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| Quality of Life |
San Francisco Cable Cars
Anyone familiar with San Francisco knows that the most famous mode of transportation is the cable car system. Three open-air cable car routes—Powell-Mason, Powell-Hyde and California Street—currently are in operation. The Powell-Mason line begins at the Powell/Market turntable and runs over Nob Hill and down to Bay Street at Fisherman’s Wharf. The Powell-Hyde line also begins at the Powell/Market turntable and runs over Nob and Russian hills before ending at Aquatic Park near Ghiradelli Square. The California Street line runs East-West from the Financial District through Chinatown over Nob Hill and stops at Van Ness Avenue. This classic mode of transportation offers a way to navigate between area hotspots, event venues and hotels in a manner that San Franciscans have preferred for more than a century.
Market Street Railway
The historic streetcars of the Market Street Railway are a charming and memorable way to get around the city. Even better, it’s a great benefit for the city because streetcars are zero-emission vehicles. At one time, the streetcars were utilized so much in San Francisco that they were the only vehicles on the road referred to as “cars.” Today, streetcars are still very much in use, traveling Market Street between The Castro and Fisherman’s Warf (collectively known as the F-Market & Wharves line).
The popularity of the F-Market & Wharves line has led to some overcrowding issues, but the city has proposed a restoration contract that would introduce an additional 16 streetcars to help alleviate the stress on the line. In addition, the proposed changes would allow for the opening of the E-Embarcadero line, which would run from Caltrain to Fisherman’s Warf.
MEDIA
— Newspapers
The San Francisco Chronicle is the Bay Area’s primary newspaper and is distributed throughout Central and Northern California. The publication has a long history of top-tier reporting and has been awarded the Pulitzer Prize several times. Its online component, SFGate.com frequently includes articles and features not available in its print form. SFGate.com has the distinction of being one of the first major newspaper websites to have been launched when it opened in 1994.
The San Francisco Examiner was founded in 1863 and now runs as a free daily newspaper. Its daily circulation of up to 190,000 copies (255,500 on Sundays) includes a distribution to households in San Francisco and San Mateo Counties. The last decade has seen the San Francisco Examiner develop into its current incarnation: a tabloid-size publication without story jumps and a focus on local news, business, entertainment and sports. Visit www.sfexaminer.com for more information.
The San Francisco Bay Guardian is an alternative newspaper with a left-wing bent. The publication strongly supports progressive social issues through extensive editorial coverage. The San Francisco Bay Guardian also publishes its annual “Best of the Bay” issue, which celebrates the city’s best restaurants, entertainment venues and businesses selected by readers and staff members. Visit www.sfbg.com for more information.
— Television
The Bay Area is the country’s sixth largest television market. As a result, all major television networks have affiliates in the region, most of which are based in San Francisco. The BBC, CNN and ESPN also each have regional news bureaus based in the city. KPIX is the city’s oldest television station, whose parent company is the CBS Corporation.
— Radio
The Bay Area is also the nation’s fourth largest radio market. KCBS (AM) was the city’s first radio station and currently operates as a local news outlet with regular segments on traffic, weather, sports and business. Established in 1941, KALW was San Francisco’s first FM radio station and is an independently operated National Public Radio (NPR) affiliate that produces its own music, local news and interview shows.
BAY AREA SPORTS
Sports fans of all varieties find the Bay Area an easy place to get their game on because the region has more than its fair share of professional teams to support. If there’s not a professional team in San Francisco that newcomers fully can get behind, chances are there’s one just across the bay, which creates the best of both worlds: traveling to enjoy a home game is just a boat ride or short commute away.
— Baseball
AT&T Park is the official home of the San Francisco Giants, the 2011 Professional Sports Team of the Year according to Sports Business Journal. The Giants originally played in New York City before moving across the country in 1958. Part of the National League of Major League Baseball (MLB), the Giants have won the World Series six times, the most recent in 2012, and have produced 66 inductees to the Baseball Hall of Fame, more than any other team in the history of the sport. Even if you’re not a fan of baseball, AT&T Park is a notable attraction by itself, named the 2008 Sports Facility of the Year by Sports Business Journal for its innovative design and stunning architecture.
Anyone familiar with San Francisco knows that the most famous mode of transportation is the cable car system. Three open-air cable car routes—Powell-Mason, Powell-Hyde and California Street—currently are in operation. The Powell-Mason line begins at the Powell/Market turntable and runs over Nob Hill and down to Bay Street at Fisherman’s Wharf. The Powell-Hyde line also begins at the Powell/Market turntable and runs over Nob and Russian hills before ending at Aquatic Park near Ghiradelli Square. The California Street line runs East-West from the Financial District through Chinatown over Nob Hill and stops at Van Ness Avenue. This classic mode of transportation offers a way to navigate between area hotspots, event venues and hotels in a manner that San Franciscans have preferred for more than a century.
Market Street Railway
The historic streetcars of the Market Street Railway are a charming and memorable way to get around the city. Even better, it’s a great benefit for the city because streetcars are zero-emission vehicles. At one time, the streetcars were utilized so much in San Francisco that they were the only vehicles on the road referred to as “cars.” Today, streetcars are still very much in use, traveling Market Street between The Castro and Fisherman’s Warf (collectively known as the F-Market & Wharves line).
The popularity of the F-Market & Wharves line has led to some overcrowding issues, but the city has proposed a restoration contract that would introduce an additional 16 streetcars to help alleviate the stress on the line. In addition, the proposed changes would allow for the opening of the E-Embarcadero line, which would run from Caltrain to Fisherman’s Warf.
MEDIA
— Newspapers
The San Francisco Chronicle is the Bay Area’s primary newspaper and is distributed throughout Central and Northern California. The publication has a long history of top-tier reporting and has been awarded the Pulitzer Prize several times. Its online component, SFGate.com frequently includes articles and features not available in its print form. SFGate.com has the distinction of being one of the first major newspaper websites to have been launched when it opened in 1994.
The San Francisco Examiner was founded in 1863 and now runs as a free daily newspaper. Its daily circulation of up to 190,000 copies (255,500 on Sundays) includes a distribution to households in San Francisco and San Mateo Counties. The last decade has seen the San Francisco Examiner develop into its current incarnation: a tabloid-size publication without story jumps and a focus on local news, business, entertainment and sports. Visit www.sfexaminer.com for more information.
The San Francisco Bay Guardian is an alternative newspaper with a left-wing bent. The publication strongly supports progressive social issues through extensive editorial coverage. The San Francisco Bay Guardian also publishes its annual “Best of the Bay” issue, which celebrates the city’s best restaurants, entertainment venues and businesses selected by readers and staff members. Visit www.sfbg.com for more information.
— Television
The Bay Area is the country’s sixth largest television market. As a result, all major television networks have affiliates in the region, most of which are based in San Francisco. The BBC, CNN and ESPN also each have regional news bureaus based in the city. KPIX is the city’s oldest television station, whose parent company is the CBS Corporation.
— Radio
The Bay Area is also the nation’s fourth largest radio market. KCBS (AM) was the city’s first radio station and currently operates as a local news outlet with regular segments on traffic, weather, sports and business. Established in 1941, KALW was San Francisco’s first FM radio station and is an independently operated National Public Radio (NPR) affiliate that produces its own music, local news and interview shows.
BAY AREA SPORTS
Sports fans of all varieties find the Bay Area an easy place to get their game on because the region has more than its fair share of professional teams to support. If there’s not a professional team in San Francisco that newcomers fully can get behind, chances are there’s one just across the bay, which creates the best of both worlds: traveling to enjoy a home game is just a boat ride or short commute away.
— Baseball
AT&T Park is the official home of the San Francisco Giants, the 2011 Professional Sports Team of the Year according to Sports Business Journal. The Giants originally played in New York City before moving across the country in 1958. Part of the National League of Major League Baseball (MLB), the Giants have won the World Series six times, the most recent in 2012, and have produced 66 inductees to the Baseball Hall of Fame, more than any other team in the history of the sport. Even if you’re not a fan of baseball, AT&T Park is a notable attraction by itself, named the 2008 Sports Facility of the Year by Sports Business Journal for its innovative design and stunning architecture.
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