San Francisco

Basic Information
San Francisco is the largest city in northern California. Though not famous for its beaches like Southern Californian cities such as Los Angeles and San Diego, it has a number of other unique features. Unlike other large Californian cities, San Francisco has a relatively small area. Because of this, walking and using public transportation are very practical means of getting around. Note that, unlike pretty much everywhere else in the state of California, the weather in San Francisco is not particularly hot, and is often windy, cloudy, or foggy, especially in midsummer - so don't expect to be wearing shorts and sandals every day.

The city is located at the tip of a peninsula, surrounded on three sides by water - the Pacific Ocean to the West, San Francisco Bay to the east. The city is roughly seven miles by seven miles. Most things of interest to tourists are in the north-eastern part of the city. San Francisco's main street is Market Street, which runs southwest to northeast across the eastern half of the city; most things on the eastern half of the city are either north of Market or South of Market (SoMa).

Transport
Public transportation in San Francisco is decent and a fine way to get around the city. There are a few different ways of getting around. First, there are two main public transit systems: BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) and MUNI (San Francisco Municipal Railway).

BART operates light rail around the entire Bay Area - so if you want to visit somewhere that isn't in San Francisco, it's your best bet. Inside San Francisco, BART operates one line that runs along Market Street, in the middle of downtown, and then into the south of the City. It's fast, reliable, and comfortable, but it is fairly limited in terms of where it will take you.

MUNI operates almost entirely within San Francisco itself, and runs the buses, the subway, and the cable cars. Buses and the subway run most places in the city. They can be unreliable and slow, but if you're going to tourist-y places, they're almost certainly your best bet for getting around. The cable car system is a San Francisco landmark, of course, but it's actually also a good way to get around downtown. Don't bother waiting in line at the Powel Street turnaround, since you can just board at any stop. If you're a tourist, you can buy a 1, 3, or 7 day MUNI pass that will get you on buses, subways, and cable cars. I strongly recommend it.

San Francisco is also a very walkable city, especially if you don't mind going up hills, so keep that option in mind. If you want to drive, you can, but parking is often extremely difficult and expensive. I would kind of advise against it.

Downtown
San Francisco's central business and shopping district. Check out centrally-located Union Square shopping district. Tadich Grill and Sam's Grill are legendary San Francisco places, although probably out of the price range of a lot of people on here.

Chinatown
San Francisco's Chinatown district, just a few blocks from Union Square, centered around Stockton and Grant streets between Sacramento and Pacific. Chinatown isn't just a tourist spot; it's also the home of a thriving Chinese community. In general Grant is a little more touristy, full of import and souvenir shops, while Stockton is packed with Chinese immigrants shopping at produce markets and dim sum restaurants. Both are worth taking a look at. Wander around the back alleys and parks, and don't miss the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie company, located in a back alley... somewhere.

North Beach
Although San Francisco's Italian neighborhood, located within walking distance of Chinatown, centered around Columbus Street and Washington Square Park, has gentrified a little, it still retains a lot of interesting flavor. It's well worth getting a cappucino or some pastries (or a drink) and walking around a little. City Lights Bookstore, once the headquarters of the Beat Poetry movement, is located here and is worth a stop if you're a reader. This neighborhood also features the first topless bar in America, Carol Doda's Condor Night Club. I think that combination says a lot about San Francisco. Coit Tower is close by here, and it's well worth the hike up to the tower for the amazing views. Finally, if you're up early enough - the place is usually sold out by 11 - I highly recommend going to Liguria Bakery for the best foccacia in the universe. Grab some bread, sit out in Washington Square Park, and watch the world go by.

The Mission
Located South of Market, this historically Mexican district has recently seen an explosion of gentrification. The neighborhood is now a haven for good food and drink. Get a delicious Mission burrito (I recommend Cancun Burrito or El Farolito). Check out the historic Mission Dolores. If it's a sunny day, about half of the City will head over to Dolores Park to chill, and it can be a pretty fantastic place to relax when it's warm - and definitely an interesting San Francisco experience.

The Castro
San Francisco's gay neighborhood is located at the western end of Market Street, about 15 minutes walk from the Mission.

Nihon-machi (JapanTown)
San Francisco's Japantown is an East Asia-centric area. Tragically, it's no longer a vibrant, active Japanese community, as it once was. After the outbreak of World War 2, many of the residents of Japantown were sent to internment camps, and the community never really recovered. Nevertheless, the area is worth visiting for the Japantown mall, which features many interesting shops, restaurants, and cultural centers.

The Golden Gate Bridge
San Francisco's iconic bridge is located at the northwestern corner of the city. It's well worth taking a walk across the historic span; great views. You can get there by bus, as well, although I don't remember the route.

Fisherman's Wharf
This area is honestly kind of a tourist trap and I haven't been there in years except to go watch fireworks. But there are some good things about it. Try some seafood from one of the stalls around here - get some clam chowder in a sourdough breadbowl. This area (IIRC) is also the place to catch a ferry over to Alcatraz, the federal prison located on an island in San Francisco Bay, and I'd recommend it if it's within your price range - it's a pretty interesting way to spend a couple hours. It's a fascinating place which had some fascinating people living there.