Bernal Heights
Many San Franciscans never travel to Bernal Heights, located as it is at the southern edge of the Mission valley, served by only a few city bus lines and perched atop a steep hill, to boot.
The Castro
What was once dairy farms and dirt roads is now one of the city's most vibrant and cohesive communities, saturated with shops and bars so popular that patrons spill out onto the street.
Chinatown
The reality of Chinatown is that there are two Chinatowns: One belongs to the locals, the other charms the tourists. They draw more visitors annually than the Golden Gate Bridge.
Cole Valley
"Community" is the operative word in this thin slice of San Francisco, bordered on the west by Stanyan Street and the Sutro Forest, on the south by Tank Hill and on the east by Clayton Street.
Deco Ghetto
With a surprising number of cafés, shops and bars and a brand-new freeway off-ramp and a widened boulevard on the way, this San Francisco neighborhood is coming into its own.
Fisherman's Wharf
All San Franciscans love to hate Fisherman's Wharf. But secretly, everyone likes it a little, and having guests from out of town is the perfect excuse for cynical old-timers to go.
Golden Gate Park
What's larger than New York's Central Park, once consisted of sand dunes, is now covered by over a million trees? Golden Gate Park — the ultimate haven away from urban chaos.
The Haight
Save for a few hippie relics, the Haight today is a whole new scene. Exclusive boutiques, high-end vintage-clothing shops, Internet cafés and hip restaurants have settled in.
Hayes Valley
Unlike some other parts of San Francisco, Hayes Valley has managed to retain a sense of community and a nonexclusive feel despite the fast build-up and high price tags.
Inner Richmond
The Inner Richmond is a practical and comfortable neighborhood with a citywide reputation for fantastic restaurants.
Inner Sunset
Many San Franciscans name the Inner Sunset as their favorite neighborhood, despite the fact that it suffers some of the worst weather in the entire Bay Area.
The Marina
Today the apartments, shops and restaurants are bursting with beautiful, young and fit 20- and 30-somethings. The singles scene is hopping on Friday and Saturday nights.
The Mission: Mission to Potrero
Changes in the city caused a crop of Internet startups to spring up around the Potrero Hill side of the Mission, and with them a flock of chic restaurants and bars.
The Mission: 16th & Valencia Streets
Some say the inner Mission District has undergone far more hipsterfication than gentrification — the result of a surfeit of thrift stores, dive bars, coffeehouses, bookstores, and galleries.
The Mission: 24th Street
The stretch of 24th running from Mission to Potrero Streets boasts a vast number of unique stores and restaurants, as well as the greatest concentration of murals in the city.
The Mission: Dolores & Valencia Corridor
Hilly, quiet and beautiful, Dolores Street is shaded by palm trees and lined by grand Victorians. Dolores Park remains a favorite for those who wish to retreat from hustle and bustle.
Nob Hill
Nob Hill is one of San Francisco's signature neighborhoods, renowned for its city landmarks and the famous hotels that border Huntington Park.
Noe Valley
Noe Valley is a neighborhood of contradictions. It's home to both liberals and conservatives, it has attracted the working class, dot.com millionaires, Hollywood film crews, and more.
North Beach
North Beach is best known as San Francisco's Little Italy, with its high density of check-clothed ristorantes, caffes and Old World delicatessens.
Outer Richmond
This spot retains a neighborhood feel along its main shopping streets and prime (albeit foggy) real estate. The many waves of immigrants who have settled have also put their stamp on it.
Outer Sunset
Despite a well-earned reputation as the place fog calls home, there's a lot to explore in this area's three major neighborhoods: the Outer Sunset, Parkside and West Portal.
Pacific Heights
This elegant neighborhood embodies Hollywood's vision of San Francisco, and its Victorian mansions and Cinemascope views of the Golden Gate Bridge make the area a favorite with visitors.
Potrero Hill
The neighborhood is relatively isolated by freeways and large tracts of industrial landscape, giving Potrero Hill its own pace and a feeling of distance from "San Francisco."
Russian Hill
Russian Hill, a residential neighborhood with pockets of restaurants and shops, feels more visitor-friendly than its more formal neighbor, Nob Hill. The views are just as dazzling.
SoMa
The neighborhood is a patchwork of warehouses, swanky nightspots, residential hotels, art spaces, loft apartments, furniture showrooms, and tenacious Internet companies.
Tenderloin
If you can get past its bad rap, you'll find this one of the city's most exciting and diverse locales, with unpolished gems in the form of incredible cooking, great bar scenes and live music.
Union Square
Union Square, one of San Francisco's main retail and cultural centers, also refers to the actual park bordered by Geary, Powell, Post and Stockton streets.
Western Addition
From the stunning views at Alamo Square to the historic Fillmore to ever-changing Divisadero Street, you can experience several distinct vibes in the space of a few blocks.
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