National Park are moving closer to the cities , and there is no better example than Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The country’s largest urban park , sprawls over 35,0000 acres of land and water encompassing such historic areas as Fort Point , Alcatraz and the Cliff House.
The park is divided into two main areas , San Fransisco and Martin Country. On the Martin side are miles of open terrain studded with coves, beaches and cliffs.
Along the San Fransisco shoreline, from Fort Fusnston to Aquatic Park. You can hike, picnic , tour a prision, board a schooner, or just enjoy the view. Here are some of the park’s attractions:
1) Fort Funston. A city’s southwest corner: overlooks the Pacific Ocean. Loop trail offers hiker’s spectactular view
2) Ocean Beach: four mile sandy shoreline is a dramatic place to hike. Unsafe for swimming
3) Cliff House : venerable San Fransisco landmark offers view of Martin coast. Offshore , view Seal Rocks , home of sea lions and birds
4) Baker Beach: At northwest shore of Presidio facing the Golden Gate beach is a good place for hiking and fishing , swimming is unsafe
5) Fort Point National Historic Site: built in 1861, fort huddles beneath the Golden Gate Bridge. Excellent example of Civil War fortifications.
6) Crissy Field: Walk San Fransisco’s shoreline between Fort Point and Fort Mason along the Golden Gate Promenade
7) Fort Mason: an old army post, Fort Mason has lawns gardens , picnic areas, grand bay views.
Aquatic Park : National Martime Museum is here. Lagoon provides swimming for the hardy, curved pier is an excellent place to fish. Historic ships berth at Hyde Street pier.
9) Alcatraz : guided tours trace the 22 acre island ’s history from fort to Federal prison.
The largest Asian community outside the Orient, San Fransisco’s Chinatown covers about 30 blocks and is roughly bordered by Kearny, Mason and Bush Streets and Broadway. It is best to arrive in Chinatown on foot or by public transportation, for the area is highly congested by traffic.
Grant Avenue is the main street where for 8 blocks between Bush and Columbus , visitors are guaranteed a delightfully unusual walk. You can get there from either the financial district, Union Square or Knob Hill. Remember that if you on top of a hill, that your walk will be down several steep blocks. The California Street cable car will put you smack dab in the middle of Chinatown.One of the most colorful approaches to Chinatown is a walk down Sacremento to Grant. You will see peaked pagoda style rooftops and bright colored balconies in the foreground and the bay and bridge beyond. Along Grant Avenue is the tourist’s Chinatown- curio shops, import shops and eateries.To get a glimpse of the “inside” prowl up and down some of the streets and explore the side alleys that parallel Grant. Scattered around gift shops and restaurants are stores and markets with exotic smells and sounds.In the early morning, Friday through Sunday, Stockton Street between Washington and Broadway becomes a throbbing open air market. Truck farmers in sidewalk stalls sell anything from squacking ducks to chickens.
Between California and Pine in St. mary’s Square, a quiet little park with Benjamino Bufano’s striking marble and steel statue of China’s one time president, Sun Yat-sen. Beneath the park , is an underground garage : entrances are on Kearny, Pine and California.
Old St. Mary’s Church , a San Fransisco landmark since 1954, stands at Grant and California. The gothic structure was built entirely of granite rock from China and brick brought around Cape Horn from New England.
How do you change waterfront property into a revitalized urban landscape ? Take 51 acres of land add $ 150 million , and come up with the Golden Gateway Center. In the late 1950’s the San Fransisco Redevelopment Agency did just that. Bounded by Clay by Clay, Battery and Jackson Streets, the former produce marketplace blossomed into a slick urban center of apartments , townhouses , offices and parks.
From the heart of the center, the dark glassed diagonally braced Alcoa building rises dramatically. The 2 block square Maritime Plaza, an elevated park, provides a place to stroll and relax. Here pedestrian bridges serve as elevated park,provides a place to stroll and relax. Here pedestrian bridges serve as elevated passageways to all sections of the center.
South of the Golden Gateway is architect John C. Portman’s ambitious Embaracedero Center. Hailed by one critic as :superbly conceived , fine in taste, and full of life, ” the center is a stunning success of multi- use urban development.
North of Market Street , impressive office buildings shade the narrow slot that is Montgomery Street, heart of San Fransisco’s business and financial district. Here and spreading into the nearby streets are the banking , brokerage and insurance firms that are a part of the Wall Street of the West. Here also are the general offices of many of the West’s largest business organizations.
The heart of the financial district is the Pacific Coast Stock Exchange ( Pine and Sansome streets) where business begins at 6 a.m. to coincide with the hours of the New York Stock Exchange. One block west of the Stock Exchange is the Bank of America Building, headquarters for the world’s largest bank. The 770 foot high. 52 story structure, with its bronze tinted bay windowed facade covers most of California , Pine , Kearney and Montgomery block. From the Carnellian Room of the 51?nd floor, you will see a magnificent view of San Francisco City and the Bay Area.
The 853 foot high Transamerica Pyramid at Montgomery, Washington and Clay street projects its unique shape the ever changing San Fransisco skyline.
Another skyscraper, the Wells Fargo Building at 44 Montgomery Street, rises 43 stories - 561 feet. On the 18?th floor of this unusual glass and steel structure is Montgomery Lane, where a collection of diverse shops cater to employees. Visitors are welcome during the day. Just below the main lobby a restaurant displaying early California artifacts from the Wells Fargo History Room. The History Room at 420 Montgomery highlights photographs, documents and monuments from the Gold Rush days to the 1906 earthquake. The collection includes a circa 1860 stage coach that ran from San Fransisco to the Santa Cruz Mountains. Visiting hours are banking days from 10 a.m. tp 3 p.m.
The Bank of California’s Collection of Money in the American West , finest of its kind in the country , features pioneer gold quarts , gold and silver ingots , privately minted gold coins and currency from the West. Open during banking hours from 10 A.M. tp 3 P.M. it is located on the lower level of 400 California Street.
For browsing and shopping in the downtown area , Union Square makes a more than ideal starting point. You can park your car in a cavernous garage beneath the square..
Stop first at the square itself. On a nice day, its benches will be lined with people relaxing in the sun or feeding the hundreds of pigeons that swirl around and congregate around the feet of anyone offering them a handout. On the sidewalks street artists will be displaying their wares.
Union Square is a hub of activity, hosting fashion shows. rallies and concerts. In spring , Rhodedendron days are celebrated - huge tubes of the of the colorful plants are placed throughout the square. A summer highlight is the Cable Car Bell Ringing Contest. In the center of the square stands a 97 foot granite monument commemorating Admiral Dewey’s victory at Manila Bay during the Spanish-American war.
The fashionable St. Francis Hotel is on the west side of the square , across Powell Street. Many visiting dignitaries stop here - if you see a foreign flag displayed above the entrance , you can assume that it is honoring a very important guest from that country. You will also enjoy browsing through some of the hotel shops. For a good skyline views , ride the tower elevators to the top.
Post, Stockton and Geary streets also border the square. The Children’s Foundation in the plaza of the Hyatt on Union Square deserves a stop. Designed by Ruth Asawa , who also designed the fountain in Ghirardelli Square and Buchanan Mall in Japantown, it takes a whimsical look at the city’s history.
Around Union Square and spreading south toward Market and east toward Kearny Street are some of San Fransisco’s fashionable shops.
On the east side of the square across Stockton is Maiden Lane, a 2 bloc tree lined alley transformed from its bawdy past into a street of intriguing and exotic shops. Of particular interest is a building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright , with an unusual yellow brick front and an interior circular ramp : it houses a boutique.
Once San Fransisco’s rowdy Barbary Coast , this part of the city became a dismal warehouse area when the city rebuilt in other geographic directions following the 1906 fire. The old buildings were eventually boarded up and deserted and remained so until when in the time period around 1951 when an enterprising group pioneered the development of the exclusive and unusual design center that became to be known as Jackson Square. Chic specialty shops and fine restaurants added to its charm. Indeed Jackson Square , its concepts and motifs have been copied around the world, however nothing is ever as good as the original in character and charms.
Though most of Jackson’s Square’s showrooms are closed to the general public ( except for once a year usually in October) anyone with enthusiasm for elegant old buildings or anyone who simply enjoys window shopping will find a stroll through Jackson Square more than rewarding.
This unique merchandising district supplies Bay Area decorators and retailers with interior furnishings. The wholesale houses occupy handsomely restored buildings in the area surrounding Jackson Steer- bounded by Pacific Avenue and Montgomery and Battery Streets.
Restored buildings include such old structures as the A.P. Hotaling Co. Liquor Warehouse. Around the corner teh McGuire Company has restored the old Hotaling Livery Stables. Oldest of the area’s buildings is 470 jackson Street, it was Lucas Turner and Company Bank, established in 1853 by General William Sherman.
Truly a city within a city, Embacaredo Center compromises four major towers. Each elegant wafter thin tower springs from a common three level pedestal of plazas, promenades and shopping arcades. Current buildings include the 45 story Security Pacific Building ( one Embarcadero Center) , the 35 story Levi Strauss Building with its plaza level historical room (Two Embarcadero Center) and the 35 story Three Embarcadero building. All along with Four Embarcadero Center.
The architecturally innovative Hyatt Regency Hotel ( Five Embarcadero Center) is well known a favorite San Fransisco attraction. Charles Perry’s 40 foot sculpture Eclipse graces the awesome 16 foot story atrium lobby from which glass elevators speed you up 20 stories to a revolving restaurant offering 360 degree views of the city.
Elevated pedestrian bridges connect the various parts of Embarcadero Center , separating visitors and shoppers from the traffic below.
Adjacent to and north of the Hyatt Regency is the Justin Herman Plaza, adding a green oasis to this financial district. During the noontime period artists and “brown baggers” congregate around the famous Vaillancourt Fountain.
Across Market Street , south of the Hyatt Regency One Market Plaza creates yet another “people’s place”. A soaring skylight connects the Old Southern Pacific Building’s facade to two new office towers. creating a block long airy atrium. Sunlight pours in over the tree lined and flower lined concourse of shops and restaurants.
Across the street on Mission and Spear at the Roncon Annex Post Office , the colorful WPA’s historic murals are worth a look around. You will get speedy mail service here - pickup at more than a frequent round the clock basis.
How do you change waterfront property into a revitalized urban landscape ? Take 51 acres of land add $ 150 million , and come up with the Golden Gateway Center. In the late 1950’s the San Fransisco Redevelopment Agency did just that. Bounded by Clay by Clay, Battery and Jackson Streets, the former produce marketplace blossomed into a slick urban center of apartments , townhouses , offices and parks.
From the heart of the center, the dark glassed diagonally braced Alcoa building rises dramatically. The 2 block square Maritime Plaza, an elevated park, provides a place to stroll and relax. Here pedestrian bridges serve as elevated park,provides a place to stroll and relax. Here pedestrian bridges serve as elevated passageways to all sections of the center.
South of the Golden Gateway is architect John C. Portman’s ambitious Embaracedero Center. Hailed by one critic as :superbly conceived , fine in taste, and full of life, ” the center is a stunning success of multi- use urban development.
North of Market Street , impressive office buildings shade the narrow slot that is Montgomery Street, heart of San Fransisco’s business and financial district. Here and spreading into the nearby streets are the banking , brokerage and insurance firms that are a part of the Wall Street of the West. Here also are the general offices of many of the West’s largest business organizations.
The heart of the financial district is the Pacific Coast Stock Exchange ( Pine and Sansome streets) where business begins at 6 a.m. to coincide with the hours of the New York Stock Exchange. One block west of the Stock Exchange is the Bank of America Building, headquarters for the world’s largest bank. The 770 foot high. 52 story structure, with its bronze tinted bay windowed facade covers most of California , Pine , Kearney and Montgomery block. From the Carnellian Room of the 51′nd floor, you will see a magnificent view of San Francisco City and the Bay Area.
The 853 foot high Transamerica Pyramid at Montgomery, Washington and Clay street projects its unique shape the ever changing San Fransisco skyline.
Another skyscraper, the Wells Fargo Building at 44 Montgomery Street, rises 43 stories - 561 feet. On the 18′th floor of this unusual glass and steel structure is Montgomery Lane, where a collection of diverse shops cater to employees. Visitors are welcome during the day. Just below the main lobby a restaurant displaying early California artifacts from the Wells Fargo History Room. The History Room at 420 Montgomery highlights photographs, documents and monuments from the Gold Rush days to the 1906 earthquake. The collection includes a circa 1860 stage coach that ran from San Fransisco to the Santa Cruz Mountains. Visiting hours are banking days from 10 a.m. tp 3 p.m.
The Bank of California’s Collection of Money in the American West , finest of its kind in the country , features pioneer gold quarts , gold and silver ingots , privately minted gold coins and currency from the West. Open during banking hours from 10 A.M. tp 3 P.M. it is located on the lower level of 400 California Street.
Aquatic Park : National Martime Museum is here. Lagoon provides swimming for the hardy, curved pier is an excellent place to fish. Historic ships berth at Hyde Street pier.