Foggy San Francisco is famous for everything from the Golden Gate Bridge and sourdough bread to its many hills, cable cars and stunning Victorian architecture. Located on a peninsula, the city is bordered by both the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay. San Francisco has a population of 837,000, while the Bay Area's population is over 7 million. The area experiences a fairly mild climate year-round.
More than 35 percent of people living in San Francisco were born outside of the United States, making the city highly diverse and full of international character. More than 52 percent of adults have at least a college degree, with many residents working in engineering, medicine, technology or insurance. The city's top employers are Bechtel Corp., California Pacific Medical Center, California Physicians Insurance Corporation and Deloitte. Additionally, the area is known for its sizable LGBTQ population, and it's a great place for young, single career-minded folks to live and thrive. And with the University of California, San Francisco and Golden Gate University, many students also call San Francisco home.
The hills are alive with vibrant neighborhoods, like the gay-friendly Castro and The Haight, once a hippie haven now populated by hipsters. Soma is home to loft apartments and dotcom diehards, and Hayes boasts high-dollar real estate and true community feel. San Francisco's neighborhoods are densely populated and full of everything you need within walking distance, including cafes, grocery stores, galleries and salons. Because of the nerve-wrecking traffic, most residents forego a car in favor of public transport (the bus being a popular mode) though the average commute is more than a half-hour long.
From Golden Gate Park to Fisherman's Wharf, there's a lot to do in San Francisco. Its Chinatown is the country's oldest, and locals flock here for the dim sum and other Chinese specialties. In North Beach, you can enjoy al fresco dining at a checker-clothed table in picturesque Little Italy, while Nob Hill is home to Huntington Park and many landmarks worth exploring, like Pier 7.