San Francisco: walk and fall in love with the city

The Golden Gate Bridge is the landmark of San Francisco. Photo: Depositphotos

Joint project ForumDaily and magazine "New time".

Small, but smart. You can’t say more precisely about San Francisco. You can walk from one end to the other in a day - this famous city by the bay is so small. To make it clearer, you can imagine a square with a side of 11 kilometers - this is what San Francisco looks like from a bird's eye view.

860 thousand people live in the city - less than in the recently renamed Ukrainian Dnipro. But the GDP is almost 5 times greater than all of Ukraine combined - more than $410 billion. Formally, San Francisco is not Silicon Valley yet (it starts a little to the south and stretches to San Jose), but the IT fever of recent decades, a comfortable business climate and venture infrastructure continuously attract startups of all stripes here.

San Francisco Business District. Photo: Depositphotos

The flip side of the heated economy and high wages - transcendental real estate prices. Something more or less decent starts with a million dollars, and a line of 100-150 people lined up for one apartment that is being rented. And this is not an exaggeration.

But San Francisco is synonymous not only with the word “expensive,” but also with the word “beautiful.” The city draws harmony of natural and urban landscapes, exquisite architecture, non-standard for America, and an indescribable mix of adventurism, rebellion and freedom. It is no coincidence that it was in San Francisco at the end of the 60-s that the hippies spent their famous “summer of love”, where everything was: sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll. The smell of grass, by the way, and now in the city "hear" more often than cigarette smoke.

The landscape of San Francisco resembles a roller coaster: steep climbs followed by descents - similar to the road into the abyss. However, it’s still worth exploring on foot - the city is worth it to slowly savor all its beauties.

The usual street angle for San Francisco. Photo: Depositphotos

The main thing for a walk is to dress for the weather. “The coldest winter of my life was the summer in San Francisco.” A joke popular among visitors who naively assumed that all of California would be hot all year round. No matter how it is! The piercing wind from the ocean, even in sunny weather, chills to the bones, especially in coastal areas. Tourist Fisherman's Wharf, with Pier 39 inviting with its many shops and restaurants, is one such area.

Fisherman's Wharf at 39 Pier. Photo: Depositphotos

The main stars here are the imposingly sprawled sea lions. In the struggle for a place in the sun, they forced the yacht moorings out of here - the city decided that animals attracting tourists were more important.

The main attraction at Pier 39 is the sea lions. Photo: Depositphotos

Right here at the Pier, take a look at the famous Hard Rock Cafe - not only to have a snack, but also to consider the rare books that once belonged to famous musicians. For fans of the film “Forrest Gump,” the direct route to Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. is a restaurant named after the shrimp fishing company founded by the hero Tom Hanks. What to try? Needless to say, shrimp.

Well, since you are already on the pier, you can get to Alcatraz, the island where the prison for especially dangerous criminals was located, from the 33 pier on the ferry. $ 33 for seeing the conditions under which the Chicago gangster Al Capone sat for tax evasion.

Aerial view of Alcatraz prison. Photo: Depositphotos

Walk from the pier to Lombard Street, the most winding street in the world. Climb to the Coit Tower Observation Deck for a clear view of San Francisco and its signature Golden Gate Bridge.

Wander around Chinatown. If you want to tickle your taste buds, stop for lunch at nearby The Stinking Rose restaurant, where they add garlic to all their dishes. I definitely recommend trying the garlic ice cream and garlic coffee. You may not like the unexpected taste, but it will definitely surprise you.

A riot of color in Chinatown in San Francisco. Photo: Depositphotos

Well, and without the colorful Victorian houses scattered throughout the city! If you didn’t stop to see in detail the decor of the ornate slender buildings and wonder about the bright color combinations, consider San Francisco you have not seen.

San Francisco is known for its Victorian style homes. Photo: Depositphotos

See also:

Los Angeles: a few secrets to catch the spirit of the city

Miami: a paradise for the rich and fun lovers

Washington. Declaration of love

New York. Declaration of love

Where in Los Angeles meet celebrities

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