If you think San Francisco is the Golden Gate Bridge and cable cars, you are not mistaken, it is. However, in addition to these well-known symbols, the city has rich history, beautiful architecture, but the main thing that its inhabitants are proud of is the unofficial title of the freest city in the world, which San Francisco proudly wears. V different times in some amazing way, it became the center of attraction for adventurers and non-standard-minded people - it is no coincidence that the hippie movement originated here. 
The Golden Gate Bridge is the "calling card" of San Francisco Understanding why this particular city is "the freest" is not so difficult if you remember the history of San Francisco. For tens of millennia, Indians lived on its territory, but in 1776 the Spaniards arrived here. Then the settlement was called Yerba Buena. In 1848, the city began to develop and grow rapidly - mainly due to the "Gold Rush" epidemic that covered these places; at the same time it received its modern name. In just a year, the population of San Francisco increased from 1000 to 25000 people, in search of work, people came here from all over the world, but especially a lot of people from China. China Town still occupies a significant part of the city, a fifth of the population of San Francisco is Chinese.
In 1906, the city was practically destroyed by a strong earthquake, during which three thousand people died and another 300 thousand were left homeless. However, over time, it was restored. In the 80s of the last century, there was another devastating earthquake in the city, which destroyed the high-speed highway that ran along the embankment. By the way, they didn’t restore it - but now the city has an excellent walking area.
Today San Francisco is one of the most vibrant cities in America, where many cultures and nationalities coexist. The hippie revolution that took place here in the late 60s of the last century turned it into a center of attraction for creative, non-standard and free-thinking people. Some of them are here to this day - those who in 1967 took part in the Summer of Love festival, speaking on the side of the sexual revolution and proclaiming personal freedom as the highest good that a person can have.
Participants of the Summer of Love Festival in San Francisco
San Francisco, late 60s In the 1980s, San Francisco once again became the epicenter of dissent, this time thanks to homosexuals who first felt at ease here. Today, almost 15 percent of the city's residents are representatives of sexual minorities - this is more than in any other city in the world. By the way, it was here, in the gay quarter of Castro, that the symbol of the LGBT community - the rainbow flag - once appeared. Harvey Milk, the first American politician to openly declare his orientation, also lived here. However, adherents of traditional love feel no less free here.
A couple of days is not enough to get to know San Francisco - this place is worth spending at least a week here.
Marina Savelyeva (HELLO.RU) "grabbed" the symbol of the city - a cable car Most travelers first of all rush to look at the main attraction, captured on each postcard - the Golden Gate Bridge, "Golden Gate". However, the bridge is far from the most interesting thing in this city. What really surprises here is the people. Elderly hippies, street musicians, gays and married couples with children do not interfere with each other at all, living side by side.
Dolores Park in San Francisco In addition to hiking, in the process of which it is best to get to know the townspeople, renting housing from local residents... Instead of staying in hotels located in tourist center cities, it is much better to opt for one of the abundant options on Airbnb and spend the week in a regular residential area.
Haight-Ashbury Quarter.
This is one of the most interesting areas of the city. Firstly, one of the few neighborhoods that were not destroyed by the 1906 earthquake. Accordingly, Haight Ashbury has preserved ancient buildings dating back to the 19th century. Secondly, this area is considered the birthplace of hippies. In the 50s of the 20th century, it was possible to buy the cheapest housing in the city, which provoked an influx of representatives of countercultures. As a result, in 1967 the center of this "movement" was formed here - thousands of people from all over the world celebrated the "Summer of Love". By the 80s, this had already become a part of history, and now Haight-Ashbury is considered a rather prestigious area for living. Artists and musicians live here - in the neighborhood with hippies, who can still be found here. While walking around Haight Ashbury, do not be afraid to turn into the alleys - there you can see many bright graffiti that are painted on the walls of houses. Most of them are a kind of slogans with the help of which "children of flowers", like 50 years ago, call for love and freedom. By the way, there is graffiti not only in this area, there are a lot of them throughout the city.
Graffiti depicting Carlos Santana, who lived in San Francisco
Graffiti in San Francisco takes up entire streets
The area, for every square meter of which there is some symbol of the LGBT community. Rainbow flags can be seen in every window, all souvenirs in shops - with the same symbols. Even the crosswalk in Castro is colorful! And it’s not just that. Castro is the gay quarter.
LGBT symbols are everywhere in the Castro area
Generations of people free from prejudice have grown up in San Francisco
However, do not expect to be surrounded by half-naked men on the streets fighting for their right to love each other. The residents of this area have not been proving anything to anyone for a long time - they just live. If it weren't for the multicolored flags (which mostly appeared here in support of the recently adopted US law allowing members of sexual minorities to marry), you would hardly immediately understand how this area differs from others. Unless a couple of hours later, sitting in a cafe or standing in line at the checkout in a store, you would involuntarily catch yourself thinking that there are mostly men around. 
Chinatown
As already mentioned, one-fifth of the population of San Francisco is Chinese. For the most part, these are the descendants of immigrants who came here in the 19th century in search of work. However, if you decide to get around town by taxi, every other driver will be Chinese and most likely speak terrible English. During the earthquake, Chinatown was destroyed and then completely rebuilt. Today the district occupies a fairly large area in the city.
Lombard Street
The steepest street in every sense of the city, one of the sections of which has an inclination angle of 27 degrees. Speed Vehicle here it is limited to 8 km / h, but no one is trying to go faster: mainly tourists come to Lombard Street who want to see the street carefully and therefore take their time to pass through as soon as possible.
Vintage shops
For fans of vintage and flea markets, San Francisco is a real paradise. Numerous stores throughout the city stock anything from designer jewelry for $ 2-3 to a spectacular 50s leather chair for $ 80.
Decades of fashion is one of the largest stores with vintage items
Showcase of the Decades of fashion store: here you can buy both real vintage items of clothing and modern, tailored "antique"
A dress with a story can be bought for $ 30
A real vintage bathing suit for $ 15
Silicon Valley
In the south-west of San Francisco lies the Silicon Valley (or Silicon Valley, as we call it) - the largest technology center in the world. It is home to tech universities and headquarters for Adobe, Apple, eBay, Google, Facebook, Oracle, Yahoo !, LinkedIn, and many more. The staff includes the best scientists in the world, many of whom live in San Francisco. If you have the opportunity to visit any of these offices, go - you will not regret it. The internal structure of organizations is unusual and interesting. Also in San Francisco, Airbnb was founded in 2008, and its headquarters are located here.
After walking the streets and watching the life of local residents, you can go on "spot" excursions - visit the famous Pier 39, where dozens of sea lions rest, dine at Fisherman's Wharf. The best view of the city opens from the Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill. at a height of 210 meters, you can take excellent panoramic pictures of the city, the entrance to the tower is free, but you will have to pay to get to the observation deck.
The famous "Pier 39" - the favorite place of sea lions
Another place that is criminal not to visit when arriving in San Francisco is the famous Alcatraz prison. She is located on the island of the same name, which can be seen from the pier. Now the prison has been disbanded, a museum functions within the walls of gloomy buildings, which reminds visitors that at the beginning of the 20th century there was one of the strictest prisons in the world, where especially dangerous criminals were serving time. The narrow windows of the cells were positioned so that the prisoners could see the city and free life in it, realizing even more clearly that for them it is now inaccessible. It is believed that no prisoner managed to escape from Alcatraz, although attempts were made. Even those who managed to escape its walls could not reach the coast alive due to the cold waters and the strong current in the bay.
View of Alcatraz Island and Prison from Coit Tower
The Painted Ladies are also worth a look - six striking houses in the Alamo Square area. These and several thousand more homes were built in San Francisco during the Gold Rush. The earthquake destroyed most of the buildings, but these six houses remained intact. The fashion for bright, colorful houses at the end of the 19th century was widespread, local newspapers even wrote that if someone's house does not have a lemon or, for example, a bright blue hue, then its owner simply has no taste. In the wake of these houses, which are also called "Six Sisters", "Painted Ladies" throughout America began to be called bright houses in the style of the Victorian era.
And finally, about the Golden Gate. This red bridge is almost 2.5 kilometers long and is the symbol of San Francisco. Despite the beauty of the object, it has a rather dismal reputation. The people called the Golden Gate "the bridge of suicides", because for almost 80 years of its existence, more than 1000 people with its help have said goodbye to life. The thick fog that envelops the bridge most of the time looks spectacular and mysterious on postcards, but in real life may prevent you from seeing the bridge. So be sure to check the weather forecast when planning your trip to Golden Gate.
Marina Savelyeva (HELLO.RU)
A few more tips:
1. For the United States, San Francisco has a well-developed public transport system, but locals prefer to travel by car. So when planning your trip, be prepared to spend between $ 30 and $ 50 a day on a 20-minute round trip. Or you can get around by buses, it will cost you 5-7 dollars a day, but a taxi is, of course, more convenient and faster.
2. Getting around the city will be easier if you use Uber taxi services. In the American Uber, everything is exactly the same as in the Russian one, and even the application on the phone does not have to be reinstalled - it will simply adapt to the country on the spot. However, there is one caveat: in America, Uber contains a Pool function, by selecting which, you can take a fellow traveler along the way and split the bill in half with him.
3. The writer Jack London was born in San Francisco, the actors Robin Williams and Savely Kramarov lived, the houses of Carlos Santana and Steven Spielberg are still here. Find out where they lived in advance to see the city through their eyes.
How are they 08/17/17 105 453 10
Unmanned taxis, fog and insured dogs
California is known for Hollywood, Silicon Valley and two cities: San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Daria Korableva
lives in San Francisco
Here are located technology corporations, startups, film studios, world celebrities and millionaires live here. And we are with my husband and two dogs.
Prices and budget
Before moving to the USA, we lived in the Balkans for two years. It was then that the ruble fell, and we learned to save money, plan a budget and got used to the fact that everything seems expensive. It seemed that the cost of living in the United States shouldn't surprise us too much.
California is considered to be the most expensive state in the United States. According to Gobankingrates.com, residents of California spend on average 35% more money on living than residents of other states. Housing costs 92.7% higher than the US average, transportation costs 30%, groceries 15.8%.
The prices surprised us as we compared them with prices in Russia and Europe. As soon as we stopped doing this and built a budget based on local revenues and expenses, everything was not so scary. We began to spend a lot more money on food and services, but large purchases, on the contrary, became cheaper. Buying clothes, a laptop or a car is much more affordable here than in Russia or Europe. In general, prices in California are comparable to the average local income.
Visas and relocation
Millions of people try to move to America every year. Few succeed. In my opinion, the American visa legislation can be described as follows: many opportunities and no specifics.
Usually, specialists move to the United States on an H1B visa. There are few such visas - several tens of thousands a year, and there are hundreds of thousands of applicants. Therefore, H1B is played in a lottery. You can qualify for H1B if you have a job offer in the United States. At the same time, the employer must prove that he tried, but could not find among the Americans the same cool specialist as you. In any case, you will have to participate in the lottery. As much as the company wants to hire an employee, H1B is a lottery, in front of it everyone is equal.
There is an O1 visa, popularly called the "giftedness visa." It is given for talents and achievements: you need to prove that you are a recognized scientist, an artist respected at home, a successful entrepreneur, and so on. You will need letters of recommendation, your published articles (or articles about you), proof that you have influenced the development of the industry in which you worked. The O1 visa is issued without a lottery. In addition, it is possible to obtain a study visa with a part-time work permit, a bride visa, and so on.
The American visa legislation is very extensive, you cannot figure it out without a lawyer, therefore, a lawyer is always involved in obtaining any long-term American visa.
For support of the visa process, the lawyer will take from $ 6,000 (360,000 R).
Many come to the United States on a tourist visa and remain illegally, and then legalize their status in the most unthinkable ways. The period of stay in the country is determined individually at passport control. This is usually six months.
There is an opinion among migrants that the US visa legislation is especially complicated so that either talented or very enterprising people who have managed to overcome all barriers, fit into society, find people who can vouch for them, and stay here by any means come to the country.
Climate and nature
California is a sunny state. However, unlike Los Angeles, where it is warm and +30 ° C all year round, San Francisco is always cool and windy. Here you need to dress in layers, otherwise it is hot in the sun and cold in the shade. There is a strong wind in the city, sometimes there is a humid fog. Hot summers are rare here. I love the heat, but for work and study, the same cool weather all year round is ideal.
The water in the ocean is cold, you can only swim in a wetsuit. All year round waves. The locals do not lie on the beach, but go surfing, kiting and kayaking.
There are many animals in San Francisco. You can find raccoons, hummingbirds, fur seals and lions, herons, pelicans. Turtles and coyotes live in city parks. Deer, cougars, wild turkeys can be found within a 15-minute drive from the city. The trees here are huge: the famous redwoods, eucalyptus and sequoias are very beautiful and smell incredibly delicious.
City appearance
San Francisco is divided into districts and communities - national or by interest. There is a business district, a jazz district, a crime district, Chinatown, Japantown, Little Italy, Russian Hill, Mexican districts, and so on.
The business district is like New York: dense skyscrapers and a lack of greenery.
The city is very fond of Victorian houses. Most of the older residential areas are built up with two or three story houses with bay windows and towers.
There are many homeless people in San Francisco. Here it is a whole subculture. On some streets - under overpasses or along railway lines - whole tent cities are organized. Many live without tents, simply laying out a sleeping bag somewhere under the roof at night, and resting on the sidewalk during the day.
The homeless in the city are full members of society. Others do not avoid them. A passer-by on the way to work can simply sit next to such a tent and chat for a couple of minutes with a homeless person about life.
Professional migrants travel in droves to San Francisco. There are more men than women, the average age of residents is 25-40 years. There are very few elderly people and children in the city.
Here you constantly see how new technologies are created. For example, cafes with a robot bartender, shoes made from recycled plastic bottles, or self-driving taxis are all part of everyday life in San Francisco. It seems that the future comes here earlier than in other cities.
Lodging
San Francisco has very expensive housing, twice the US average. One-room studio apartment with an area of 50 m² in a regular area costs from $ 2,600 (156,000 R) per month. An apartment with one bedroom and one more room will cost $ 3000 (180,000 R) per month. It is quite easy to find an apartment within this budget, because people in the city often change housing after work and new offers for rent appear constantly.
2600 $
it is worth renting a one-room studio apartment
You can rent a house from a management company or a private person. The management company has higher prices, but it will help if a pipe breaks, the refrigerator breaks or the ventilation turns off. You can search for housing on any real estate rental site, but I recommend compiling a list of residential complexes in the desired area, calling their offices and asking them to choose options for you. An apartment is usually found in a couple of weeks. We found a suitable apartment in four days.
For rental housing, a passport with any visa is enough (a tourist visa is also suitable). You will also need an American bank account and collateral. For Americans, the deposit is small, usually $ 200-400 (12,000-24,000 R). For visitors with no credit history, the landlord can ask for a deposit of up to four monthly payments.
In America, apartments for long-term rent are rented unfurnished. Usually only a bathroom and a kitchen are equipped. In living rooms, apart from furniture, there is no light and even chandelier hooks on the ceilings. Many people just put floor lamps to save money. We were lucky: we had an equipped dressing room - with shelves and drawers. This saved us about $ 1000 (60,000 R) during the arrangement.
As soon as we rented an apartment, we immediately went to the store. I had to buy a mattress, blanket, pillows, bed linen, towels, lamps, chairs, dishes, kettle, iron, hairdryer, basic household chemicals. It took us about $ 1,500 (90,000 R) for this. Next was to buy furniture.
1500 $
we spent on basic necessities when we moved into the apartment
There are many companies in San Francisco that offer furniture for rent. Putting designer furniture (not Ikea) - a bed with a pair of nightstands, a dining table with chairs, a TV stand and a sofa - costs from $ 600 (36,000 R) per month. You just need to tell the size of your apartment, the desired set of furniture and style.
The company itself will complete the headsets, bring and arrange furniture in the apartment. Buy a set of furniture for living in Ikea - from $ 1300 (78,000 R). If you want not the simplest furniture, then from $ 2,000 (120,000 R).
In houses, everything is usually thought out for the leisure of residents: there is a barbecue, a swimming pool, sports grounds. In our residential complex there are two gyms, indoor facilities with billiards, ping-pong, table curling, a climbing wall and a basketball hall. Yoga and fitness classes are provided. It's all free for residents and their guests.
One-bedroom apartment with an area of 70 m2 in sleeping area San Francisco costs $ 650,000 (R 39,000,000). And for a million dollars (60,000,000 R) you can buy the same apartment in the center, in a new building with a concierge and a gym. A house on the outskirts of the city on the ocean shore costs about the same.
Americans usually buy a home with a mortgage. Interest rates are constantly changing, but in general, you can count on 3-5% per annum. The minimum down payment starts at 5% of the total cost of housing.
Pets
We moved to San Francisco with two small dogs. It is difficult to find an apartment here in which it is allowed to live with a dog. When we finally chose an apartment and began to conclude a contract, we were asked to fill out a separate questionnaire for each dog. It was necessary to indicate the names, breed, age, personality traits, favorite food and familiar commands. This is necessary in case the management company needs to enter the apartment during our absence, or so that in the event of an emergency evacuation, they do not forget to evacuate our dogs.
Since we were moving in with dogs, the amount of our deposit increased threefold: without dogs, we would have left 250 $ (15,000 R), and with dogs - 750 $ (45,000 R). The rental price has also increased: each pet's accommodation costs $ 75 (4500 R) per month. We have two dogs, so we pay an additional 150 $ (9000 R) per month.
150 $
per month we pay the landlord for the fact that two dogs live with us
You can go to a psychotherapist and issue a certificate stating that you have an emotional dependence on your animal. Then he will be assigned the status of a service dog or emotional support animal. With such a certificate from a doctor, it is allowed to move into any apartment without restrictions, in addition, in most cases, the tenant is exempted from the extra charge to the rent for the animal. The realtor advised us this scheme, but we did not use it, because we consider it fair to pay for lawn cleaning, plant transplantation and dog packets in dispensers in the territory of a neighboring park.
Veterinary services in San Francisco are expensive. A doctor's examination costs 60 $ (3600 R), and the treatment of almost any disease or injury is measured in thousands of dollars. Therefore, many owners take out veterinary insurance for animals.
60 $
it is worth examining the animal at the veterinarian
Our dogs are young and small, so the insurance costs $ 40 (2400 R) per month for each dog. If the dogs were over 8 years old, then the insurance would cost twice as much. Even with insurance for treatment, in which case you have to pay: the insurance plan covers 80% of the bill, has a payment limit of $ 10,000 (600,000 R) per year and a one-time deductible of $ 250 (15,000 R).
In addition, our insurance does not cover vaccinations, dental cleaning, and routine animal testing. You can get unlimited insurance with full coverage, but it will cost from $ 120 (7200 R) per month for each dog.
Training, behavior correction, walkers, dog sitters and " Kindergarten»For dogs (dog daycare) - these services are used by most of our neighbors. This is the norm here. The course of social adaptation is considered a basic need, therefore, it is relatively inexpensive - $ 350-500 (21,000-30,000 R). Behavior correction is also a demanded service. One and a half hours of work of a correction specialist costs $ 100-150 (6000-9000 R ) as in Moscow.
Most dogs in San Francisco walk at least three times a day. During the day, 70% of people walking with dogs are not owners. The services of dog walkers, or "dog sitters", are very popular in San Francisco. There are 20 competing companies here with a huge staff of walkers. Many people with a shift schedule work part-time like this.
The cost of an hour of walking is from $ 30 (1800 R). San Francisco's kindergarten is more common than kindergarten for children. Each house has at least one within walking distance. The working owners take the dogs there all day so that they do not remain at home alone. This service costs from $ 50 (3000 R) per day.
We don't use kindergarten because our angry Russian dogs don't like socializing very much.
In America, you can leave dogs at home alone if they can tolerate loneliness. But if the dog barks or howls in the apartment for several hours in a row, then the neighbors or the management company can call the animal welfare service. An employee of the service will take the dog to the dog's hotel, and the owner will issue an invoice for the hotel from 100 $ (3000 R) per day, a fine of 300 $ (18 000 R) and a warning for cruelty to animals.
420 $
we spend a month on two dogs
Our average monthly budget for keeping two dogs is 420 $ (25,200 R). The average San Francisco resident with a dog uses a lot more services than we do, and pays about $ 400 (R24,000) for one animal.
Payments
For water, house maintenance, garbage disposal, we pay about $ 90 (5400 R) per month. Electricity costs another $ 50-80 (3000-4800 R). If you live in your own house, then for a communal apartment you will pay about $ 100-150 (6000-9000 R ) per month.
In the USA, expensive Internet: for Wi-Fi in an apartment they pay $ 70 (4200 R) per month. On the mobile communication with the Internet it takes about $ 50 (3000 R) per month for one.
It is worth talking about the Internet in detail, because it is bad and expensive in San Francisco. We have performed optics that are rare for California. The provider treats us like users of a cool new service. It is surprising that in a city whose internet business rules the world, having constant access to the network is generally not perceived as something vital.
70 $
per month there is a wifi in the apartment
One Saturday morning we lost the internet. The support service arranged for us to visit the master for the next Saturday - that is, it was assumed that we would sit without a network for a week. As a result, it turned out that the Internet cable was damaged by road workers and the network did not work for the entire area. Repaired three days later. All these three days, the provider's support service was bursting with calls from angry residents of the area, most of whom work in IT.
Banks
The integration of a migrant into the United States begins with a visit to a bank. You can open a debit account with a passport and any visa confirming legal stay in the country, including a tourist visa. The bank makes a card to the account for several days, after which it sends an envelope with the card by regular mail - it will be put in a mailbox, left at the concierge, or stuck in a door gap. For safety, they will write on the envelope that there is personal data inside. Opening someone else's envelope is a crime.
I was surprised by internet banks and banking mobile applications: they have an outdated interface, limited functions, and the transfer between their accounts can take several days, especially if it is sent on Friday after 2 pm.
An "electronic payment" for rental housing may look like this: go to your personal account, press the button to transfer funds, the bank receives a request, prints a check, puts it in an envelope and sends it by mail to the leasing company.
American banks are trying to adapt to urban communities and neighborhoods. A typical American bank in Chinatown works in an office that looks like a pagoda temple, and in the LGBT-district, Castro Bank is painted in rainbow colors.
Credit history
A credit history in the United States is a record of your responsibility. It records not only the payments made on the loan on time, but also the paid bills for mobile communications and the Internet, for renting housing and housing and communal services. Based on the credit history, a decision is made on signing a rental contract, on the conditions for issuing a loan and enrolling in studies.
Every organization that wants to be sure of your trustworthiness has the right to access information about your credit history.
There is a vicious circle: if you do not have a credit history, then you will not be given a credit card. And if you don't have a credit card that regularly demonstrates your ability to spend and return money, you won't have a credit history.
Some banks in America for newbies have unusual plan"Lending" - Secured Credit Card. You start a credit card and put $ 500 (30,000 R) on it. Forget that this is your $ 500 and imagine that this is your credit limit on the card. You can take this money "on credit", you have a payment schedule, according to which you must spend and return money to the card. This is how you demonstrate to the bank that you are a conscientious person and remember about your required payments. After six months or a year of such a performance, your credit limit can be expanded to $ 1000-1500.
Medical service
Medicine in America is always a big expense. Treating virtually any injury or illness is measured in thousands of dollars. Therefore, it is imperative to have health insurance.
Medical insurance here is disaster insurance. The insurance compensates for most of the costs of medical care, but does not cover them entirely; you still have to pay out of pocket.
The insurance costs from $ 350 (R 21,000) to $ 800 (R 48,000) per month per person. Choosing an insurance plan, you need to focus on three main numbers:
- the amount of the monthly payment for insurance;
- the amount of payments when visiting a doctor;
- the maximum amount of potential costs per year.
For example, you can save on the insurance itself and pay less per month, but then your bills will increase with each visit to the doctor. And if you want to monitor your health in general and regularly visit a doctor, you will have to put money in your monthly budget for this.
For comparison, a visit to a doctor for a person without insurance will cost from $ 150 (R 9000), for an insured person - from $ 20 (R 1200). An X-ray without insurance will cost from $ 300 (18,000 R) to several thousand. Some companies in San Francisco and Silicon Valley cover their employees for insurance and all additional costs of treatment.
150 $
it is worth seeing a doctor if you do not have insurance. If there is insurance - $ 20
Products and purchases
The first few months I went to grocery stores like a museum. I can't say that our food preferences have changed much, but there are many new dishes that we cook at home. In any chain store you can find dozens of types of meats, hundreds of different sauces, great fruits and vegetables, and Californian cheeses and wine are so good and varied that we still have not tried everything.
Going to the store for less than $ 50 (3000 R) will not work. Average bill - $ 70 (4200 R).
70 $
our average check at the grocery store
We spend 500-600 $ (30,000-36,000 R) per month on food and household chemicals.
The water in San Francisco and Silicon Valley is clean, you can drink from the tap. Therefore, during lunch, most people do not order drinks for food, but simply ask for a glass of water - it's free.
Bringing your bottle of water to a diner or cafe is also quite normal. If you order only food, then you can dine for $ 15-20 (900-1200 R). Coffee or tea - another $ 2-4 (120-240 R).
Coupons and discount cards in the USA, power. This is where they really work. If you get discount cards from different stores and from time to time pay attention to bonuses and coupons, you can save up to $ 15 (900 R) per check.
Sales in stores are organized for every possible occasion, holiday or event such as the victory of your favorite city sports team. And also without incident: discounts are sent by mail, there are discounts on days of the week for certain credit cards, the discount can be found on the store's website. If you really liked the thing, but there is no discount, then you can always find it in another store with a discount, or just wait a couple of weeks - and it will cost less.
During the move, we brought three suitcases of things with us. But these clothes were not enough for life, so we bought a significant part of the wardrobe and spent $ 800 (48,000 R) each due to the Black Friday sales.
Transport
Residents of San Francisco mostly do without their own car. The city is small, many places can be reached on foot, by bike or scooter, especially since the weather allows you to do this all year round. There are also problems with parking: it is not enough and it is expensive. A parking space in our house costs 300 $ (18,000 R) per month. Throwing the car on the sidewalk will not work: it is guaranteed that they will be evacuated and a fine will be issued.
300 $
per month costs parking space in our house
Many townspeople are ditching cars in favor of bicycles, hoverboards and motorized skateboards.
If you go far, it is better to use by public transport... The city has buses, trams, metro. The metro has five lines and connects to cities on the other side of the bay.
Also in San Francisco there is a convenient and inexpensive taxi. Every second car in the city is an Uber or Lift. If you share the trip with other passengers in the Uber Pool, you will pay 5-10 $ (300-600 R). A regular trip to Uber-X costs 7-20 $ (420-1200 R).
From San Francisco to any city in Silicon Valley, you can travel on Caltrane - it's like a train. At rush hour, Caltrane resembles a subway, only all the passengers here are writing code on a laptop, checking tasks in Trello, or even sitting in glasses-monitors.
You can get from San Francisco to Palo Alto in 40-60 minutes and $ 8 (480 R). To San Jose - 1-1.5 hours and $ 17 (1020 R). Many companies are located in Silicon Valley, therefore, when choosing housing, it is better to focus on the location of the office, otherwise up to $ 20 (1200 R) per day will only go on the road.
8 $
worth a train ticket from San Francisco to Palo Alto
On weekends, we rent a car for trips outside the city. There is no usual car sharing, but there is a Zipkar service and analogues, the disadvantage of which is that the car must be returned to the same place where it was taken; book a specific number of hours and travel no more than 180 miles per day. Renting a car costs $ 9-12 (540-720 R) per hour or $ 100-150 (6000-9000 R ) for the whole day, petrol is included in this price. If you have traveled more than 180 miles, you will have to pay an additional 45 cents (27 R) for each extra mile.
Entertainment and services
San Francisco has good museums. Interesting and unusual exhibitions are often brought. The entrance to the museum costs about $ 30 (1800 R). Each museum spends days with free admission, such as the first Tuesday of the month. There is also a schedule of free days in city districts or for cardholders of a certain bank. But there is a problem with these promotions: on free days, the queues at popular museums are longer than for Picasso in Pushkin, so it's easier to pay $ 30.
30 $
on average a ticket to the museum
There are a lot of jazz clubs in San Francisco. They are all noteworthy. Almost any concert in the auditorium will cost $ 50-100 (3000-6000 R) per ticket. Classical events are more expensive, and the cost of tickets, for example, for ballet will be $ 100-300 (R 6,000-18,000).
Surprisingly, the beauty industry in the United States is always a problem. It is difficult to find a good manicure master, his work costs from $ 60 (3600 R), and it is almost impossible to find a salon near the house that would satisfy sanitary expectations. I bought manicure equipment and do my own manicure at home. These costs paid off in two weeks.
60 $
average price for a manicure
Adjusting the budget
Living in San Francisco is fun but expensive. If you rent a studio, don't get sick, don't buy clothes at all and once a month entertain yourself with trips out of town in a rented car, then for a family of two you need about $ 5,000 (300,000 R) per month.
With a budget of $ 8,000 (R 480,000), you can live more freely, but with children and traveling abroad it will be difficult. A comfortable budget for living in San Francisco - from $ 10,000 (600,000 R) per month.
We really like San Francisco. Here good weather, a dynamic environment and many business and career opportunities. I want to do more and achieve more. At the same time, we do not feel here a crazy rhythm, overload or irritation from the people around us. There is a time for everything here and people do not forget to relax and devote time to themselves and their hobbies.
The American city of San Francisco is one of the most popular cities not only in the United States, but throughout the world. This city is called "the city of eternal spring" not only because of its special climate - not cold, not hot, but changeable and capricious, "like a woman." Rather, this name was given to the city because of the specific atmosphere of romance and freedom - it is not for nothing that San Francisco fell in love with the generation of beatniks and hippies, rebellious youth and representatives of sexual minorities.
However, many tourists from all over the world willingly visit San Francisco. And there are indeed very interesting and unique sights here.
First of all, you should definitely see the famous "Golden Gate" suspension bridge, which stretches across the Gulf of California. This is one of the largest and most impressive bridges in the world - its length is almost 3 kilometers (more precisely 2,737 meters), it rises 230 meters above the water, and can pass 100,000 cars per day.
Another interesting attraction of San Francisco is the extraordinary cable cars. Due to the nature of the landscape of the city (located on forty hills), these funicular trams were in the past one of the most convenient means of transportation. But they were very expensive for the city authorities. And now there are only three routes left, and even then only because the tourists really liked this extraordinary way of travel.
Alcatraz Island is also popular, offering beautiful views of San Francisco. Especially at night, which is why special evening excursions go to the island. However, the island of Alcatraz is known primarily for its prison, where many hardened criminals were kept, among whom was Al Capone.
It is worth, of course, to visit Monterey Island with picturesque rocky shores, pine and cypress forests, crooked beaches. Here you should definitely visit the Oceanarium, one of the largest in the world (one of the viewing glasses of which is the largest in the world), aquariums, where you can see more than 300,000 species of marine and ocean inhabitants.
Popular among tourists is the Chinatown area - the largest Chinatown outside of China. This is truly a real Chinese town, in stark contrast to the rest of the city, and there are many different restaurants, jewelry stores and souvenir shops.
You also need to walk along Lombard Street - the most crooked street in the world, which even got into the Guinness Book of Records.
The area of Haight Ashbury is famous for being a hippie habitat in the 1960s. And although the times of hippies are long past, the atmosphere of those times is still preserved here and today's youth often gather here.
And representatives of sexual minorities have chosen the Castro area for themselves, but there are still small art galleries and many different cafes here.
San Francisco has many interesting museums: two fine arts museums - the De Young Museum with a rich collection of paintings, among which the works of European painters and works of early Indian art are of particular interest, and the Legion of Honor Museum with a collection of antiques and exhibits related to American television and Hollywood, Scientific Museum, Museum of African Diaspora, Museum of San Francisco History, Museum of Crafts and Folk Art and others.
The most famous theaters in San Francisco are the War Memorial Opera House, Herbst Theater, and The Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall.
Other San Francisco attractions include scenic Yosemite national park with lakes, waterfalls, caves, mountain peaks and woodlands, Embarcadero Boulevard, where food fairs are held, Golden Gate Park, where one of the best Botanical Gardens in the world is located, the unusual Pyramid skyscraper, the Richmond area known as " Russian Quarter ”, Cathedral of St. Mary, the“ Wine Country ”valley, where you can taste various types of wines.
San Francisco - Big City on the west coast of the United States in the state of California. In terms of population, the city is ranked 4th in the state and 12th in the United States. In 2013, the city has over 837 thousand inhabitants. At the same time, San Francisco ranks second in the United States in terms of population density (among cities with a population of more than 200 thousand inhabitants). Geographically located in the north of the San Francisco peninsula, the city covers an area of 121 square kilometers. San Francisco is the financial, cultural and transportation center of the large metropolitan area of the San Francisco Bay Area with a population of 7.4 million.
Situated halfway between London and Tokyo, between Seattle and San Diego, San Francisco is of great economic importance and attracts the attention of big business. One of the foundations of the local economy is, of course, tourism. San Francisco has the third largest number of foreign tourists visiting the city in the United States. So in 2007 the city was visited by over 16 million people.
Downtown view
The San Francisco region is home to the major port of Oakland, eight other smaller ports and three key airports, which provide about 30 percent of all West Coast trade. Since the days of the gold rush, San Francisco has been considered an important financial center. The region is home to many high-tech industries, companies, research centers. In addition, do not forget that south of the San Francisco Bay is the famous Silicon Valley - a huge technological center that has a strong impact on the economy of the region. The pharmaceutical industry is highly developed; there are hundreds of companies engaged in medical electronics, genetic engineering, and biotechnology in the region.
More than 53% of the city's adult population has a bachelor's degree or higher. High levels of education of the population and the presence of a mass of skilled workers in the region lead to strong competition in the labor market. In turn, the tight labor market, as well as the high cost of housing, food and other consumer goods, lead to the fact that the cost of living in San Francisco is one of the highest in the United States.
The unemployment rate for the summer of 2014 is small - only 4.6%. About 14% of residents have low incomes and live in poverty, however, this is lower than the national average. At the same time, there are many homeless people in the city who are attracted by the normal climate and social assistance from the local authorities.
Statistics for 2013
Racial makeup:
- Whites - 41.4%
- Asians - 33.3%
- Hispanics - 15.3%
- African American - 5.5%
- Mixed Race - 3.4%
- Pacific origin - 0.4%
- Indians - 0.2%
Income and housing
- Median income per capita - $ 51,686
- Median home value: $ 778,000
- Median home rental price - $ 1,491
- Unemployment (June 2014) - 4.6%
- Residents living below the poverty line - 13.8%
- More than a third (35.4%) of San Franciscans were born outside the United States.
- San Francisco is known for its progressive views and tolerance for the gay community. It is believed that about 15% of the city's population belongs to sexual minorities. This is the largest per capita gay and lesbian population of any city in the United States.
City on the hills
San Francisco is located in a very picturesque place where the Pacific Ocean, through the narrow Golden Gate Strait, cuts into the mainland and forms the Gulf of San Francisco. The city of San Francisco is located on the northern part of the peninsula of the same name and is surrounded by water on three sides: from the west - by the Pacific Ocean, from the north - by the Golden Gate Strait and from the east - by the San Francisco Bay. Other big cities region - Auckland and San Jose.
For the most part, the city is built up with low-rise buildings that tightly surround the multi-storey center. San Francisco is a fairly compact city with a population of more than 800 thousand people, due to workers and tourists, the total number of people often exceeds 1 million. The city ranks 2nd in the list of major US cities in terms of population density after New York. The lack of free land constrains the growth of the city's population and directly affects the rise in property prices.
The famous hills of San Francisco are one of the city's landmarks. Due to discrepancies in terminology, various sources give different data on the number of hills within the city, we can definitely say that there are exactly more than 50 of them. Many hills are an attraction in themselves, while others offer a wonderful view. For example, the popular Twin Peaks hill overlooks most of the city.
There are about 40 districts in San Francisco, many of which are very individual and not similar to each other. Most notable central regions cities: Castro District, Chinatown, Financial District, Civic Center, Haight-Ashbury, Union Square, Nob Hill, Russian Hill, North Beach, Fisherman's Wharf, Embarcadero, South of Market (SoMa).
Embarcadero is a northeastern neighborhood along the San Francisco waterfront.
Fisherman's Wharf - Fisherman's Wharf is one of the busiest attractions in San Francisco. historical park San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, popular Pier 39, great aquarium, many restaurants and shops.
Embarcadero and SEALs from the pier at Fisherman's Wharf
Financial District ("FiDi") - the most high buildings San Francisco 555 California Street and the memorable Transamerica Pyramid are located in the city's financial center. This is the area of banks, law firms, corporate headquarters. There are also several large shopping centers here.
North Beach - Historically an Italian area, today it is the area of nightclubs, restaurants and bars. The Coit Tower at the top of Telegraph Hill is a very popular San Francisco attraction.
Transamerica Skyscraper and Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill
Union Square - The area around Union Square is very popular with tourists with a large concentration of shops, restaurants and entertainment venues.
Chinatown is a "city within a city" with exotic shops, markets, temples and small museums.
Union Square and photos of San Francisco's Chinatown
Nob Hill is an expensive and prestigious area where wealthy people live. The most famous and expensive hotels in San Francisco are located here. It is also located there Cathedral Grace Cathedral.
Russian Hill is a prestigious neighborhood best known for its winding Lombard Street.
Civic Center - the city of San Francisco is located here (San Francisco City Hall), two large areas Civic Center Plaza and United Nations Plaza, as well as a range of buildings in classic architectural style.
Grace Cathedral and the "most crooked street" Lombard Street
The South of Market (SoMa) is a large and diverse area that houses several museums, notably the popular Zeum Children's Museum and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
Haight-Ashbury - since the 1960s - the center of the counterculture, a favorite with hippies and punks. Alamo Square park is surrounded by rows of Victorian houses known as Painted Ladies.
Castro is the "gay capital of the world."
Row of Painted Ladies and Architecture in Nob Hill
Attractions and places of interest
One of the main attractions of San Francisco is Golden Gate Park. Stretching 5 km in length, the western part of the park opens onto Ocean Beach. The wide Ocean Beach runs along the west coast of San Francisco, from the San Francisco Zoo to the park with the symbolic name "Lands End". Lands End's rocky shores offer breathtaking views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Pacific Ocean and the bay entrance.
Not far from the Lands End is Lincoln Park, in the center of which is located Art Museum Legion of Honor. Further north lies the Presidio of San Francisco, or simply Presidio. A military site for over 200 years, it is now a largely forested parkland with spectacular views from the hills. The main attraction of Presidio is the Golden Gate Bridge.
Bridge "Golden Gate"
The eastern part of Presidio is bordered by the Marina area. Around the border of these districts, the Palace of Fine Arts architectural composition is located - a favorite place for tourists and wedding ceremonies. Behind the Palace of Fine Arts is the innovative Exploratorium, an interactive museum.
East of the Marina area there are areas that directly adjoin downtown San Francisco and are very popular with tourists: Russian Hill (Russian Hill), Fisherman's Wharf, North Beach, Telegraph Hill, Embarcadero.
There are many islands in the bay area, the most notable of which are the three. First of all, it is the former prison island Alcatraz, as well as the islands of Angel Island and Treasure Island. Alcatraz is a popular attraction; you can get to the island by ferry, which departs from one of the piers of Fisherman's Wharf.
The Port of San Francisco was once considered the largest and most promising seaport on the west coast. With the development of container transport, the importance of the port diminished and many berths were abandoned. Although the Port of San Francisco is still operational, the center of maritime commercial shipping has shifted to neighboring Oakland. Today the port infrastructure is used as an integral part of urban tourism and recreation.
The famous San Francisco Ferry Building on the Embarcadero has a dual purpose and is used as shopping center and like a sea terminal. San Francisco's most famous food market is open every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. The terminal tower, with an antique clock at the top, is located directly opposite main street San Francisco is Market Street and is visible from several kilometers.
There are 2 professional clubs based in San Francisco, playing in the leading sports leagues. These include the San Francisco Giants baseball team at AT&T Park and the San Francisco 49ers American football team. "49ers" is the nickname of the gold prospectors who arrived in 1849 in Northern California and participating in the "gold rush". The soccer team plays at Candlestick Park, but a new stadium will be built in 2015 in Santa Clara near San Jose.
The climate in San Francisco is special. The location at a southern latitude (south of Sochi), combined with cold currents, leads to surprisingly mild climate with a small seasonal temperature difference. average temperature January - the coldest month - 9.7 C. The warmest - September - 17.7 C. The rainy season lasts from November to January, it can be quite cold at night, but the temperature does not drop below zero. It is rainy in February and March, but it can be relatively dry, flowers and trees begin to bloom. April, May - clear and dry, fog is possible. This is one of the best periods to visit San Francisco. From June to August there are warm days without rain, but evenings can be cold when fog forms. September, October are another good time to visit the city, clear days and a little fog. Wet and cold fog enveloping the city is one of the hallmarks of San Francisco. It very quickly covers entire areas of the city and also quickly retreats.
The city and county of San Francisco (San Francisco) lie in the central part of the Pacific coast of California, on the northern tip of the peninsula of the same name, bordering the same bay from the sea. This is perhaps the most beautiful and certainly the most liberal city in the United States, with its own face and style, not least determined by the picturesque local landscapes and frequent fogs that cover half of the city.
Despite its far from small size ( total area cities of about 600 sq. km) San Francisco is quite compact, hilly and bears little resemblance to the huge chaotic Los Angeles. Much credit for this belongs to the devastating earthquake that struck San Francisco in 1906 (fires caused by tremors raged then for three days), after which the city was rebuilt according to a clear architectural plan practically from scratch. Many of the city's structures, which still define its face, were built within the framework of this development, from the early 1920s to the mid-1930s.
San Francisco landmarks
The historic center of Frisco, as the Americans often call it, lies in the hilly northeastern part of the peninsula and is different from " big city"just by the almost complete absence of planning - many of its streets are so winding and illogically laid out, have such a large difference in elevation that they themselves are not bad sights (a typical example of this is Lombard Street on Russian Hill). Currently Old city is located within the business center with its skyscrapers and offices and is framed by ethnic neighborhoods like chinatown, North Beach and Telegraph Hill(Italian quarters), Rushen Hill, Mission District(African Americans and Hispanics live here), Richmond(his name is often "New Chinatown", but many Russian emigrants also live here), Sunset(immigrants from Asian countries) and other picturesque areas.
The tourist center of the city is Union square- an eternally noisy concentration of shops and hotels, flower sellers and homeless people. The famous cable cars run down the west side of the square to Aquatic-Park, Washington Street, Chinatown and Financial District, or up - to Mark or to the Hopkins Hotel... Picturesque SoMa district(South Market Street) connects the downtown high-rise office complexes and the quaint neighborhoods along Embarcadero with a touristy area of galleries and museums around Yerba Buena Gardens or nightclubs around Eleventh street... In the territory Fisherman-Warf(the foot of Russian Hill) with its quite kitschev shopping area is located The Wax Museum, and the pier itself is the gateway to such famous monuments of the city as the island Alcatraz prison, Maritime museum and Historic pier.
The city's attractions include the famous golden gate bridge("Golden Gate", 1937, one of the longest suspension bridges in the world - each of its spans is 1280 m long) and the nearby park of the same name (1017 acres) with botanical Stribing Arbotherium Gardens, a charming Japanese garden, Young Museum of Fine Arts and the tallest man-made waterfall in the western states; and also under construction New Bay Bridge, which will be the most perfect structure of its kind in the world, which is not surprising given that its 160-meter supports will be located in the most seismically dangerous place the city, exactly in the middle between the tectonic faults of San Andreas and Hayward, and the 560-meter span will be kept on only one support.
San Francisco museums
Also widely known Alcatraz Prison Island(used in this role from 1933 to 1963), Montgomery Street Luxury Villas District, Market Street Business Center, Mount Tamalpas Mountain(770 m) with a magnificent panorama of the city and the bay opening from its peaks, the building opera house Var-Memori(1932), Museum of Contemporary Art (SFMOMA) to the South Market, Museum cable cars (covers the history of another local attraction - the famous San Francisco trams, or cable cars, whose history goes back 130 years), Russian Cultural Center (1939) in the Richmond area, Mexican Museum, Asian art museum in the San Francisco library complex, Exploratorium Science Museum, zoo in Bueno Vista park by Lake Merced, Angel Island(former filtration camp during the Second World War, and nowadays - popular place for walking tours and picnics), a complex American Conservatory and theater (ACT), International Women's Museum, African museum and many other unusual collections, as well as the vibrant Castro quarter and the famous High Ashbury, or Haight, which is considered the birthplace of the hippie movement.
Beach Holidays in San Francisco
The ocean shores around San Francisco cannot be considered an ideal place for a seaside holiday - there is quite strong surf, complex currents and rather cool water, the temperature of which does not exceed 15 ° C in the summer months. Swimming on many city beaches is not recommended; on some it is officially prohibited, as evidenced by prohibition signs. The beaches of San Francisco are foggy even during the summer months.
Within Golden Gate Park you can find many good places for swimming and active pastime, and in the territory of Baker Beach (east of Golden Gate) it is quite safe to swim and relax all summer long.
Going to sunbathe and swim on the coast of San Francisco, it is better to bring a windproof jacket or sweatshirt; the winds are cool here even in the summer months.
For lovers aquatic species sports, it is worth remembering about strong underwater currents. Surfing along the San Francisco coastline is an option for experienced athletes, but not for beginners.
Alcoholic drinks are not allowed on most of the city's beaches; local police enforce the rule.
Beaches
Luxury beach Ocean Beach, stretching 3.5 miles along the west coast of San Francisco, is more used for jogging and shore sports. Swimming on the beach is not recommended due to big waves ideal for experienced surfers. Ocean Beach has showers, cafes, volleyball courts and play areas. Drinking alcoholic beverages on the coast is prohibited. It is allowed to light bonfires, but there must be no more than 25 people in the company. The most secluded part of the coast is in the south. There is no parking along the beach.
Rodeo – best beach for kids in San Francisco just under a mile long. Swimming is prohibited here due to the pollution of the lagoon. Pebble beach equipped with showers, picnic tables with places for making fires; alcohol is prohibited on the coast. There are no cafes, restaurants and food shops nearby; everything you need is worth taking with you. Due to its location and open space, Rodeo is popular with kite enthusiasts. In the northern part of the beach, you can find small multi-colored stones; the most common are orange.
From the beach Baker popular with fishing enthusiasts, offers beautiful views of the Golden Gate. The coast is equipped with showers, picnic tables and toilets. There is free parking, but on weekends you should arrive before ten to have time to take a free seat. To the north is the nudist North Baker beach.
On a small beach China located in the prestigious Seacliff area, it is much easier to meet locals than tourists. The waves are calmer on the coast than on Ocean Beach. Due to its location in a sheltered bay, China is one of the few safe places in San Francisco for swimming, however, be aware of the ebb and flow; their schedule can be found on the beach. Lifeguards are on duty from April to October. There are picnic tables and barbecue areas; food and drinks must be brought with you. Animals are not allowed on the beach.
Nudist beaches
The largest nude beach in the USA North baker located in the northwest of San Francisco. The coast is an art playground for free artists; it is always noisy here and ethnic music sounds. There are beach volleyball areas. Picnic tables are located a short distance from the coast; alcohol and drinks in glass containers are prohibited. There are no restaurants or shops near the coast; you should take everything you need with you. The North Baker entrance is just behind the surf warning sign.
Beach Land "s End is located in the city park of the same name and is considered one of the most picturesque nudist beaches on the west coast of the United States. Better to arrive early: the beach is crowded in the afternoon. The coast is rocky in places. There are strong winds at the Land "s End, so it's worth bringing a warm jacket with you even in summer.
Beach Fort funston unofficially considered nudist. However, on weekends there are quite a few tourists and locals who prefer to sunbathe and swim in their clothes. On weekdays, there are fewer people, and these Fort Funston justifies its status. It is very windy on the coast in May and October. The beach is also popular with hang gliding enthusiasts.
Hotels in San Francisco
In total, there are more than two hundred hotels in San Francisco, including guest houses, mini- and boutique hotels, as well as luxury hotel complexes international hotel chains - Four seasons, Mandarin Oriental and Ritz-Carlton.
Resorts are located primarily near the coast The Pacific, either directly on the beach, or across the street from it. Most hotels have a swimming pool, spa or beauty center, restaurant and golf courses.
How to get there
You can get to San Francisco from Moscow by direct flights of Delta Air Lines. Travel time - from 17 hours. Also on Lufthansa, Aeroflot or Air France flights with a transfer in Frankfurt, New York, Los Angeles or Paris. Travel time - from 20 hours.
