10 Reasons Why We Love San Francisco
February 24, 2015San Francisco truly is one of America’s great cities. Everyone knows world-famous landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge and the Powell Street cable cars, but this city has so much more to offer, for tourists and locals alike. From world-class coffee houses and restaurants to breathtaking nature just outside the city limits, here are 10 reasons why we love San Francisco.
10. The Parks
Golden Gate Park, Crissy Fields, Ocean Beach, Alamo Square Park. These are just a few of San Francisco’s parks. These beautiful, open spaces willl give you a nice break from the bustle of The City streets.
Alamo Square Park offers a gorgeous view of the city as you walk through the Haight-Ashbury area. Dolores Park is always full of people partying, grilling, and enjoying the sun while Crissy Fields, a former Army airstrip, is right by the water and offers stunning views of The City and the Bay.
Last but not least is Golden Gate Park, San Francisco’s biggest park. With its bike and walking trails, de Young art museum, the San Francisco Botanical Gardens, the Japanese Tea Garden, flower conservatory, disc golf course and more. Golden Gate Park is perfect for a sunny outing on weekends; it even has its’ own herd of bison!
There are so many parks to choose from whether you’re out for a hike or watching the moon rise. Photo by Martin Totland
9. The Food
From Michelin-rated restaurants to cheap, delicious ethnic food, San Francisco has something for every palate out there. Mexican food is particularly popular and for good reason: taquerias with cheap, amazing food can be found almost everywhere.
The city also has the freshest, best produce in the US; California grows its own food, and it rocks!
Taco with a twist. Photo from Tango& Stache’s Facebook page
8. The Coffee
SF has an incredibly strong coffee culture – from Blue Bottle’s incredibly popular New Orleans style iced coffee to the more extreme Funranium Labs’ vacuum-extracted Black Blood of the Earth coffee concentrate. We’ve got great joe, any which way you like it.
Grab a cup and enjoy the view. Photo from Java Beach Café
7. The Wine
Napa Valley and Sonoma County form the backbone of NorCal’s rich wine traditions. Best of all, they’re just a short car-ride away. Many wineries, like Scribe Winery in Sonoma, will host events while taking care of catering pairings with the delicious food they offer up.
Sip on wine while you take in the gorgeous views
The Nature
Just outside of city limits you’ll find gorgeous vistas surrounding you. The rocky coast towards Point Reyes, the hills of the Marin Headlands, the green, lush forests of the Russian River valley, and Big Sur south of the city are just some of the beautiful escapes that make for a perfect day-trip or weekend get-away.
The Big Sur Coastline is a relaxing day trip away. Photo by Martin Totland
5. The Conveniences
San Francisco is rightfully thought of as America’s start-up capital and the city is teeming with companies offering everything imaginable to make your life more convenient. Companies like Blue Apron and Forage will deliver weekly, curated grocery packages to your door, complete with instructions on how to cook delicious meals. Need to ship something to the other side of the world? Shyp will come to your door, pick up your item, and send it anywhere for the cheapest possible price. In short, we’re the epicenter for companies that are committed to making life easier.
The City is at your fingertips no matter what neighborhood you’re in. Photo by Martin Totland
4. The Bars
SF locals like to get their drink on. The city is full of great bars, with something for beer aficionados, whiskey drinkers, and wine connoisseurs alike. Mikkeller Bar, Southern Pacific Brewing Company, and Monk’s Kettle serve local and imported craft beers from every corner of the country. Bars like Tradition in the Tenderloin have every permutation of whiskey-drinks you can think of, and every single bar stocks local California wines as well as imported ones.
Find your favorite in a sea of excellent bars. Photo by Martin Totland
3. The History
Most people unfamiliar with San Francisco will automatically think of the hippies and tech companies, but San Francisco has an incredibly rich. From its rapid 1840’s gold rush beginning the city changed drastically in the post-war boom. The counter-culture movement of the 60’s and 70’s revolutionized The City once more, and the technology explosion of the early 90’s brings us to today. San Francisco has a palpable atmosphere of history-in-the-making unlike any other American city.
Market Street and Powell St. Station, a historic marker in the city. Photo by Martin Totland
2. The Culture
San Francisco’s famous Fleet Week, the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Music Festival, and the San Francisco Pride Celebration are a few festivals The City puts on yearly. SF has an incredible amount of diverse cultural events and festivals. Legendary concert venues like The Fillmore, The Boom Boom Room, and The Great American Music Hall hosts local and national acts alike, while smaller venues pepper the cityscape.
Blue Angels fly over SF during Fleet Week. Photo by Martin Totland
1. The Views
To top all of this off, San Francisco is just flat-out, unbelievably beautiful! Views from Bernal Heights, Twin Peaks and Sutro Tower, or the Marin Headlands will confirm as much. Get out there, take a look, and fall in love with a city that looks like this.
It doesn’t get much better than this. Photo by Martin Totland
