San Francisco: A neighbourhood guide

Union Square is the name of San Francisco’s central shopping, hotel, and theatre district. The square itself – which is named after the rallies supporting the Union Army during the Civil War – benefitted from millions of dollars of redevelopment spending in recent years and now incorporates a stage for live performance.  

Housed in a listed building that dates from 1920, the Sir Francis Drake hotel is famous for its red-costumed Beefeater doormen. It oozes old world charm and elegance, with grand staircases, soaring gilded ceilings, marble walls, and crystal chandeliers. For cocktails, there’s a glamorous nightclub on the 21st floor, or experience a fun ‘drag brunch’ on Sundays.

Soma, or South of Market, is home to some of the city's best museums as well as the AT&T ballpark. It’s also a tech hub, with high-profile digital brands headquartered here.

Get the right room at the W Hotel and you’ll enjoy a glittering light show as the Bay Bridge art installation twinkles all night long; or simply chill out under the illuminated Buddha in your room. The hotel is always buzzing, often hosting events such as DJ sets in the lobby bar, mixology classes, speaker series and special dinners.

In addition to its celebrated steaks, Bluestem Brasserie offers plenty of vegetable-centric options. Don't miss the indulgent Take Six! cake, with layers of red velvet, chocolate mousse, and tiramisu.

In Soma you’ll find the famed San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Thanks to a 2016 extension by architects Snøhetta, the space now offers 170,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor galleries tailored to the world-class collection. You’ll also find the largest living plant wall in the USA here. Meanwhile, sports fans should head to AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, an old-school style baseball field with stunning views of San Francisco Bay.

Also known as the financial district, the compact Downtown is brimming with skyscrapers, but it’s conveniently close to the Embarcadero, North Beach and Chinatown.

Established as a fishing hub back in the 1800’s, the area is still popular with fishermen, but also tourists, thanks to a variety of attractions including Pier 39, Ghirardelli Square, and the Musée Mécanique.

The Argonaut is a luxurious boutique hotel with nautical touches. Inspired by the Greek legend and Gold Rush-era adventurers, it’s located in the historic Haslett Warehouse.

At Fort Mason you’ll find one of San Francisco’s top restaurants, the harbour-facing Greens. It has an inventive menu, with signature dishes like fire-roasted poblano chilli and mesquite-grilled brochettes. Scoma’s is a classic San Fran seafood restaurant offering ‘pier to plate’ dining, with food that’s local, seasonal and sustainable.

San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park includes a fleet of historic vessels, a visitor centre and a maritime museum. Nearby, you’ll find a lovely beach and the Hyde Street Pier. For contemporary dance, art installations, book sales and more, visit the Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture. The venue also hosts the Off The Grid food truck event on Friday nights to March to October – the largest gathering of food trucks in the USA.