North Beach, the Beat center of the '50s. That blends into Fisherman's Wharf, the raucous tourist center and jumping-off point for Alcatraz. There's also the Latino enclave of the Mission, the gay epicenter of the Castro, the club scene in SoMa, reminders of the flower power era in the Haight-Ashbury, and the much-loved Golden Gate Park. Of course, there's much more to do than simply eye the scenery. In San Francisco getting there is half the fun, particularly on the city's beloved cable cars. Accommodations range from a competitive bunch of international youth-oriented backpacker hostels to glossy five-star palaces and some wonderfully romantic B&Bs. San Francisco has to be one of the world's great eating centers with everything from Mexican and Asian cheap eats to stylish restaurants serving the city's cutting edge California cuisine. After dark the city's theaters, clubs, and bars are surprisingly relaxed and welcoming; San Francisco isn't keen on the fashion police arbitrating who will and won't gain entry. Nor is San Francisco the start and finish of the Bay Area. Head north to trendy Marin County - laid back, affluent, and on top of everything new from hot tubs to mountain bikes. Head further north to the wilds of Point Reyes National Seashore or the pleasures of the famous Wine Country, home to America's most acclaimed wine makers. Across the Bay are the East Bay centers of Berkeley and Oakland. The San Francisco Bay Area: it's quite a region.