San Francisco at a Glance
Moving to San Francisco
FotoliaSan Francisco is a popular destination for expats and tourists alike.
San Francisco is not only a Mecca for liberals and hippies: it is also the cultural, financial, and transportation center of the Bay Area. Moving to San Francisco may be a dream for anybody who ever wanted to live right at the source of a significant civil rights movement in US history. After all, this is where immigrants and former service men moving to San Francisco experienced the emergence of the “summer of love” in the 1960s. But of course, there’s much more to moving to San Francisco.
Moving to San Francisco: Climate
If, upon moving to San Francisco, you are expecting warm climate and temperatures that allow you to wear shorts all year long, think again. Mark Twain once said: “The coldest winter you will experience is summer in San Francisco.” While moving to San Francisco will indeed take you to “sunny” California, the city’s climate is not at all what you may expect. Instead, San Francisco is known for its chilly, foggy summers.
Once the morning fog burns off, temperatures might reach between 55°F and 70°F at the most. The odds of temperatures reaching over 80°F are usually rather slim. Upon moving to San Francisco, it is best to dress in layers to be prepared for all kinds of weather. Even if a day starts out hot and sunny, temperatures tend to drop quickly once the summer fog rolls in. Those moving to San Francisco in winter will experience a lot less fog and more reliable weather.
Your move to San Francisco might not bring you the type of Californian weather you had anticipated. However, moving to San Francisco will also get you acquainted with the city’s own set of microclimates. This means that temperate and weather conditions vary considerably within San Francisco. It may be foggy and drizzling in one part while it’s bright and sunny in other neighborhoods. If you plan on moving to San Francisco’s sunniest corners, you will usually find them nestled in the protective cover of the hills.
Move to San Francisco: Districts
San Francisco is located at the northern tip of the San Francisco peninsula, sharing borders with San Mateo in the south. The city itself is divided into about nine districts with different neighborhoods that all sport their own unique character, demographics, and microclimate:
- Northwest: Golden Gate Park, Jordan Park, Laurel Heights, Lone Mountain, Outer Richmond, Sea Cliff
- Central West: Golden Gate Heights, Outer Central, Inner Sunset, Parkside
- Southwest: Lake Shore, Ocean View, Merced Heights, Ingleside Heights
- Twin Peaks West: Twin Peaks, West Portal, Diamond Heights, Forest Hill, St. Francis Wood, Ingleside Terrace
- Central: Castro, Corona Heights, Noe Valley, Dolores Park, Buena Vista Park, Haight Ashbury, Cole Valley
- Central North: Western Addition, Alamo Square, Lower Pacific Heights, Fillmore, Japantown, Hayes Village
- North: Pacific Heights, Marina, Cow Hollow, Presidio Heights
- Northeast: Nob Hill, Telegraph Hill, Russian Hill, North Beach, Financial District, North Waterfront, Union Square, Van Ness
- Central East: South Beach, South of Market (SOMA), Mission Bay, Potrero Hill, Inner Mission, Bernal Heights
Do you consider moving to San Francisco’s Marina or into the vicinity of the urban shoreline park called Chrissy Field? They are located closest to the water and to Golden Gate Bridge and are usually the first to feel the effects of the fog rolling in. Pacific Heights is known for its stately mansions, incredible views, and steep hills. Moving to San Francisco’s North Beach, on the other hand, will take you to a neighborhood famous for its bars, pubs, and tourists.
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