Many a publication has voted San Francisco one of America’s Best Cities—and with good reason. As any resident will tell you, the 415 is spectacular in myriad ways. San Francisco is not only beautiful, it’s also proudly progressive in nearly every sense of the word. We know San Francisco is The Best. It’s why we live here despite a less than desirable cost of living. Here are 11 reasons why San Francisco is the best—and we could have easily added 11 more.
San Francisco truly values the great outdoors. There are over 220 parks and open spaces dotted throughout the city. We are lucky to have the Presidio, Golden Gate Park, and wonderful beaches all within the city limits.
Like the techies or not, San Francisco, and of course Silicon Valley, has always been a hub for world-changing innovation, from Levi’s Jeans to Airbnb and beyond.
Last year, Bon Appetit named San Francisco the best food city in the country. You’ll also find a ridiculous amount of James Beard Award winners and Michelin stars, as well as one of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
San Franciscans love a good festival and the city surely provides. Best part: A lot of them are free! To get an idea of what's in store, here are 14 Unique Festivals in San Francisco.
With plenty of World Series wins under their collective belt, the Giants (or "Gigantes") eclipse every other sports team here. You must have that orange and black pride.
Not many cities have the same sense of civic engagement. The large scale diversity, passion for social justice, and city pride has created a politically and culturally active community.
This is an obvious one. Just look at this place. It’s gorgeous. Between the Golden Gate Bridge, the Painted Ladies, and the cable cars you're always awe-struck here.
The San Francisco Sound emerged as an influential movement in music, with acts like Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead, and more achieving international prominence. These innovative groups mixed elements of folk, rock, and jazz to further develop rock's lyrical content. Today, the city is chock-full of record shops and live music venues, offering everything from classic rock to salsa to electronic.
Wine is appreciated here more than any other major city in the USA. Napa Valley is only an hour-and-15-minute drive away. The wine here is some of the best in the world.
From the Gold Rush to the Summer of Love, San Francisco has always attracted the weirdest and the wildest, as well as some of the most revolutionary and innovative souls.
The weather here typically stays around 60-65 degrees for most of the year. It’s never too hot or too cold. This is a city built for year-long outdoor activity.
