San Francisco Language Services

Chinatown is literally a city within a city. And Chinatown isn't merely a tourist trap, run-of-the-mill attraction, but a genuine celebration of Chinese culture. Sure, there are signs of the exotic as evidenced by the several wares for sale like spices, silks and jade; but events like the Chinese New Year celebration dramatically demonstrate the pride and tradition that is still very much alive at the Grand Avenue and Bush Street entrance and beyond.

Golden Gate National Parks' beaches are among the area's most popular destinations for beach lovers. Ocean Beach most definitely falls into that category. The beach stretches three miles along the western side of the city from Richmond to Sunset. This beach perfectly exemplifies the untouched outdoor beauty of the western part of San Francisco as it looked before it was fully developed. When you take that fact into consideration, Ocean Beach is even more alluring, as the inviting sandscapes and sound of the waves will draw you in, whether the season is warm or cool. In the latter case, you can choose to warm up by grabbing a coffee or latte at Java Beach coffee shop.

The Asian culture is a vital part of San Francisco's identity. To celebrate the cultural contributions, you can get a deeper and quite colorful view when you visit the Asian Art Museum. This museum is one of the largest venues in the world devoted entirely to Asian art. When you enter the venue, you will be struck by the incredible variety of pieces which number to over 15,000. Every one of these exhibits span nearly 6,000 years of history. The sheer depth and breadth of the art presented here is a sweeping introduction to Asia's major cultures as well as those of India, Tibet, China, Japan and Korea.