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.
- Spectacular Nature and Outdoor Fun
Big & Small Travel 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.
- Cutting-Edge Technology & Innovation
Living-Learning Programs/Flickr 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.
- World-Class Food
Frank Farm/Flickr 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.
- An Abundance of Festivals
Thomas Hawk/Flickr 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.
- The World Champion Giants
Steve Rhodes/Flickr 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.
- Civic Pride and Engagement
Florian Lauck/Flickr 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.
- Undeniable Beauty
Victor/Flickr 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.
- Music
Wikipedia Commons - Bryan Costales 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.
- Proximity to Great Wine
Torbakhopper/Flickr 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.
- The Weird, Wild, and Wacky History
David Yu/Flickr 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.
- Moderate Weather
Trophygeek/Flickr 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.
Did we miss something? Of course we did because there are many great things about San Francisco. If you’re curious then check out 10 Ways Living In San Francisco Ruins You For Life.
Big & Small Travel
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.
Living-Learning Programs/Flickr
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.
Frank Farm/Flickr
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.
Thomas Hawk/Flickr
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.
Steve Rhodes/Flickr
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.
Florian Lauck/Flickr
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.
Victor/Flickr
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.
Wikipedia Commons - Bryan Costales
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.
Torbakhopper/Flickr
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.
David Yu/Flickr
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.
Trophygeek/Flickr
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.
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