Discovering the Adventure
San Francisco Neighborhoods

Why Do We Love the Neighborhoods?

In many towns and cities across the United States, a neighborhood is a geographic community where a number of homes were built, often by the same developer.

But because San Francisco mushroomed so rapidly, starting with the California Gold Rush and never stopping, it's communities grew up a little differently.

The 'hoods in San Francisco are really more closely compared to the concept of the Spanish word, barrio.

They have a flavor about them, a sometimes mysterious je ne sais quoi that makes each one shine in its own way. There are communities the tourists are familiar with, like Chinatown and Fishermans Wharf. Everyone knows that North Beach is the Italian 'hood. But there's also the Castro District, which is home to much of The City's gay populace; quiet, colorful, and quaint Cole Valley; Haight-Ashbury, heart of the 1960s Hippie and Summer of Love movements; the Mission District, where you'll find hipsters, Latinos, cheap food and drink; and many others.

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San Francisco Communities Have
Extraordinary Personality

Pick up one hundred different guide books and you'll discover one hundred different opinions about the number of neighborhoods in San Francisco - anywhere from twenty-six to over one hundred.

But don't despair of figuring out what's what and where to look, you'll also find there are many that are mutually agreed upon throughout the sources. And, however you count them, discovering the charms of these communities is one of our favorite things to do in San Francisco!

So  we'll start our explorations with the well-known areas, but we'll ultimately include some of the lesser known districts and insider secrets as well!

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Who Are These Special Communities?

We've said that the 'hoods of San Francisco have beaucoup personality, so who are they and where are they located?

After all, you're not likely to find a sign out front with the area's population listed.

Maybe it sounds like a cop-out, but the answer depends on which community is under discussion.

It may be the complexity of the neighborhood's history that makes it what it is today; or it may be the people who live there now; sometimes it's the people who have always lived there.

For instance, Nob Hill - which is an affluent community by anyone's standards - was first settled by industrialist magnates like Leland Stanford, and Mark Hopkins. The rich and famous of the late 1900s built their mansions atop Nob Hill for the views and to enjoy a location that was central to the burgeoning city.

Fishermans Wharf, on the other hand, was settled by Italian fishermen in the early days of the California Gold Rush, and - while it's one of The City's most famous tourist attractions - it's also a working-class neighborhood, still characterized by the fishermen and their families who have lived and worked there for generations.

So come on, let's find out more about these special districts. We'll explore each of them, one-by-one...

Do you have a favorite NorCal story?
From a family visit from years ago to something
you discovered last weekend,
Share it with the rest of us - we'd love to learn about it!

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We'll have more San Francisco 'hoods to share with you in the coming weeks, but here's for starters:

• San Francisco Chinatown
  In spite of popular conception, San Francisco's Chinatown is not just a tourist attraction - it's a living breathing neighborhood as well!
• Fishermans Wharf
  Fisherman's Wharf is another surprise to most people. It, too, is a neighborhood as well as a tourist attraction!
• San Francisco Marina District
  The Marina has a twin! It's called Cow Hollow. But many people think they're one and the same!
• North Beach
  Want a virtual tour of San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood? I guarantee you'll find it interesting!

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