About San Francisco
San Francisco is located on the West Coast of California and is home to 805,235 residents as of the 2010 US Census ranking it 4th in the state. Situated on a Peninsula, the Western part of the city faces the Pacific Ocean while the Eastern and more populated area is situated on the San Francisco Bay. The city which was originally founded in 1776 by colonists from Spain became a part of the United State in 1846.
The land area of just 46.9 square miles has a population density of 17,179 per square mile raking it second only behind New York City. The Bay Area’s principle city is approximately 7 miles in length by 7 miles wide with a few islands (Angel, Treasure, Alcatraz, Alameda Island & Red Rock) also incorporated. The San Francisco Bay Area Metro area is home to just over 6 million residents making it the 4th most populated market in the US.
The city’s population grew significantly during the California Gold Rush of 1849. Many abandoned their homes back East to accumulate gold and become independently wealthy. The same entrepreneurial spirit is still alive in the area and as many independent businesses are founded in the city. The dot com boom of the late 1990’s and early 2000’s was largely based in San Francisco which changed the business climate in the area to a more high technology economy. The evolution of the internet brought programmers, developers, salespeople and investors from all over the world. These innovators have in large part remained in the Bay Area and continue to innovate technology.
As a result of the influx of new residents, one area in particular, South of Market, saw a gentrification in which older industrial buildings were razed or renovated to house new businesses as well as residents. The process has been described as the “Manhattanization” of San Francisco. This strengthening of the core of the city has played a role in the increasing real estate prices in the city.
The economy is still heavily influenced by technology. Not far away near San Jose’ in California’s Silicon Valley, are many of the world’s top tech innovators such as Google and Apple Computers. While there is manufacturing and shipping/transportation in the area, most new jobs are created in the services sectors of health care, finance and international banking. The area ranks in the top 20 financial centers in the world. This is evidenced by walking through the Financial District which is home to all the skyscrapers in the city.
The terrain of the city has many hills and is one of the most picturesque cities in the world. San Francisco is the 33rd most visited city in the world. On any given day the streets are lined with tourists taking photos and enjoying the scenery. Several world-famous landmarks line the city such as China Town, The Golden Gate Bridge, North Beach (aka Little Italy), Fisherman’s Wharf, Lombard Street, Alcatraz Island, Union Square and Cable Cars (The only transportation system on the Nation Register of Historic Places) to name a few.
Tourists often also extend their visit beyond the city and into California Wine Country. The San Francisco Bay Area is world renowned for its food and wine offerings. With residents from all over the world, the city has a vast selection of ethnic restaurants of all price ranges. The area is also famous for its new and contemporary take on world cuisine for its many fusion restaurants. The competitive restaurant business in the city forces restaurant owners and chefs to be constantly innovating which always results in new and fresh trends in food.
Due to the relatively small land area of the city and the population density, public transportation makes it easy to traverse San Francisco. Commuters have several options including B.A.R.T. (Bay Area Rapid Transit trains), Cable Cars (While mostly used for scenic purposes), street cars and taxis. While priding itself on being green, the city is home to almost entirely hybrid and alternative fuel taxi fleet. In addition to less pollutants emitted into the area, the city was ranked the most walkable city in the US by Walkscore.com.
Pro Sports Teams
San Francisco 49ers (NFL), San Francisco Giants (MLB), Golden State Warriors (NBA and they play in Oakland), San Jose’ Sharks (NHL).
Nearby Cities & Towns
San Francisco, Daly City, South San Francisco, Pacifica, Colma, Sausalito, San Bruno, Bar Lingarne, San Mateo, Foster City, Montara, Moss Beach, Belmont, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Tiburon, Ross, San Anslemo, Mill Valley, Larkspur, Kentfield, Woodacre, San Rafael, San Pablo, Richmond, Albany, Novato, Stanford, Marin County
