San Francisco
Cow Hollow
Cow Hollow is an affluent neighborhood located between Russian Hill and The Presidio that borders the Marina District on one side and Pacific Heights on the other. Originally the land was used for cow grazing (as its name implies) and was a settlement for fishermen when the coastline was much closer to this area than it is now. The main shopping thoroughfare in this neighborhood is Union Street, which is known for its restaurants, boutique shopping, health spas and wellness centers.

Crocker Amazon
Once belonging to the Crocker Estate, the middle-class neighborhood of Crocker Amazon is well maintained with beautifully landscaped and manicured front lawns. Its boundaries include Amazon and Crocker Avenues, Mission Street and McLaren Park. Here, single-family homes still can be bought for a reasonable value compared to other areas of San Francisco.

Downtown San Francisco
Downtown San Francisco is eclectic with various architectural styles and eras, which results in one of the most aesthetically pleasing central districts in the country. Here the world-famous Union Square has some of the city’s top hotels as well as a world-class Theater District, which is anchored by the American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) and the Curran Theatre.

Duboce Triangle
Duboce Triangle is characterized by beautifully restored Victorian house. The nearby neighborhood of Noe Valley provides Duboce Triangle residents with public transportation and a lively street full of restaurants, coffee houses, pubs and boutiques.

Eureka Valley
In San Francisco’s Eureka Valley, just south of Market Street and west of The Castro, are a few twisty blocks full of surprises. Here in an area enclosed by Seward, 19th, Corwin and Yukon Streets, is a miniature park consisting of huge concrete slides enjoyed by both children and adults alike, a lovingly tended community garden of native plants and Kite Hill—one of the city’s premier spots for breathtaking views.

Excelsior
Bordered by McLaren Park on the east and the Portola district on the north, Excelsior features stucco and wood-frame homes that are predominantly single-family, but apartments and duplexes are also available. Conveniently located near Highways 101 and 280, Excelsior is also just a short bus ride to downtown and close to a BART station.

Financial District
The Financial District marks the center of San Francisco’s dynamic business sector. The skyline here includes the Transamerica Pyramid and 555 California Street, the city’s two tallest buildings. Notably, the district also is home to the corporate headquarters of the Charles Schwab Corporation, McKesson Corporation, Salesforce.com, VISA Global and Wells Fargo Bank. The area’s most famous tourist attraction is its large concentration of high-end shopping centers, including the Crocker Galleria and the Embarcadero Center where Levi Strauss & Co. is headquartered.

Forest Hill
What is today an exclusive area of curving lanes and hills and common areas beautifully landscaped by the Forest Hill Association, Forest Hill was once part of a 4,000-acre ranch owned by Jose Noe, the last Mexican mayor of San Francisco. Divided into single-family-home lots in 1912, the area began to see a surge of visitors and residents with the completion of the Twin Peaks Tunnel in 1918. Architectural gems include the Forest Hill Clubhouse by architect Bernard Maybeck and the elegant Grand Pacheco Stairway that connects Castenada Avenue to Magellan Drive. Shopping, dining and entertainment options about on nearby West Portal Avenue, and several Muni lines bring people to and from the area.

Glen Park
Just south of Noe Valley on the lower slopes of Diamond Heights is the charming and quiet Glen Park. Its mix of Victorian and modern homes are complemented by an assortment of coffee shops, bookstores, pizza parlors and boutiques that line Chenery and Diamond streets. Although it has a feeling of being removed from the heart of the city, it conveniently is only a 20-minute trip on the BART system. Once a dairy capital in the 1850s, the rural history of the area is preserved in Glen Canyon Park, perfect for dogs and family picnics.

Golden Gate Heights
Golden Gate Heights sits on a 725-foot-high bluff at the top of Funston Avenue and offers stunning panoramic ocean views. Sometimes called Larsen Peak or Sunset Heights Park, its steep streets curve around new, upscale homes and quaint dwellings that face Forest Hill.

Haight Ashbury
Haight Ashbury was the epicenter of America’s counterculture revolution where the hippie movement began. The bohemian spirit of the 1960s still thrives in several prominent subcultures, including the neo-punk and Goth groups. This the best place in San Francisco for alternative nightlife venues, but the neighborhood’s less flamboyant citizens still enjoy the laidback and easygoing attitude that defines the area. Recent gentrification of Haight Ashbury has led to the restoration of many of the neighborhood’s Victorian “Painted Ladies,” some of which have been turned into popular bed and breakfasts.

Hayes Valley
What was once a rundown urban area is now one of the city’s most affluent neighborhoods called Hayes Valley. The area features Queen Anne–style Victorian homes on every corner, with trendy restaurants and boutique stores mixed in for pleasure. The neighborhood has a distinctly Soho feel to it because of the area’s many art galleries and al fresco dining opportunities. It’s great for the fashionable and trendy set because boutiques are only a short walk away from most living spaces.

   
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