| NORTH BEACH tips and photos posted by real travelers and San Francisco locals.
Area Surrounding Columbus Street at Union Street
• 85 Photos
• 67 Reviews
See all San Francisco Things To Do |
 | San Francisco NORTH BEACH Reviews | 1 - 10 of 67 |  |
 Sidewalk Cafes by Sandi-2004
N. Beach is home to the City Lights Book Store where the Beatnik Movement started. This area borders Chinatown & is definitely a must see & enjoy neighborhood. Probably best to fit it into your schedule in the afternoon & evening so that you can have dinner there & enjoy the crowds of people out for a night of fun . Leave a Comment
|
Visiting San Francisco?
Read reviews about San Francisco Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
 bada bing, bada bang by richiecdiscLeave a Comment
|
 by Callavetta
North Beach is one of my favorite parts of San Francisco. Maybe that is because I am such a fan of all things Italian. But if there is one part of San Francisco that can be said to define what the City is to me this is it. Historically it is an incredibly rich area from Barbary Coast Days to the days when Chinatown (which butts up against North Beach) had opium dens and other unspeakables, to the more recent 60's when the Beats (who still frequent places like Cafe Trieste) and Carol Doda rubbed shoulders (???)... ok maybe some other body parts as well!
Today you can take guided walks or self guided. Great maps to be found at:
http://www.hotelboheme.com/sanfran/tour.html
http://www.sfnorthbeach.org/ Leave a Comment
|
North Beach, the traditional Italian neighborhood, is vibrant and teaming with coffee shops in the morning, Italian restaurants in the day, and bars and strip clubs at night. The main thoroughfare, Columbus Avenue, begins at the base of the Transamerica Pyramid and cuts a diagonal across the city to Northpoint and Leavenworth.
It's best known as San Francisco's Little Italy, with its high density of check-clothed ristorantes, caffes and Old World delicatessens. Small boutiques carrying handmade clothing and imported goods dot the streets, particularly on upper Grant Avenue. Though Italian restaurants appear to dominate the dining scene, there are plenty of other good spots to try once you've had your fill of lasagna, with menus featuring Japanese, French and contemporary fusion cuisine.
Since the early days of San Francisco, North Beach establishments were known to have a very open attitude towards sex. Even though the neighborhood is one of the hottest tourist destinations in San Francisco, this sexual freedom still reigns as North Beach has many adult entertainment establishments, including strip clubs (for example, Larry Flint's Hustler Club at 1031 Kearny) and adult bookstores, mixed among the Italian restaurants and coffee shops. Directions: Area Surrounding Columbus St at Union St, San Francisco, CA 94133Website: www.sfnorthbeach.org
|
 | |  |
 Madonna Mural in North Beach by pigletsmomLeave a Comment Directions: Grace Cathedral is a good place to start exploring
|
Visiting San Francisco?
Read reviews about San Francisco Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
 Little Italy by Carmela71
Suddenly you leave China to get into a mix of French and Italian buildings and restaurants.
It seems that is more lively at night, but here we enjoyed a great cappuccino and sandwiches.... with something that made me nostalgic, water with Lemon and ice... a classic at home...
Leave a Comment
|
 Church at Washington
Square by Carmela71
This was the transition between the Chinatown and the Italian zone. Here you can see the church but also we founded in the park a group of Chinese students playing, old couples sitting on the chairs talking of all races you can imagine…. I just loved that of San Francisco, such a variety!
Leave a Comment
|
 Sleaze Behind me at
Columbus Ave, hehe! by machomikemd,
4 more photos
North Beach Was Part of the old Barbary Coast, North Beach is steeped in the past -- Grant Avenue itself is the oldest street in San Francisco. In the early days, North Point docks served as a gateway for immigrants from South America, Europe and the Australian penal colonies. It wasn't until the late 1800s that thousands of Italians made the area their stronghold and turned it into the local Latin Quarter
Whether prowling for historic landmarks, sampling house-roasted espressos, shopping, clubbing, or chowing down, you'll find North Beach has plenty to offer for both a leisurely afternoon visit and a night on the town. Take a detour off the main drag of Columbus and you're likely to run across some unexpected treasure of a shop, restaurant or spectacular view. A word to the wise: avoid driving if possible, or plan to use a parking garage, as street parking in the area is notoriously scarce. Instead, try taking one of the three major bus lines (#15, #30 and #45) or two Cable Car lines that pass through the neighborhood. Directions: Area Surrounding Columbus Street at Union Street, San Francisco, CA, 94133:Website: www.sfnorthbeach.org/
|
| | |
 Washington Square Park, San
Francisco by Andraf
At night this place becomes even more vibrant, with numerous bars, saloons and lots of jazz clubs. Really nice. And I almost forgot about Broadway Street, also part of North Beach. It's the "adult entertainment" zone. Leave a Comment
|
| | |
My husband and I loved wandering around the North Beach area. There is so much to see there -- Washington Square, Telegraph Hill and Coit Tower. Also, for fans of Jack Kerouac and "The Beat Generation", there's VesuvioCafe, City Lights Bookstore and their other old haunts. I found the City Lights Bookstore somehow disappointing, perhaps expecting more. I went up to the Poetry Room -- creaky unkept wooden floors and haphazard piles of books--and got no sense of the creativity that once must have thrived there. However, there is a good selection of the "Beats" books. I would recommend City Lights only for diehard literary types.
Lots of cafes and restaurants for hanging out and people watching. Leave a Comment Directions: Take a day and start near the Transamerica Pyramid on Washington St. and head north on Columbus Ave. to Washington Square. Muni buses 15 and 30 go through North Beach.
|
|
| Best San Francisco Travel Deals |
Hotels in San Francisco
Save up to 50% on Hotels at Expedia And Now Earn ThankYou Points Too! San Francisco Hotels - CA
Great hotels in San Francisco, near all major attractions. Reserve now! $8 OFF SF City Tour
$18 - $39 San Francisco City Tours BIG Discounts Free Hotel Pick-Up Americania Hotel
Freshly Renovated, Family Friendly SOMA Hotel With Pool. San Francisco Hotel Del Sol
Family-Friendly. Marina District Hotel With Pool. Free Breakfast. Sponsored Links
More San Francisco Travel Deals Hyatt San Francisco
Reserve Now & Save up to 30% on Your Stay at Hyatt Hotels & Resorts The Pickwick Hotel
Charming Downtown Boutique Hotel. Located near Union Square. San Francisco Hotel
Visit Four Seasons official site. Check availability and rates now! Sponsored Links
- Days Inn
895 Geary Street (formerly Days Inn), San Francisco, CA - Comfort Stes San Francisco Arpt
121 East Grand Avenue, San Francisco, CA - Casa Luna SF
4058 17th St, San Francisco, CA - Galleria Park Hotel
191 Sutter Street & Kearny Street, San Francisco, CA - Hyatt Regency San Francisco
5 Embarcadero Center, San Francisco, CA - Queen Anne Hotel
1590 Sutter Street At Octavia Street, San Francisco, CA - Campton Place Hotel
340 Stockton Street, San Francisco, CA - The Stanford Court, A Renaissance Hotel
905 California Street Nob Hill, San Francisco, CA - Hyatt Regency - San Francisco
5 Embarcadero Center, San Francisco, CA - Econo Lodge San Francisco Presidio
2505 Lombard Street (Formerly Econo Lodge), San Francisco, CA - Economy Inn Presidio
1 Richardson Avenue, San Francisco, CA - Hilton Garden Inn Sfo Aprt N
670 Gateway Boulevard, San Francisco, CA - Donatello Hotel
501 Post Street, San Francisco, CA - La Scala Inn San Francisco
2599 Lombard St (formerly Pacific Motor Inn), San Francisco, CA - The Gaylord
620 Jones Street, San Francisco, CA
|
