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San Francisco, California City Information: San Francisco History and CultureSan Francisco is a world-renowned city situated in north-central California. San Francisco is without a doubt one of the world’s premier vacation destinations. Each year the Bay Arra plays host to tens of millions of visitors. San Francisco vacationers are drawn to the area for multiple reasons. These reasons include: famous historical/cultural sites like the Golden Gate Bridge, Grace Cathedral, the Haight-Ashbury area and Lombard Street- the most crooked street in the world, as well as unique shopping areas like Pier 39, Fisherman’s Warf and the Embarcadero, and picturesque sites such as Angel Island State Park and the Yerba Buena Gardens, and Precidio National Park. San Francisco is the fourth largest city in California, with a population just under a million. The larger, San Francisco Bay area is home to more than seven million residents. This region was first settled by the Spanish in 1776. The area began to boom during the California Gold Rush of the middle 19th century. The city was largely destroyed by a devastating earthquake in 1906. Since its reconstruction San Francisco boasts a unique architecural history built on a landmass with an peculiar blend of physical characteristics inclusing the city’s famously steep streets. Since the middle 20th century the city of San Francisco, California has emerged as one of the most famous and most celebrated cities in both the USA and the world. Both the county and city of San Francisco is situated on the mainland tip of the geographical landmass known as the San Francisco Peninsula. The city itself is unique in that is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean on three sides. San Francisco also extends out to several nearby islands. Perhaps the most famous of these is Alcatraz Island – made famous by a Clint Eastwood movie of the 1970’s. Treasure Island and much of Red Rock Island are also part of greater San Francisco. The undeveloped Farallon Islands, located some 27 miles offshore, are also considered part of the city. The mainland section of the city is marked by quickly ascending hills that make way for San Francisc;’s famously steep streets. These hills are a result of the seismic activity notable in the area; the same sismic activity that brought about the devastating 1906 earthquake. Visitors can actually visit a section of San Andreas Fault where the two tectonic plates are colliding. Modern San Francisco boasts a thriving tourist industry. Tourism is actually the premier industry in the Bay Area. Tens of millions visitors make their way to this scenic section of north central California every year. The famous fogs that drape across the Golden Gate Bridge inspire visits from people in both the winter and summer months of the year. As often happens with area’s blessed with such natural beauty, the city of San Francisco built up an impressive tourism infrastructure to further entertain the vacationers that were making their way to the Bay Area in droves. San Francisco offers many, many quality hotels, motels, inns, bed and breakfast establishments, resorts, and more. This website lets you book your San Francisco hotel from the comfort of your living room! Also featured in San Francisco are numerous restaurants and fine dining establishments offering almost every imagniable type of traditional and ethnic cuisine the world has to offer. San Francisco boasts a progressive culture and a cosmopolitan feel that is popular with vacationers and residents alike. This Californian city, so rich in culture, history, and natural beauty is undoubtedly one of the world’s premier destinations. |
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