Map of Area, San Francisco

1 more image

Take the bus and leave the hill driving to the bus driver. San Francisco has steephills, narrow streets, expensive parking or no parking. This city was not build with the automobile in mind. You can drive around the city very easily, but to drive in the city is another matter. Look out for one way streets. Keep your eyes peeled for pedestrians and cable cars. Take the bus. It is easy and it is not expensive. You can get to most areas of the city by bus.

The bus lines and schedules are easy to read and fine. Many of the bus stops have covered waiting areas with seats. Inside many are electronic signs that tell you what bus line and how long till the bus arrives. Look over the bus line map and see which bus to take to get where you want to go or if in town already, try to locate one of the covered kiosks that have the information on the kiosk. See the bus website for details.

Click to Enlarge - to get a better sense of all the neighborhoods "within the neighborhoods". Sometimes, you will be given these names in directions you are given. Use this map, because now you have a handy translation tool!

UNION SQUARE

Wlaking Tour #1
Start at Geary & Mason Street (highlight: 'the finest Art stores in the City without ever going in a museum')

Walk up Powell to Sutter Street. (highlights: Disney, Borders Books, art galleries)

At Post St, cross the street & walk down Powell, opposite side of the street (highlights: Sir Francis Drake Beefeater valets, window-shopping)

Walk down Post St to Grant Ave (highlights: Saks 5th Ave, Niketown, art galleries)

Go to Grant Ave and enter Chinatown, which starts at Bush St, go as far as Portsmouth Square.

North Beach starts at Columbus St. Turn around & return to Union Square.

FINAL NOTE: Don't miss the best shopping in the world at Union Square: Gucci, Channel, Louis Vuitton, Armani. Print out the map on this web page: http://www.sfgate.com/listings/venuegroup.php?shopping,g44

Walking Tour #2
Start at Powell & Market Street (highlight: Cable Car turn-around, SF Visitor's Bureau for 'maps & things' in Hallidie Plaza and SF Shopping Center Building on Market St)

Walk down Market to 4th St, then down 4th St to Mission St (highlights: enter the Metreon Theater Complex on the corner of 4th & Mission St. Walk out the back door of these building and you're in the beautiful Yerba Buena Gardens, across the street from the Gardens is historic St. Patrick's Church rebuilt after the earthquake & fire 1906, and the SF Museum of Modern Art is on 3rd St).

Walking Tour #3
Start at Powell & Market Street, take a Cable Car ride to Nob Hill. Get off at California St, go inside the Fairmont Hotel and go up the outdoor elevator! Across the street is a beautiful park in front of magnificent Grace Cathedral. Walk down California to Grant Ave and head back to Union Square on Grant Ave (highlight: Chinatown)

This map will give you a broad perspective of the various downtown neighborhoods, but you can pick up a free one at most downtown hotels or at the tourist information booths at the airport.

This is for further orientation

This is for orientation purposes.

Map of Golden Gate Park (Click on map to enlarge.) I put another map of the Park in the 'Must See Activities' section. More maps are available at .... http://www.sfgate.com/traveler/guide/maps/