26
City Sights
The Beat Generation of the 1950s is rooted in this eclectic San Francisco neighborhood. Upper Grant Avenue maintains the flavor of its Bohemian past. Poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s City Lights at 261 Columbus Avenue, the first paperback bookstore in the country and Allen Ginsberg’s publisher, was at the movement’s center. Facing City Lights on Jack Kerouac Place is Vesuvio, a saloon worth a visit for its Beat Generation memorabilia. It’s the restaurants that draw the crowds to North Beach, and you won’t be disappointed with any selection that you make. Traditional cafes, Italian delicatessens selling homemade ravioli, and bakeries offering tempting pastries line Columbus Avenue. At the heart of North Beach is Washington Square, a grassy piazza where the Church of Saints Peter & Paul is located.
r GOLDEN GATE PARK
(SF Map: A - D9-11)
Golden Gate Park is among the world’s greatest urban parks. Approximately three miles long and a half mile wide (1,017 acres), this treasure is covered with grassy meadows, wooded bike trails, secluded lakes, open groves and gardens. The Conservatory of Flowers, built in 1879 and modeled after London’s Kew Gardens, is a glass Victorian displaying a paradise of flowers. At Stow Lake, paddle and row boats can be rented for a trip around the lake. The park’s main attractions include two newlyrebuilt museums, the de Young Museum and California Academy of Sciences which features a living roof and indoor rainforest. The Japanese Tea Garden is a four-acre refuge of traditional Japanese architecture, koi ponds and bamboo trees.
r PRESIDIO (SF Map: C - E1-4) The Presidio served as a military station for more than 200 years. Union regiments trained here during the Civil War. The Presidio is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Approximately 1,600 acres of parks and beaches are located in this northwest corner of the City. Located at the Main Post, the Walt Disney Family Museum tells the fascinating and inspiring story of Walt Disney through more than 1,000 artifacts. Below the rugged cliffs on the Predisdio’s western shoreline, Baker Beach provides spectacular panoramic views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Marin Headlands.
r MISSION DISTRIC T
(SF Map: H-K13)
Immerse yourself in the rich cultural traditions of Mexico and Latin America on Mission Street, where visitors can enjoy lavish murals, savory foods and a dazzling range of traditional and avant-garde art. One of the City’s oldest structures is Mission Dolores, the sixth Franciscan mission along El Camino Real. Valencia Street has become the epicenter of the gentrified Mission District. The desirable neighborhood commands high rents and is home to many of the City’s “must-try” eateries, hippest boutiques and coolest bars and clubs. Just a couple of blocks away is Dolores Street. From the top of the hill, Dolores Park offers a spectacular downtown view and is a favorite local gathering spot, especially on sunny days.
r C ASTRO DISTRIC T
(SF Map: F-G13)
The Castro, an international symbol of gay pride, is a thriving neighborhood of restored Victorian homes, bars, shops and restaurants. Community activism, born in the ‘60s and ‘70s under gay-rights leaders such as Harvey Milk, remains strong. Milk’s former campaign headquarters is located at 575 Castro. The most recognizable attraction in the neighborhood is the Castro Theatre, a movie palace built in 1922.
r CLIFF HOUSE/OCEAN BEACH (SF Map: A7) In 1881 the Cliff House was a posh playground for San Francisco’s elite, former presidents and writers such as Mark Twain. The current Cliff House overlooks Ocean Beach and Seal Rocks. North of the Cliff House are the remains of the Sutro Baths, once the world’s largest swimming pool. Seven indoor pools were housed here until the structure burned in 1960.
r T WIN PEAKS
(SF Map: F-G13)
Near the geographical center of San Francisco’s 49 square miles, two hills known as Twin Peaks rise 925 feet, offering one of the city’s best views. A vista area at the parking lot offers stunning views beyond the City to the Golden Gate Bridge and to the East Bay. r