|
DestinationsOther |
San Francisco CaliforniaINTRODUCTION San Francisco, or the “City by the Bay,” is not only one of the greatest tourist cities in the United States, but probably the world. Its economy is largely based on tourism because there are so many attractions, activities, and interesting neighborhoods to immerse yourself in making “San Fran” truly a treat for its residents and visitors. San Francisco, California is located on the tip of the San Francisco Peninsula and is surrounded on three sides by the waters of San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. Because of its location San Francisco has a year round climate filled with fog and mild climates not typical in the sunny state of California. This makes beach life less than ideal, but with attractions like Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39, Alcatraz?, San Francisco Shopping Center, Chinatown, Crooked Street, and the Castro District to name a few, no beach life seems a moot point. HISTORY Habitation of the San Francisco area can be traced back to 3000 B.C. In 1776 the Spanish set up the Mission San Francisco de Asis (Mission Dolores). In 1821 San Francisco became part of the newly independent Mexico and in 1846 the Americans gained control of the city during the Mexican-American War. The city remained a small port town until the Gold Rush turned San Francisco, nearly overnight, into a major city. With the Gold Rush came the banking industry and banks like Wells Fargo were formed turning San Francisco into one of the most important financial centers in the west. The Gold Rush also led to massive immigration and the startup of neighborhoods like Chinatown. In 1906 an earthquake led to a fire that destroyed nearly three-fourths of the city and probably took thousands of lives. San Franciscans responded by economy charging rapid building returning the city to its original splendor in only a few years. The Great Depression hit San Francisco in 1929, but the city managed to stay strong with not a single bank failing and the building projects of The Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge warding off the disaster that much of the rest of the world faced. During WWII San Francisco became the most important port for American missions in Japan and the war in the Pacific officially ended with The Treaty of San Francisco in 1951. During the 1950’s, 60’s, and 70’s San Francisco became the center of the American counterculture with the Beats, Hippy, and Gay communities making San Francisco their home. The 1990’s saw San Francisco becoming one of the centers of the dotcom boom, and although that balloon has largely deflated the San Francisco region is still an important city in the technology industry. KNOW BEFORE YOU GO With the dotcom boom the gentrification of San Francisco’s downtown areas began turning once poor neighborhoods into hotspots and shopping centers and displacing many of its inhabitants. This has also probably inadvertently led to many of the downtown areas becoming magnates for panhandlers and con artists. ATTRACTIONS RESTAURANTS LODGING PERSONAL STORIES My favorite free ride in the city is the glass outside elevators in the St. Francis Hotel on the south end of Union Square where a dazzling 32-story ride takes you to a well-appointed restaurant, OZ! 
|
