I visited SF for the first time 2 years ago and cannot tell you how many people thought I was out of my mind for daring to visit such a lawless, chaotic third world cesspool. I can happily say I had a fantastic few days and SF is one of the most beautiful cities in the world
@@jazzfan7491 its not even my acquaintances, it's most of my family members & most of the people around where I live. I'm on the East Coast so very few people have ever been to SF.
Thanks for actually showing current activity in SF. I am a 74 year old native who retired to the desert for health and affordability but miss San Francisco every day. I cannot remember a time when there weren't complaints that the city was not what it used to be. The past is always remembered better than it actually ever was. Cities change constantly both positively and negatively but dire headlines always sell better. Homelessness, drugs and lack of services for the mentally ill is an American problem whether one likes it or not rather than a regional one. Thanks again for the reality check and keep up the informative vlogs.
Well, there are more homeless in Europe, due to the higher population. MAGA is definitely not correct to say our cities are falling apart. They're thriving. Big cities will never agree with maga politically. If we did, we wouldn't live in major cities, right? 🙂
"The past is always remembered better than it actually ever was." Indeed. One of my favorite aphorisms is "Just because you were happier as a child than you are now doesn't mean the world as a whole has gotten worse."
@@derekfnord "Just because you were happier as a child than you are now doesn't mean the world as a whole has gotten worse." Excellent point! I am reminded of something I heard on the TV show Millennium, which stared the guy who played the android on Aliens (the sequel to Alien) as an FBI agent who was tracking serial killers and ends up trying to stop a conspiracy that's trying to cause the end of the world in 2000.... On that show, a character said "every man thinks there is something special about HIS TIME". Sometimes people, notably maga, can't accept that things have moved on, and they should move as well 🙂
As a person who grew up across from SF (Berkeley and Oakland), it's nice to see someone do a video showing all the good things SF has. The city is more than just the Tenderloin and Lower Knob Hill. What you showed is typical SF on almost any day of the week. It is vibrant, walkable and interesting. I live in San Diego but try to get back home once a year to visit mom.
@@Zambineaux305 San Diego is very casual and laid back, especially compared to what you're used to. The West Coast in general is but even when you go to bars a lot of people are dressed casually. it isn't a flashy place and that's one of the things I love about it. You can't always tell who's rich and who isn't.
We were JUST in San Francisco last week for a few days and we stayed with our niece and nephew in the Bayview district which is a fairly old neighborhood. We visited the SOMA district, Chinatown, Little Italy and Fisherman’s Wharf and never did I feel uncomfortable. Although I was somewhat concerned prior to our visit, I was pleasantly surprised how clean and relatively “safe” I felt. Not to mention their transportation systems are next to none - the streetcars and subways are efficient and we even had a fun ride on WAYMO! It still is a beautiful city and I hope that their city officials can turn things around.
Born and raised, in the city. 50's, 60's, early 70's. That record store used to be a bowling alley. It was called Park Bowl, Went to Polytechnic High school around the corner. Met my wife at Poly, and took her bowling. Kezar Stadium, and 49ers. before it changed. Grew up in the inner Sunset District, next to the G.G. park. More or less on my own at 7 years old. Good fun, lots to do, clean, and safe. Rode my 20" single speed bike everywhere. Stow lake, boats and frogs, Japanese Tea garden, scavenged for coins in their ponds. de museum, learned to draw trees, and Steinhart aquarium, and natural history, and science. Sunday orchestra, all volunteers. I took it all for granted, and I was young. Nice memories.
Me too. I grew up in the inner sunset district in the mid 50's at 1129 Lincoln way near Funston right across from GGP. Love going out to Whitney's Playland at the Beach, use to hang out at Pasquale's pizza on Irving street every Friday night. Went to school at Saint Anne's of the Sunset, then out to Lowell high. Great times growing up In the city during that generation!!!!! 👍🌉
@@6foot7Slovenian You can type too! Will wonders never cease to amaze. Please sit down, and try to pay attention, I know it is hard for you, but you can do it.
@@bartonpercival3216 We lived on Lincoln Way too, between 11th. and twelfth ave. The city was fun. Fishing at Municipal pier, and fisherman's wharf. It seems you went to Catholic Schools.
@@robertwatson3962 Wow so we were neighbors living just a block apart. Just one Catholic school (St. Anne's) just across the street from the Park & Shop store, just one block from our flat. My mother use to rent out our driveway for Sunday parking for the 49ers games. The inner sunset was so wonderful in those days. Robert's bakery on 14th avenue was great as well as the old sun valley dairy on Irving street. I miss the old neighborhood and the city. I use to go crabbing on the pier near the Ferry building in the 70's. I left San Francisco in 2001.
@@bartonpercival3216 We would do the same thing with our parking. we lived at 1031 Lincoln Way in a converted house turned into a duplex. we lived downstairs. We would park three cars, one after another using the garage and sometimes a fourth across the drive ramp. I remember Robert's bakery, and and their custard filled donuts, or whatever they were. Did you ever go to the Irving theater? That was a marvelous neighborhood theater and building. Torn down to make room for apartments. Very boring. I went to Jefferson Elementary school. The older one, before it burned down. I miss the old times in general, but we need to be happy today, even if it is difficult. Be of good cheer! Robert
Similar experience. I went to San Francisco for a conference last year. Everyone talks about how bad it is, but man. I had a BLAST. The parks were really stunning and I was so impressed with the network of urban trails. I also felt like it was one of the few American cities where the streets felt like they were designed for people, not just cars.
SFSU geography graduate and 10 year resident originally from visalia here. Just want to say how much i appreciate your videos, especially this one. I have zero regretts moving here. Its been interesting seeing the resiliency of sf while it fluctuatesby different measures and contexts. After being part of the unhoused population and now working at ucsf i try to give back and develop community by volunteering at shelters. I feel its a good way of staying in touch on a social level. Anyway, thanks again for everything u do.
I'm from San Francisco, but I left in 2001 because it was hard finding employment and the rents were getting so high. I used to live below Twin Peaks, above the Castro District. I worked in the Financial District downtown. I really miss my City so much. There was so much to do, it was a lot of fun, especially back in the 90's. I never needed a car to get around town. Hopefully I'll visit again one day. Enjoy your stay and have fun. Thanks for showing the good stuff of the City. 😊
That’s the past! Many of my friends moved and will not come back. They all hate to see this once beautiful and vibrant city turn into zombies paradise. The crime, break in, robbery are non stop. Any alley ways are full of encampments. Drug dealer everywhere. I am seriously thinking moving out the state. Hate the nonsenses politic here!
@@mamasan7902 the hate and ugliness is clearly within you. You’re not hearing what the narrator of this video is saying. I was down in San Francisco for a month and a half this summer, and walked these very streets. San Francisco is still full of vibrant and happy and creative people - you’re just not one of them and yes, you really should leave.
I live in that neighborhood now!! Heard the city was popping in the 90’s (when I was born here) but can tell you noe valley, diamond and Bernal heights are still awesome places to live :) views can’t be beat!
I love vids of people walking around cities like this! I wish more would actually focus on positives like you, because a lot of American city exploring vids have this apocalyptic narrative where they go through the worst part of a city then call it "dead". I guess a lot of Americans just love to be negative 😅, can't say that's healthy for the soul though!
This is propaganda. Anyone living and working there has seen a massive demonstrable change and a significant loss of what used to be. Being able to find nice places isn't the point, and pointing out the bad that has occured doesn't mean someone hates the city. I genuinely believe people like you and Geography King are detrimental to the health of the city. Ignoring the problems is how it got so much worse.
@promontorium I said we should focus more on positivity because damn near everything I hear about San Francisco (or most American cities really) is all extremely negative in a completely unconstructive way. It rarely feels like the most popular videos on those topics are made with any other purpose than pushing an apocalyptic narrative of these cities, making people yearn of "the good old days" that nostalgia tells us existed. I never said that people cannot criticize the city, but this is a nice change of pace since I've not heard of a single positive thing about the city in years. I know San Fran is in a rough place and I hope they fix their problems, but it's nice to see someone show a pleasant side of it instead of ripping it apart, which I must emphasize again is like 90% of what I hear about it.
@@bigbabado8296 Ignore them. They say they’re speaking for everyone in the city but they aren’t. In many aspects the city is better than ever and nobody hears about that. Dismissing the great things hurts the city just as much as ignoring the negative. People think the worst parts of the city are the entire city when really the majority of the city is wonderful.
@meteorical8036 Also fair. It may also be how city people view cities vs non city people. I'm from NYC and things have changed a lot but not to a complete negative like many people think. Yeah, everything's horrifically expensive now but honestly feels a lot nicer and safer then when I was a kid, and less dirty (non-city people won't believe it but it's honestly true lol)
I am a New Yorker and have visiting SF nearly annually since 2017. Gorgeous and stunning city with a very special vibe/verging on Mediteranean in some aeas, I LOVE it!
Historical correction. The historical Fillmore jazz district was not a poor area, it was a vibrant middle-class African-American neighborhood and business corridor before it was bulldozed for a highway that was never built. It was that construction that downgraded the neighborhood to a poor area.
@@Zul1788government scammers do that all the time when they can convince a group of people they’re somehow different than some other group of people. They’ve been documenting their crimes for centuries but most people don’t want to read about it or try understand where most of the problems are originating from
This is factual. The city government used the mere presence of Black people to call urban blight so the area could be gentrified through urban renewal.
@@Zul1788false. It was not all Japan town. What is currently known as Japan town is about eight blocks smaller than it’s the original area. it’s the original Chinatown that lost about 2/3 of its size.
Thank you for this video. I have been so upset over the media description, of a city I do not live in, but visit every chance I get. I love the good and the bad about San Francisco! This is the one place I took my son in his mid-teens on vacation, and he fell in love with it, went walking by himself, taking pics, and just absorbing what he saw as a place he thought he would live in, if he could. Thank you for this refreshing video visit. Planning my next visit now!
Kyle - THANK YOU. I’ve been to SF many times, was just there for work last month, was in downtown and the Mission, things are a little different post-COVID but there have been so many upgrades in streets regarding bike lanes and redirected traffic with more outdoor restaurant space etc. and really every part of the city has a different character. I’m always partial to Sunset but that’s just me. Oh and I rode in a Waymo which was a surreal experience
Kyle, thank you for this video. For 30ish years I’ve been saying SF was one of my favorite cities. Born and bred in NJ, now living on Long Island NY. June/July of 95, I bicycled from Reedsport OR, ( my brothers house) to Monterey, my buddies place. Rode through SF. My memories are the bridge, AMAZING, and riding passed the zoo… smelled SO BAD!!!!. My buddy and I drive up to SF after I arrived. Went to Brooks Brothers to get a suit, my buddy is lawyer now, and walked to Chinatown (like being in Hong Kong) for dinner. I loved it. The media reports have disheartened me. I’m so grateful for your video. I’m glad that one of my favorite US cities is still great. Thank you! For real, Kyle, you are a national treasure! I’m using you as my travel agent from here on in! Thank you, thank you, thank you. Maybe visit Monterey someday. My favorite town in the U.S.
Good luck, with a very small geographical area surrounded by water on three sides, there isn't going to be much more housing unless they build up, which won't happen outside of SOMA....
@@naptime0143they need to build new housing in the area, that will solve most of the city’s problems. That being said, it’s not the doom and gloom that right wing media describes it as
Thanks for making this video Kyle. I am a born and raised an SF native. I grew up there in the 80s/90s when there was still a rich immigrant, working class culture there and even though it has been taken over by tech bros, I will always love it and always call it home. I feel like the rest of the country tries to paint it in such a negative way because they are jealous, or ignorant that people can actually mix their differenr ideas, cultures, histories and beliefs no matter how "progressive" and make it work. I have visited over 30 States and I have yet to be in another state that didnt have the same issues SF has with homelessness, crime and other problems SF gets unfairly painted with. My son and I always enjoy your videos, keep up the good work.
Thank you for videoing a more accurate picture of San Francisco. I was negatively influenced by the multitude of RUclips videos with horrible and tragic messages about how the city was in total chaos and ruin. Now, I have a more balanced perspective of the city.
SF the city is only 7 miles by 7 miles in area, so you can literally walk almost from edge to edge of the city in any direction in a couple of hours. When I lived there, I often walked from near the U of San Francisco campus to any of the downtown neighborhoods. It is a fantastic place for walking around. Each time you crest one of the city's many hills, the view of the rest of the city is different. And most of the time, the city's local climate is invigorating, even though the western neighborhoods can become shrouded in a thick morning fog, especially during the summer months.
This video is why I appreciate Geography King. Cities are not all manufactured and corporate shopping areas, they are moving, living, and constantly changing areas that take in everyone and allow you to be you. It is why cities attract the people they do.
Media has a business model: Keep people addicted to fear, panic and outrage. That's what gets clicks and keeps viewers hooked. Thanks for posting a dose of reality.
And people who actually love the city have a model: Sound the alarm of actual issues, not sweep things under the rug and blow smoke uo your ass. This isn't reality, it's propaganda. If half the city were sick, that would be a horror beyond measure. Showing the healthy half and pretending the other half isn't sick is even worse.
I'm a native San Franciscan who is now living in Oakland. You captured a much more typical scene in SF then the one currently in the media, so thank you! One correction: Pacific Heights has some of the wealthiest people in the city, but it's not by the western coast of SF. The Richmond district further west touches the coast, but it's mostly what I'd call a middle-class district (although SF mid-range housing is still expensive).
thank you, Kyle, for this video. I agree wholeheartedly with your observations and assessment of the City. I work daily in SF as a tow truck / transport driver and see the best and worst of all areas. Even the worst areas don't seem as bad as certain videos suggest. I wouldn't live anywhere else!
some people on yt like a guy initials NJ post those exact titles and show only worst sections for clicks and money. it's dishonest and unfair to these cities. ...but he gets paid and that's all that matters. GK on the other hand is fair and informative :)
Thank you for this video. My young adult is relocating to SF. I've been so worried due to all the videos and stories about how terrible it is there. I feel so much better
I've lived in SF for 20 years and I can assure you that the city is nowhere near as dangerous as some politically motivated (i.e., "propaganda") media outlets would have you believe. Yes, violence and crime do happen here - it's a major urban area, after all - but as a Tenderloin resident I've never felt threatened by the prospect of totally random personal violence. Just like everywhere else in America, most of the violence in SF is based on interpersonal arguments that don't involve random strangers. Meanwhile, most of the "crime" in SF is minor property crime (like someone breaking into a car to steal a purse or whatever) that may be undeniably annoying, but is hardly a reason to run away from the city screaming. That shit happens everywhere.
Thanks Kyle. As a San Francisco resident it's really annoying to constantly hear how crappy my city is every time I travel anywhere else. I always have to ask if they've been to SF recently and if so, where did they go? Hardly anyone says yes to the first question and often if they do, they can't tell me what neighborhoods they were in so they are obviously lying. We do have a problem with homelessness, open hard drug use, and petty theft (car break ins), but overall, if you look at violent crime stats, San Francisco is a very safe city. And as you note, most of the city is vibrant, active, beautiful, and the weather is awesome! Thanks for putting this out, and we were happy to have you here. Glad you had a good time!
My family has lived in the SF area since we homesteaded land there in the 1840s and we moved in 2021. You think SF is a good city? You haven't been to Miami or NY then. Those are world class cities. Go to Europe. Go to Japan. SF sucks and it's nothing like it was in the 90s when I grew up there. You kind of have this flippant attitude about the crime there. It's not a small issue. Get a clue dingbat. No one talks about the trash and the pollution in SF as well. Dirty city.
You probably just moved there. Many parts of the city are dead! Like fisherman’s wharf and union square which is a good indication that the city is in really bad shape as there’s not as many tourists as there used to be
@@ramonlopezaguilar I'm not a native, but I have lived in the city for 19 years. The last two times I've been down to Union Square it definitely was not dead. Last weekend I was down there to look at mattresses at the Saatva flagship store and it was bustling and a band was playing in the square itself. The time before that was for tulip day and there were thousands of peopled lined up for hours with lines up and down streets and around the block. Certainly not dead. Maybe you're remembering when Market street was not restricted to MUNI only so without other vehicular traffic is doesn't seem as chaotic to you? It is much easier to get around without all the clueless drivers clogging things up. I haven't been to fisherman's wharf in a while, but given how I know you are wrong about union square, I have a hard time trusting your assertion about fisherman's wharf. I imagine with the record number of sea lions at pier 39, there are a lot of people there to look at them - but I can't verify. I do know that things I go to that area for (when I do) are are still up and thriving - musee mecanique, codmother, and in n out. Out of curiosity, how often do you come to the city and when were you last here? If it's been a while, come check it out with an open mind. Things are definitely on the up since the height of the pandemic.
@@dingbat32112your name says it all. The place is a filthy despot city full of drug addicts and bums. It is very unsafe city. A city that coddles drug addicts by passing out needles and allow people to defecate in the street. Living in that filth that city is filth. North shore is disgusting. Alot of places shutdown and others leaving.
Nice walking views. I grew up in Oakland and Berkeley in the 80's and early 90's. I was just in SF in April for the first time since 2006. It has changed marginally both for good and bad, but it's 90% the same as it ever was. I love that city! And I appreciate your candid view.
Thanks for posting this. SF is my hometown ( left the Bay Area 9 years ago). Sure miss the diversity and the eclectic neighborhoods. Keep up the great content!
You can experience San Francisco just like Kyle did if you venture away from tourist areas. Yes, every city has issues. About a year ago, I was in San Francisco and found the West Portal neighborhood really hopping and ate at really good Italian restaurant. Also Noe Valley on 24th Street is another experience in a positive way. Great mom and pop type eateries.
@@ckm-mkc the Fillmore is now a shopping area but it used to be of the poorest areas in the city. Even in the poor areas there's good food and people 😂
Even Union Square has good parts, but there are even other neighborhoods like North Beach, The Sunset, Mission and Russian Hill that are booming, you can even cross the bridge to Sausalito and Tiburon and it's gorgeous
As a native Californian now living overseas in southeast Asia, I am really happy to see a “normal” video of SF that is NOT highlighting the refuse-infested and homeless parts of SF. This almost makes me think there is still hope for SF after all.
This is a great video! People love fear and feeding off of fear. I recently visited Mexico (which in all fairness, does have a higher violent crime rate than in the US). But people were like, "are you sure that's a wise decision?" As if I was about to die or make a very bad decision. I never once encountered the cartels when I was down there, I had incredible cheap Mexican food, I enjoyed the beautiful scenery, and overall had a great time. Sure, there's bad parts of almost everywhere, but by hyper-focusing on those bad parts we miss so much of the good parts. I liked some of your geography content before, but this video earned a subscribe from me!
I visit San Francisco 2 or 3 times a year and it’s still a vibrant beautiful city. I see the media coverage - and sure there are some bad spots like in all cities and, sure, some areas have seen better days - again, like all cities. But my family and friends there still love it and I enjoy visiting. The people, food, art, music, distinct sections of the city - and the foggy cool weather - all make it a unique city with great character. Thanks for the video.
kyle, i love how much of a walking fan you are. walking remains underrated ! I bet it gives you great peace of mind and allows you to actually learn about a city
I just went a few weeks ago for my cousins wedding. Had never been before and I couldn’t believe how nice and beautiful it was compared to the media coverage.
Nice video. Was expecting footage of the doom loop apocalypse, but this does a good job of sampling some of the popular pedestrian-friendly areas around the city. Some other great pedestrian friendly areas that are lesser known: 1. JFK Promenade in GG Park 2. Clement Street from 10th Ave to Arguello in the Inner Richmond 3. 9th Ave at Irving Street in the Inner Sunset 4. West Portal Ave between 15th Ave and Ulloa Anyone thinking of visiting SF would do well to consider adding one of these locations to their walking itinerary.
As a long time Bay Area resident I can tell you the local media is nearly as bad as the national media in how it portrays the city. Most of their attention has been on the downtown business district which is admittedly still recovering from the Covid era with a lot of empty office buildings and retail shops closing. But as you showed the neighborhoods are still thriving and downtown finally seems to be turning around a bit. I guess all media still live by the adage “if it bleeds, it leads.”
The media/RUclipsrs like to say the same thing about New York City. If one were to believe the media you may be under the impression its a lawless warzone. While like with any city there are parts to avoid, most of the city is safe and doing well.
Just got back from SF visting my friend. Beautiful city! There are some rough edges in Oakland and some parts of the city itself that I saw but besides that I had no issues at all. Beautiful city, beautiful surrounding nature, all around great experience. Food was good too
I was just in Santa Clara for the Rolling Stones. The stadium was perfectly clean, we used the lite rail from the south. No issues. We did notice some rather large vacant commercial buildings, fenced off. Nice buildings.
The hills are the one thing I wasn’t prepared for. You see the movie car chases and I just assumed it was movie hyperbole. No, those things are dangerous. Going up is hard, and then going down you feel like you’re gonna flip over.
I'm a libertarian right winger who also loves SF. Of course, it'd be nice to see a little more pragmatism, political diversity and enforcement of civil codes where needed, but what an amazing place. Probably a little rich for my blood to ever relocate, but the politics there wouldn't bother me one scintilla, given that I'd be coming from Minneapolis, which would make it a mostly lateral move.
Fantastic video "King" ! I've lived in SF for 41 years, the last 32 a block from where you started your Pacific Heights/Fillmore section (Jackson & Fillmore). It's been a wonderful 'hood to live in and remains a special place with Fillmore St flanked by Alta Plaza and Lafayette parks with postcard views of the Golden Gate, Alcatraz, etc. San Francisco remains unique in having so many distinct 'hoods that are all easily accessible because the geography is so compact. Thanks for showcasing this quality that so many US cities simply don't have -- no place to walk around and see the "sights". In the end, the SF climate make actually save the day. While the rest of the country broils, SF remains crisp and cool without the need for A/C due to the persistent marine layer. This year, we've only had a hand full of days exceeding 75 degrees. Bravo !
I love SF and always stay in either the Tenderloin or the Mission. One of my favourite cities along with Vancouver and Sydney Australia. I can walk the streets for hours on end.
I LOVE SAN FRANCISCO AND I ALWAYS WILL. I lived there for several years in the 80's and 90's. Afterwards I got trapped in Berlin Germany..... But I will get Back to San Fran one day and maybe I stay.... if I find someone to love and someone who appreciates my inventions.... Gravity to Electricity ... in abundance.... no negative impact on Mother Nature.... If some good guy reads this, I might get a notice....
I am a pretty conservative/republican guy mostly, I visited San Fran a year ago and absolutely loved it. Beautiful city with great food and culture. Can’t wait to visit again.
Don't be fooled. The city was cleaned for Pride. Somehow they managed to do this for June for these tourist and rich areas that have lots of g@ys. In same area in May plenty of homeless. They can't seem to shelter them in cold wet February but they took them out of the warm sun in June. It's disgusting.
Sorry, dude. You're not Conservative, not anymore. You're just a normal person with conservative views. The people who "run" the Conservative movement in this country right now don't want normal people like you in the club anymore. They only want brainwashed sheep who will believe whatever crazy crapola about lizard people and the deep state.
@@BH6242KCh That's the thing though. "The neighborhoods" in SF (everything that isn't downtown) are remarkably clean by US standards. I dare you to walk around the Marina, Fillmore, and Cole Valley and find me any dirty or dangerous areas. SF's neighborhoods are extremely different. They vary a lot. The vastest majority are extremely clean. The Tenderloin is the one area in SF that is getting all the negative press coverage. They're pretending like all of SF is the Tenderloin. As a local, you just don't go there and never have to deal with any of those issues. It's a tiny area anyway.
20 years ago in my late teens/early twenties I had so many great adventures running around upper Haight. RIP Dal Jeets. SF is always beautiful in all of it's glory and grime. There is so much history, interesting people, and so many special hidden places.
Thank you so much for doing this! Yes the city does have some problems as do all cities, but it is still a beautiful, vibrant, exciting place to live with plenty of nice people. Terrific restaurants can be found everywhere, beautiful parks are there to explore , and our hills offer amazing views.
I went to SF a couple of months ago for the first time in over ten years - you would think it had turned into some post-apocalyptic nightmare from what the media present. It was not at all, it was almost just like I remember (and remains one of my favourite cities in the world). I saw a couple of sketch things in downtown, but nothing worse than anywhere else in the US I've been. Was also sad that when I went into a Target everything was locked up and lots of security, so that was the major change I noticed - clearly petty crime has gotten bad. Other than that though, it was a vibrant and beautiful city.
All the tourist areas I went to were literally like a zombie apocalypse when I went Ik we are trying to be positive but the whole downtown was like that and I don’t think that’s something to ignore
@@danieljasinski1043 Oh I didn't see that at all. There were people everywhere and everything looked normal. Not sure what tourist areas you went to, but downtown, fisherman's wharf and all the areas shown in this video were packed when I was there.
It is a stunning, unique city and as a Bay Area local, I really should venture in more frequently. As long as you keep your wits about you - as you should in any big city - it's wonderful. Glad you had a nice time walking around the neighborhoods.
Thanks for doing this. I was born in SF, raised nearby and still live fairly close to it. It's been a long time since I've walked around there, but even, say, 20 years ago, there were plenty of panhandlers along Market Street. Most of the rest of the city was just its usual self, and as your video shows, still is. So it looks like things haven't changed quite as much as the media would like us to believe.. The Tenderloin and the southeastern quadrant were always pretty sketchy, even when I was a kid (half a century ago), so it wasn't perfect even when the tourism was peaking. And honestly, is there a better-looking city skyline in the country than this one?
Yep! We went there for a couple of days last August (Fogust), and honestly, as a former NorCa resident and very frequent visitor for many decades, I was prepared for the worst. We drove in from 280 and at the first block into southern SF we did note ONE homeless tent on the off ramp and a few blocks in an obviously mental person dancing harmlessly through slow traffic. After that, the city was sublime, the best I have ever experienced it. Stayed in Japan Town/LoPacHts, delicious, cool foggy weather, super clean, somewhat busy streets. No zombie FetyHeads, no homeless tents or people, just busy, super fun bars and restaurants, SF’s stunning architecture, pleasant streets and parks to walk through and explore again. I was so glad to see the SF of my youth from the ‘60s as good as it has ever been and not the totally false dystopian narrative pushed by so many.
Thank you SO MUCH for a REAL view of SF. I lived on Sutter & Taylor (Tendernob) 10 years ago and have been shocked by the videos showing Union Square & Powell Street completely deserted. Then they usually go into showing the outer reaches of the Tenderloin which has ALWAYS been seedy, but they never venture into like the real city neighborhoods like you did. Looks just like it always has, vibrant, fun, lots of different people out enjoying a beautiful day, etc. Really, really appreciate you doing this. CHEERS!
I had to log on and comment…now this is a video that really shows SF. I’m from Canada and visit SF at least a couple times a year. Yah, market street and tenderloin is struggling and there is a homeless and drug problem, but there are still nice neighbourhoods and you can take in and still enjoy SF. Go to a Giants game, ride a bike on the pathways, visit some of the parks, go to north beach or nob hill. I’m a bit of a contrarian traveller and like going to The City as you can get good deals on hotels now, and it’s not overwhelmed by tourists. Just take in the city and enjoy it for what it is.
Went there one time and I’m dying to come back. It’s probably the most beautiful city I’ve seen. I love the views, the beautiful trees and amazing architecture. As an architect myself it’s such a dream to be there.❤
It's one of two US cities that they could drop you into (the French Quarter section of New Orleans being the other) and you wouldn't think you were anywhere else.
This was my experience visiting SF in 2023. Honestly, I couldn't tell the difference between 2023 and 1993. It was exactly the same, including the Tenderloin, which has always been rough, but it's not all bad. Two of SF's best jazz clubs are in the Tenderloin, The Black Cat and Mr. Tipple's.
A+ clickbait trolling title. 😂 I live outside of Portland, and my cousin from Texas literally thought the entire city was a war zone. Yeah, the city has issues, but it's amazing, the media's ability to distort the truth to cater to confirmation bias.
I'm right there with you from the north side of the Columbia. I love Portland and I don't really mind that Fox News viewers stay away because they think it's a smoldering crater (credit to @CityNerd for that apt phrase).
Thanks for making this video. This is also what we experienced a year ago. My son moved to CA two years and has no plans of moving back. I don’t think I’ve met one person with a positive comment about SF or CA. I can’t wait until I can visit my son and stay for months at a time to explore.
Thank you for the video Kyle. Why is the title at odds with the content? Is it clickbait? Does RUclips recommend fear and anger titles? Why didn't you show the Tenderloin, Castro, and Mission?
Thanks Kyle! Don from Vancouver Canada here. I've seen dozens of dystopian narrative videos on SF in the past year. Props to you for showing the entire picture. Can't say as I'm surprised either with the Mainstream media, always spreading negatively and fear is their stock and trade. Cheers for this! 🍻
San Francisco is possibly the most beautiful city in the world. My wife and I visited in 2019 (not my first time). I was hearing about the unrelieved hellscape the city had become; frankly, I didn't see it. Yes, it is more crowded than I would prefer and is definitely pricy. However, San Francisco has a vibrancy that few other cities I have visited can match. From what I observed, at least in the sections we visited, the city was not overrun by homeless. When I returned to Alabama and described our largely positive experiences, many of my FOX News-indoctrinated relatives were unbelieving.
I went to High School and San Francisco City College back in the 1950s. After I graduated from HS & SF City, I went into the military. I never went back to SF. Life would have been so different had I returned to SF. I really enjoyed my time there. It was nearly six years.
As someone who lived in London for many years until recently, the media in the UK and in the States always depicted it so negatively, focusing on stabbings, terrorism, so called 'no go neighbourhoods' (that one was complete fiction), but my experience was that these things were exceptionally rare, and it was mostly a positive vibrant melting pot of cultures with so many interesting things to see and do. I made many friends there and still have a good opinion of it even after I left. I expect it's a similar story to San Francisco.
Just don’t bring your car if it’s possible., there’s a big chance that you’ll be the next victim. Our new car was stolen, it was such a big blow in our family. There’s still plenty of places to visit in San Francisco like the North beach is our favorite, the museums of course, we also enjoyed walking going to the Coit tower but avoid Embarcadero , that place is a big mess. We had great memories bringing our children there when they were young., now it’s just sad and unfortunately the Ferry building is affected by it. Union square and Fisherman’s wharf is another place that’s no longer fun to visit. Those places are the most important landmarks of San Francisco. The Chinatown is getting a little better because they put several police in that area and I finally went there for the first time after 4 years because it was truly getting out of control.
I kind of agree. Those places can have problems right now which didn't have before, but it doesn't mean that they are horrible and you should never go there again. In last months I see many negative videos on RUclips, especially about the UK with clickbait names like: The UK is done, England is death, never go to London again......and so on. While those places can have some problems and it is not a good idea to hide them, it is also quite unfair. If you gonna call the places like that and people will see them so badly, the problems are just gonna be worse. But it's RUclips with its algorithm loving strong and usually negative emotions, so there will always be just few people who are able to show more complex view.
Did you go to the wharf. I saw a channel yesterday showing that almost everything in the wharf area is closed…..Aliotos, the fish market etc. it was so sad to see
Thanks for the video. I've lived in San Francisco for 20 years and the propaganda about the city's death spiral is almost completely created by people who have no connection to the city. Particularly frustrating because I know people who live 10 miles outside of the city who believe the nonsense that's being propagated about San Francisco. It's not a perfect city, it's got the same issues every urban center in America has but despite its problems it's probably the most beautiful city in the US.
By coincidence, I just spent the weekend in SF by Union Square. The cable cars and tourist areas were half- filled. Not as many as the shops want, but lots of tourist activity. The homeless were easily avoidable (though I did not go to the Tenderloin). Also walked south of Market and Castro. The hotel was more affordable than I expected, and ok. Would have no problem going back!
Real estate metrics include a WALK SCORE. A high walk-score is desirable in many ways and promotes health/wellness/connectivity- Walking Lifestyle!!!!!!. Grocery store is the #1 amenity.
That's tough because grocery stores, for some inexplicable reason, are almost never within a reasonable walk from residential areas in the U.S. Even when grocery stores are relatively close to residential neighborhoods, they seem to be built with absolutely no walking infrastructure or connectivity. In fact, a lot of them will have walls/barriers to separate nearby residents from the store and prevent walkability. It's a crazy phenomenon, and I think it's founded in some flimsy excuse to "reduce crime."
I’m just 2 years younger than you, and first visited San Fran in the summer of 1991. Although I now haven’t been there in probably 18 years, from 1991 to about 2006 I was there several times and it had a big positive impact on me. To this day I continue to say it’s one of my 3-4 favorite big cities in the U.S. So it pains me that it’s been so long since I’ve been back. I’ve seen the areas of blight in San Fran, heard how expensive it is, and heard about its decline. But I continue to say that it’s a great place, and very cool. The Bay Area as a whole still has some of the biggest companies in the world. From Apple, to Lucasfilm, to many others. One interesting note. One of my favorite beers was long Anchor Steam, by Anchor Brewing out of San Fran. The company recently after years went under, but I still noticed a neon sign for it in a window you passed. I hope one day that company can be revived. It was a great local San Fran label, that you could usually find even on shops around the country in bottles and cans.
I went to SF once over 20 years ago. Absolutely loved it. Stayed for 2 weeks. Walked and took transit everywhere. Look forward to visiting again one day.
You clearly love what makes a great city great, and you have a sense of humor as well. For some reason a lot of Americans bought into the negative hype about SF being a filthy hellhole or a ghost town, lining up to drink some Kool Aid spiked with vitriol and hate. You offer a refreshing, cool and clear glass of water. As a resident, I am happy to say you could just have easily walked from Noe Valley to the Panhandle to JapanTown to the Richmond and Sunset Districts, then the Castro and the tree-lined Duboce Triangle, then caught the folksy feel of Bernal Heights and the Excelsior, then toured the “Swiss Village” vibe of West Portal and Glen Park, then come back by Dolores Park in the Mission through uber-chic Hayes Valley before climbing Cathedral Hill to Polk Gulch to Russian Hill, Nob Hill and Jackson Square and finally ending up in Chinatown, that amazing City-within-a-City that never ceases to dazzle me, and you’d see sidewalks at least as charismatic, invigorating and dynamic as these.
It’s sad that the media focuses only on the city’s problems. And yes it does have its problems, but overall San Francisco is doing just fine. And they do the same with Chicago too
I visited SF last month for a week and it was one of the greatest cities i've ever been to! You do need to avoid tenderloin though. LA was fine but it's soo freaking busy all the time and the people are full of themselves.
They're focused on being able to walk around and do... Nothing... SF is boring as fuck and I wouldn't trust any of the restaurants. Anyone who lives there eventually leaves. You really think they use fresh healthy ingredients when they can't even afford rent? Their priorities are out of whack and you can see it in the tent cities.
I visited SF for the first time 2 years ago and cannot tell you how many people thought I was out of my mind for daring to visit such a lawless, chaotic third world cesspool. I can happily say I had a fantastic few days and SF is one of the most beautiful cities in the world
"How many people" sounds like a good measure of the number of your acquaintances imbibing right wing stuff
@@jazzfan7491 its not even my acquaintances, it's most of my family members & most of the people around where I live. I'm on the East Coast so very few people have ever been to SF.
I was there about 15 years ago and it was great. I’d love to go back. Recently I was in Chicago, and what a great town that is
Keyword is visited, you don't live here and I do. It's okay but the homelessness needs to be taken care of but our leadership sucks.
“Lawless” describes Oakland 😂
SF is great 👍🏽
Thanks for actually showing current activity in SF. I am a 74 year old native who retired to the desert for health and affordability but miss San Francisco every day. I cannot remember a time when there weren't complaints that the city was not what it used to be.
The past is always remembered better than it actually ever was.
Cities change constantly both positively and negatively but dire headlines always sell better. Homelessness, drugs and lack of services for the mentally ill is an American problem whether one likes it or not rather than a regional one. Thanks again for the reality check and keep up the informative vlogs.
This might be the greatest and most earnest RUclips comment I have ever seen
I agree with this statement.
Well, there are more homeless in Europe, due to the higher population. MAGA is definitely not correct to say our cities are falling apart. They're thriving. Big cities will never agree with maga politically. If we did, we wouldn't live in major cities, right? 🙂
"The past is always remembered better than it actually ever was." Indeed. One of my favorite aphorisms is "Just because you were happier as a child than you are now doesn't mean the world as a whole has gotten worse."
@@derekfnord
"Just because you were happier as a child than you are now doesn't mean the world as a whole has gotten worse."
Excellent point!
I am reminded of something I heard on the TV show Millennium, which stared the guy who played the android on Aliens (the sequel to Alien) as an FBI agent who was tracking serial killers and ends up trying to stop a conspiracy that's trying to cause the end of the world in 2000....
On that show, a character said "every man thinks there is something special about HIS TIME".
Sometimes people, notably maga, can't accept that things have moved on, and they should move as well 🙂
As a person who grew up across from SF (Berkeley and Oakland), it's nice to see someone do a video showing all the good things SF has. The city is more than just the Tenderloin and Lower Knob Hill. What you showed is typical SF on almost any day of the week. It is vibrant, walkable and interesting. I live in San Diego but try to get back home once a year to visit mom.
How do you like SD?? I’m from Miami, and trying to decide if I should visit 🤔
@@Zambineaux305 San Diego is very casual and laid back, especially compared to what you're used to. The West Coast in general is but even when you go to bars a lot of people are dressed casually. it isn't a flashy place and that's one of the things I love about it. You can't always tell who's rich and who isn't.
@@ShonnMorrisSD has gone wild post COVID though
@@Ignaciombr Not sure what you mean.
@Accentor100 it has gotten worse because of homelessness, cost of living and environment overall
We were JUST in San Francisco last week for a few days and we stayed with our niece and nephew in the Bayview district which is a fairly old neighborhood. We visited the SOMA district, Chinatown, Little Italy and Fisherman’s Wharf and never did I feel uncomfortable. Although I was somewhat concerned prior to our visit, I was pleasantly surprised how clean and relatively “safe” I felt. Not to mention their transportation systems are next to none - the streetcars and subways are efficient and we even had a fun ride on WAYMO!
It still is a beautiful city and I hope that their city officials can turn things around.
Born and raised, in the city. 50's, 60's, early 70's. That record store used to be a bowling alley. It was called Park Bowl, Went to Polytechnic High school around the corner. Met my wife at Poly, and took her bowling. Kezar Stadium, and 49ers. before it changed. Grew up in the inner Sunset District, next to the G.G. park. More or less on my own at 7 years old. Good fun, lots to do, clean, and safe. Rode my 20" single speed bike everywhere. Stow lake, boats and frogs, Japanese Tea garden, scavenged for coins in their ponds. de museum, learned to draw trees, and Steinhart aquarium, and natural history, and science. Sunday orchestra, all volunteers. I took it all for granted, and I was young. Nice memories.
Me too. I grew up in the inner sunset district in the mid 50's at 1129 Lincoln way near Funston right across from GGP. Love going out to Whitney's Playland at the Beach, use to hang out at Pasquale's pizza on Irving street every Friday night. Went to school at Saint Anne's of the Sunset, then out to Lowell high. Great times growing up In the city during that generation!!!!! 👍🌉
@@6foot7Slovenian You can type too! Will wonders never cease to amaze. Please sit down, and try to pay attention, I know it is hard for you, but you can do it.
@@bartonpercival3216 We lived on Lincoln Way too, between 11th. and twelfth ave. The city was fun. Fishing at Municipal pier, and fisherman's wharf. It seems you went to Catholic Schools.
@@robertwatson3962 Wow so we were neighbors living just a block apart. Just one Catholic school (St. Anne's) just across the street from the Park & Shop store, just one block from our flat. My mother use to rent out our driveway for Sunday parking for the 49ers games. The inner sunset was so wonderful in those days. Robert's bakery on 14th avenue was great as well as the old sun valley dairy on Irving street. I miss the old neighborhood and the city. I use to go crabbing on the pier near the Ferry building in the 70's. I left San Francisco in 2001.
@@bartonpercival3216 We would do the same thing with our parking. we lived at 1031 Lincoln Way in a converted house turned into a duplex. we lived downstairs. We would park three cars, one after another using the garage and sometimes a fourth across the drive ramp. I remember Robert's bakery, and and their custard filled donuts, or whatever they were. Did you ever go to the Irving theater? That was a marvelous neighborhood theater and building. Torn down to make room for apartments. Very boring. I went to Jefferson Elementary school. The older one, before it burned down. I miss the old times in general, but we need to be happy today, even if it is difficult. Be of good cheer! Robert
Similar experience. I went to San Francisco for a conference last year. Everyone talks about how bad it is, but man. I had a BLAST. The parks were really stunning and I was so impressed with the network of urban trails. I also felt like it was one of the few American cities where the streets felt like they were designed for people, not just cars.
So I guess the people who report thousands of smash and grabs are lying?
No it's true but it's concentrated in the touristy n shopping areas. Likely by union square n where u got the high rises
@@AdrianButler86 bull crap...I couldn't wait to get out of there.
yes! this is my favorite city in all my experiences. from FL go NY, to ND, CO and back. I chose to be be, out of all the places I have been.
@harlandeke cuz youre a boring old person 😂
I went to Chicago in March, I was expecting the worse, but turned
out to be a beautiful city and the people couldn't have been nicer.
How was the Southside?
The people can definitely be nicer. 😊
@@philp3786 Not sure because I have no idea what part of Chicago I was in, I think it was called West Rogers Park
@@philp3786 I've been there several times. Had a friend at U of Chicago. Friendly people, stuff to do, places to eat.
@RetNemmoc555 ohhh Hyde park, nice, very risky neighborhood
SFSU geography graduate and 10 year resident originally from visalia here. Just want to say how much i appreciate your videos, especially this one. I have zero regretts moving here. Its been interesting seeing the resiliency of sf while it fluctuatesby different measures and contexts. After being part of the unhoused population and now working at ucsf i try to give back and develop community by volunteering at shelters. I feel its a good way of staying in touch on a social level. Anyway, thanks again for everything u do.
It's "homeless" not "unhoused" and it's "illegals" not "undocumented" and it's "pervert" not "transgender". Just FYI. 😂😂😂
Thank you for looking out for others. It's a beautiful thing to uplift the human spirit.
You seriously removed and reported my comment? Don't like freedom of speech huh? It is enshrined in the US Constitution whether you like it or not..
Dude doesn't even know what free speech is lol
I'm from San Francisco, but I left in 2001 because it was hard finding employment and the rents were getting so high. I used to live below Twin Peaks, above the Castro District. I worked in the Financial District downtown. I really miss my City so much. There was so much to do, it was a lot of fun, especially back in the 90's. I never needed a car to get around town. Hopefully I'll visit again one day. Enjoy your stay and have fun. Thanks for showing the good stuff of the City. 😊
That’s the past! Many of my friends moved and will not come back. They all hate to see this once beautiful and vibrant city turn into zombies paradise. The crime, break in, robbery are non stop. Any alley ways are full of encampments. Drug dealer everywhere. I am seriously thinking moving out the state. Hate the nonsenses politic here!
@@mamasan7902 the hate and ugliness is clearly within you. You’re not hearing what the narrator of this video is saying. I was down in San Francisco for a month and a half this summer, and walked these very streets. San Francisco is still full of vibrant and happy and creative people - you’re just not one of them and yes, you really should leave.
I live in that neighborhood now!! Heard the city was popping in the 90’s (when I was born here) but can tell you noe valley, diamond and Bernal heights are still awesome places to live :) views can’t be beat!
Just got back from SF yesterday. Absolutely gorgeous, historic city. It’s so amazing.
I love vids of people walking around cities like this! I wish more would actually focus on positives like you, because a lot of American city exploring vids have this apocalyptic narrative where they go through the worst part of a city then call it "dead". I guess a lot of Americans just love to be negative 😅, can't say that's healthy for the soul though!
Exactly. It’s sad to see people in the comments upset that this video shows normal neighborhoods and not just the worst parts of the city.
This is propaganda. Anyone living and working there has seen a massive demonstrable change and a significant loss of what used to be. Being able to find nice places isn't the point, and pointing out the bad that has occured doesn't mean someone hates the city. I genuinely believe people like you and Geography King are detrimental to the health of the city. Ignoring the problems is how it got so much worse.
@promontorium I said we should focus more on positivity because damn near everything I hear about San Francisco (or most American cities really) is all extremely negative in a completely unconstructive way. It rarely feels like the most popular videos on those topics are made with any other purpose than pushing an apocalyptic narrative of these cities, making people yearn of "the good old days" that nostalgia tells us existed. I never said that people cannot criticize the city, but this is a nice change of pace since I've not heard of a single positive thing about the city in years. I know San Fran is in a rough place and I hope they fix their problems, but it's nice to see someone show a pleasant side of it instead of ripping it apart, which I must emphasize again is like 90% of what I hear about it.
@@bigbabado8296 Ignore them. They say they’re speaking for everyone in the city but they aren’t. In many aspects the city is better than ever and nobody hears about that. Dismissing the great things hurts the city just as much as ignoring the negative. People think the worst parts of the city are the entire city when really the majority of the city is wonderful.
@meteorical8036 Also fair. It may also be how city people view cities vs non city people. I'm from NYC and things have changed a lot but not to a complete negative like many people think. Yeah, everything's horrifically expensive now but honestly feels a lot nicer and safer then when I was a kid, and less dirty (non-city people won't believe it but it's honestly true lol)
Other than NYC and perhaps also Chicago, San Francisco has the most dynamic, unusual, and interesting history of any large US city.
I am a New Yorker and have visiting SF nearly annually since 2017. Gorgeous and stunning city with a very special vibe/verging on Mediteranean in some aeas, I LOVE it!
Historical correction. The historical Fillmore jazz district was not a poor area, it was a vibrant middle-class African-American neighborhood and business corridor before it was bulldozed for a highway that was never built. It was that construction that downgraded the neighborhood to a poor area.
I agree ☝️ 😅
Before that it was all Japan Town. They put Japanese into camps and moved in the blacks.
@@Zul1788government scammers do that all the time when they can convince a group of people they’re somehow different than some other group of people. They’ve been documenting their crimes for centuries but most people don’t want to read about it or try understand where most of the problems are originating from
This is factual. The city government used the mere presence of Black people to call urban blight so the area could be gentrified through urban renewal.
@@Zul1788false. It was not all Japan town. What is currently known as Japan town is about eight blocks smaller than it’s the original area. it’s the original Chinatown that lost about 2/3 of its size.
Thank you for this video. I have been so upset over the media description, of a city I do not live in, but visit every chance I get. I love the good and the bad about San Francisco! This is the one place I took my son in his mid-teens on vacation, and he fell in love with it, went walking by himself, taking pics, and just absorbing what he saw as a place he thought he would live in, if he could. Thank you for this refreshing video visit. Planning my next visit now!
Kyle - THANK YOU. I’ve been to SF many times, was just there for work last month, was in downtown and the Mission, things are a little different post-COVID but there have been so many upgrades in streets regarding bike lanes and redirected traffic with more outdoor restaurant space etc. and really every part of the city has a different character. I’m always partial to Sunset but that’s just me. Oh and I rode in a Waymo which was a surreal experience
Kyle, thank you for this video. For 30ish years I’ve been saying SF was one of my favorite cities. Born and bred in NJ, now living on Long Island NY. June/July of 95, I bicycled from Reedsport OR, ( my brothers house) to Monterey, my buddies place. Rode through SF. My memories are the bridge, AMAZING, and riding passed the zoo… smelled SO BAD!!!!. My buddy and I drive up to SF after I arrived. Went to Brooks Brothers to get a suit, my buddy is lawyer now, and walked to Chinatown (like being in Hong Kong) for dinner. I loved it. The media reports have disheartened me. I’m so grateful for your video. I’m glad that one of my favorite US cities is still great. Thank you! For real, Kyle, you are a national treasure! I’m using you as my travel agent from here on in! Thank you, thank you, thank you. Maybe visit Monterey someday. My favorite town in the U.S.
Please let the death spiral media narrative let the cost of living fall, I want to move back
Not gonna happen as long as the demand is there it's just going up 😭
Good luck, with a very small geographical area surrounded by water on three sides, there isn't going to be much more housing unless they build up, which won't happen outside of SOMA....
Hundred buck lunch.. you get robbed either way in SF.
They need to build taller in more areas on the peninsula. Too many mid rise older buildings where more units could be built
@@naptime0143they need to build new housing in the area, that will solve most of the city’s problems. That being said, it’s not the doom and gloom that right wing media describes it as
Thanks for making this video Kyle. I am a born and raised an SF native. I grew up there in the 80s/90s when there was still a rich immigrant, working class culture there and even though it has been taken over by tech bros, I will always love it and always call it home.
I feel like the rest of the country tries to paint it in such a negative way because they are jealous, or ignorant that people can actually mix their differenr ideas, cultures, histories and beliefs no matter how "progressive" and make it work. I have visited over 30 States and I have yet to be in another state that didnt have the same issues SF has with homelessness, crime and other problems SF gets unfairly painted with.
My son and I always enjoy your videos, keep up the good work.
Thank you so much for this, i hope everyone comes visit our city
Thank you for videoing a more accurate picture of San Francisco. I was negatively influenced by the multitude of RUclips videos with horrible and tragic messages about how the city was in total chaos and ruin. Now, I have a more balanced perspective of the city.
SF the city is only 7 miles by 7 miles in area, so you can literally walk almost from edge to edge of the city in any direction in a couple of hours. When I lived there, I often walked from near the U of San Francisco campus to any of the downtown neighborhoods.
It is a fantastic place for walking around. Each time you crest one of the city's many hills, the view of the rest of the city is different. And most of the time, the city's local climate is invigorating, even though the western neighborhoods can become shrouded in a thick morning fog, especially during the summer months.
This video is why I appreciate Geography King. Cities are not all manufactured and corporate shopping areas, they are moving, living, and constantly changing areas that take in everyone and allow you to be you. It is why cities attract the people they do.
Media has a business model: Keep people addicted to fear, panic and outrage. That's what gets clicks and keeps viewers hooked. Thanks for posting a dose of reality.
You are absolutely correct! BEST COMMENT 👍🏾
Or it could be that fear, panic and outrage is what gets people to watch, so the media are just selling what gets the most views.
What, you mean SF, Portland, and Seattle haven't been burned down 5x each by protesters? But...but...but...it's what I see on tv!
Yep! They do that with Chicago. I went there and thought it was just a beautiful city.
And people who actually love the city have a model: Sound the alarm of actual issues, not sweep things under the rug and blow smoke uo your ass. This isn't reality, it's propaganda. If half the city were sick, that would be a horror beyond measure. Showing the healthy half and pretending the other half isn't sick is even worse.
I'm so glad your title was a head-fake. My wife (RIP) and I visited San Francisco way back in 1996 on a two-week vacation, and we just loved it.
I'm a native San Franciscan who is now living in Oakland. You captured a much more typical scene in SF then the one currently in the media, so thank you!
One correction: Pacific Heights has some of the wealthiest people in the city, but it's not by the western coast of SF. The Richmond district further west touches the coast, but it's mostly what I'd call a middle-class district (although SF mid-range housing is still expensive).
thank you, Kyle, for this video. I agree wholeheartedly with your observations and assessment of the City. I work daily in SF as a tow truck / transport driver and see the best and worst of all areas. Even the worst areas don't seem as bad as certain videos suggest. I wouldn't live anywhere else!
Knew it was a clickbait/sarcasm before I even clicked on the video! Good one 👋
"there is no poverty in Uttar Pradesh, just look at the taj mahal." -you, probably
@@jedidiah5515 couldn't be farther from the truth, but okay 🙂
Yeah I loved the sarcastic clickbait too. Sneaky way to neutralize the view on SF!
some people on yt like a guy initials NJ post those exact titles and show only worst sections for clicks and money. it's dishonest and unfair to these cities. ...but he gets paid and that's all that matters. GK on the other hand is fair and informative :)
I should have expected the sarcasm in the title
Thank you for making this, proud SF resident here!
Call it irony, or call t trolling: Either way, it’s top notch! Loved it. And great to see the Haight back to doing the Haight.
Thank you for this video. My young adult is relocating to SF. I've been so worried due to all the videos and stories about how terrible it is there. I feel so much better
I've lived in SF for 20 years and I can assure you that the city is nowhere near as dangerous as some politically motivated (i.e., "propaganda") media outlets would have you believe. Yes, violence and crime do happen here - it's a major urban area, after all - but as a Tenderloin resident I've never felt threatened by the prospect of totally random personal violence. Just like everywhere else in America, most of the violence in SF is based on interpersonal arguments that don't involve random strangers.
Meanwhile, most of the "crime" in SF is minor property crime (like someone breaking into a car to steal a purse or whatever) that may be undeniably annoying, but is hardly a reason to run away from the city screaming. That shit happens everywhere.
Thanks Kyle. As a San Francisco resident it's really annoying to constantly hear how crappy my city is every time I travel anywhere else. I always have to ask if they've been to SF recently and if so, where did they go? Hardly anyone says yes to the first question and often if they do, they can't tell me what neighborhoods they were in so they are obviously lying. We do have a problem with homelessness, open hard drug use, and petty theft (car break ins), but overall, if you look at violent crime stats, San Francisco is a very safe city. And as you note, most of the city is vibrant, active, beautiful, and the weather is awesome!
Thanks for putting this out, and we were happy to have you here. Glad you had a good time!
My family has lived in the SF area since we homesteaded land there in the 1840s and we moved in 2021. You think SF is a good city? You haven't been to Miami or NY then. Those are world class cities. Go to Europe. Go to Japan. SF sucks and it's nothing like it was in the 90s when I grew up there. You kind of have this flippant attitude about the crime there. It's not a small issue. Get a clue dingbat. No one talks about the trash and the pollution in SF as well. Dirty city.
You probably just moved there. Many parts of the city are dead! Like fisherman’s wharf and union square which is a good indication that the city is in really bad shape as there’s not as many tourists as there used to be
@@ramonlopezaguilarExactly, and I still wouldn’t feel safe parking my car on the street
@@ramonlopezaguilar I'm not a native, but I have lived in the city for 19 years. The last two times I've been down to Union Square it definitely was not dead. Last weekend I was down there to look at mattresses at the Saatva flagship store and it was bustling and a band was playing in the square itself. The time before that was for tulip day and there were thousands of peopled lined up for hours with lines up and down streets and around the block. Certainly not dead. Maybe you're remembering when Market street was not restricted to MUNI only so without other vehicular traffic is doesn't seem as chaotic to you? It is much easier to get around without all the clueless drivers clogging things up. I haven't been to fisherman's wharf in a while, but given how I know you are wrong about union square, I have a hard time trusting your assertion about fisherman's wharf. I imagine with the record number of sea lions at pier 39, there are a lot of people there to look at them - but I can't verify. I do know that things I go to that area for (when I do) are are still up and thriving - musee mecanique, codmother, and in n out.
Out of curiosity, how often do you come to the city and when were you last here? If it's been a while, come check it out with an open mind. Things are definitely on the up since the height of the pandemic.
@@dingbat32112your name says it all. The place is a filthy despot city full of drug addicts and bums. It is very unsafe city. A city that coddles drug addicts by passing out needles and allow people to defecate in the street. Living in that filth that city is filth. North shore is disgusting. Alot of places shutdown and others leaving.
Nice walking views. I grew up in Oakland and Berkeley in the 80's and early 90's. I was just in SF in April for the first time since 2006. It has changed marginally both for good and bad, but it's 90% the same as it ever was. I love that city! And I appreciate your candid view.
Thanks for posting this. SF is my hometown ( left the Bay Area 9 years ago). Sure miss the diversity and the eclectic neighborhoods. Keep up the great content!
Thanks for this Kyle. We are planning a visit to SF for the first time in 20 years and I was wondering what to expect
Best weather is in September and October 😊
@@psfca Bring a jacket, even in the summer on a sunny day. All natives know this.
I'm in SF right now. And also loving every minute of this warm, vibrant, diverse city.
You can experience San Francisco just like Kyle did if you venture away from tourist areas. Yes, every city has issues. About a year ago, I was in San Francisco and found the West Portal neighborhood really hopping and ate at really good Italian restaurant. Also Noe Valley on 24th Street is another experience in a positive way. Great mom and pop type eateries.
Yup, that's the wealthiest neighborhood in the city and apparently the only shopping area that's growing.
@@ckm-mkcWest Portal is not the wealthiest part of SF. There is shopping all over SF.
@@ckm-mkc the Fillmore is now a shopping area but it used to be of the poorest areas in the city. Even in the poor areas there's good food and people 😂
Even Union Square has good parts, but there are even other neighborhoods like North Beach, The Sunset, Mission and Russian Hill that are booming, you can even cross the bridge to Sausalito and Tiburon and it's gorgeous
Looks pretty nice and vibrant to me! Don’t know if I will ever get to see it in person, so this is the next best thing!
Its worth it, i thought the same as you and im happy that i went on a limb and visited. Its amazing here and hard to discribe.
As a native Californian now living overseas in southeast Asia, I am really happy to see a “normal” video of SF that is NOT highlighting the refuse-infested and homeless parts of SF. This almost makes me think there is still hope for SF after all.
This is a great video! People love fear and feeding off of fear. I recently visited Mexico (which in all fairness, does have a higher violent crime rate than in the US). But people were like, "are you sure that's a wise decision?" As if I was about to die or make a very bad decision. I never once encountered the cartels when I was down there, I had incredible cheap Mexican food, I enjoyed the beautiful scenery, and overall had a great time. Sure, there's bad parts of almost everywhere, but by hyper-focusing on those bad parts we miss so much of the good parts.
I liked some of your geography content before, but this video earned a subscribe from me!
I visit San Francisco 2 or 3 times a year and it’s still a vibrant beautiful city. I see the media coverage - and sure there are some bad spots like in all cities and, sure, some areas have seen better days - again, like all cities. But my family and friends there still love it and I enjoy visiting. The people, food, art, music, distinct sections of the city - and the foggy cool weather - all make it a unique city with great character. Thanks for the video.
kyle, i love how much of a walking fan you are. walking remains underrated ! I bet it gives you great peace of mind and allows you to actually learn about a city
Yeah, it's my preferred method of transit. I see way more of cities while on foot and for me it's the best way to see off-the-beaten-path places.
San Francisco isn't just one of my favorite places in the US, it's one of my favorites in the world. Thanks for this video!
I just went a few weeks ago for my cousins wedding. Had never been before and I couldn’t believe how nice and beautiful it was compared to the media coverage.
Everyone I know who lives there loves it. The media hysteria is unreal, exaggerated news should be illegal.
Mental gymnastics!
Just hate it dont you, when the rightvwing media is exposed as fake@ohbebe
@ohbebe you're the only guy I've ever seen argue that SF real estate is too cheap lol
@@ASUS_spades his/her comment just proves that they just spew all kinds of bullshit without even knowing the city.
Nice video. Was expecting footage of the doom loop apocalypse, but this does a good job of sampling some of the popular pedestrian-friendly areas around the city.
Some other great pedestrian friendly areas that are lesser known:
1. JFK Promenade in GG Park
2. Clement Street from 10th Ave to Arguello in the Inner Richmond
3. 9th Ave at Irving Street in the Inner Sunset
4. West Portal Ave between 15th Ave and Ulloa
Anyone thinking of visiting SF would do well to consider adding one of these locations to their walking itinerary.
IMPRESSIVE 👍! Thank you for posting this video! Makes me want to visit SF again😉.
As a long time Bay Area resident I can tell you the local media is nearly as bad as the national media in how it portrays the city. Most of their attention has been on the downtown business district which is admittedly still recovering from the Covid era with a lot of empty office buildings and retail shops closing. But as you showed the neighborhoods are still thriving and downtown finally seems to be turning around a bit. I guess all media still live by the adage “if it bleeds, it leads.”
Jeez, I haven't seen Reddykilowatt for decades. Thanks.
The media/RUclipsrs like to say the same thing about New York City. If one were to believe the media you may be under the impression its a lawless warzone. While like with any city there are parts to avoid, most of the city is safe and doing well.
I'm just a tiny bit sad this video didn't start with "Howdy...it's Kyle."
it does?
Lol. I too love the “Howdy! It’s Kyle!”
Definitely threw me off as well lol. Sounds like we all love is intro
hahaha, love it. Hid intro is simple but makes people happy
Kyle is not from the south!!
Just got back from SF visting my friend. Beautiful city! There are some rough edges in Oakland and some parts of the city itself that I saw but besides that I had no issues at all. Beautiful city, beautiful surrounding nature, all around great experience. Food was good too
I was just in Santa Clara for the Rolling Stones.
The stadium was perfectly clean, we used the lite rail from the south. No issues.
We did notice some rather large vacant commercial buildings, fenced off.
Nice buildings.
This video absolutely shocked me. You decided to walk up Fillmore from the marina??? That hill is almost too steep to drive haha
The hills are the one thing I wasn’t prepared for. You see the movie car chases and I just assumed it was movie hyperbole. No, those things are dangerous. Going up is hard, and then going down you feel like you’re gonna flip over.
I used to ride my bicycle up that hill everyday, we are tuff here in SF
When in San Francisco I always wonders what would it be like if they had ice storms. Those hills,
I drive manual and it does take a toll on the clutch!
@@Pinkybum Yeah, years ago I had a manual and I went out of my way to avoid those hills when in SF.
I'm a libertarian right winger who also loves SF. Of course, it'd be nice to see a little more pragmatism, political diversity and enforcement of civil codes where needed, but what an amazing place. Probably a little rich for my blood to ever relocate, but the politics there wouldn't bother me one scintilla, given that I'd be coming from Minneapolis, which would make it a mostly lateral move.
Fantastic video "King" ! I've lived in SF for 41 years, the last 32 a block from where you started your Pacific Heights/Fillmore section (Jackson & Fillmore). It's been a wonderful 'hood to live in and remains a special place with Fillmore St flanked by Alta Plaza and Lafayette parks with postcard views of the Golden Gate, Alcatraz, etc. San Francisco remains unique in having so many distinct 'hoods that are all easily accessible because the geography is so compact. Thanks for showcasing this quality that so many US cities simply don't have -- no place to walk around and see the "sights". In the end, the SF climate make actually save the day. While the rest of the country broils, SF remains crisp and cool without the need for A/C due to the persistent marine layer. This year, we've only had a hand full of days exceeding 75 degrees. Bravo !
I love SF and always stay in either the Tenderloin or the Mission. One of my favourite cities along with Vancouver and Sydney Australia. I can walk the streets for hours on end.
I LOVE SAN FRANCISCO AND I ALWAYS WILL.
I lived there for several years in the 80's and 90's. Afterwards I got trapped in Berlin Germany..... But I will get Back to San Fran one day and maybe I stay.... if I find someone to love and someone who appreciates my inventions.... Gravity to Electricity ... in abundance.... no negative impact on Mother Nature.... If some good guy reads this, I might get a notice....
Amazing comment be safe be well 😂
@@craigbunch8442 I am not safe in Nazi / Stasi Germany ! Plus: explain that smiley...
I am a pretty conservative/republican guy mostly, I visited San Fran a year ago and absolutely loved it. Beautiful city with great food and culture. Can’t wait to visit again.
Visit is the key word. I like to go to cities for food and culture as well, but then have a clean, quiet place to return to.
@@BH6242KCh yup. Which is fine. Wouldn’t live there in a million years but a good 3 night trip for sure
Don't be fooled. The city was cleaned for Pride. Somehow they managed to do this for June for these tourist and rich areas that have lots of g@ys. In same area in May plenty of homeless. They can't seem to shelter them in cold wet February but they took them out of the warm sun in June. It's disgusting.
Sorry, dude. You're not Conservative, not anymore. You're just a normal person with conservative views. The people who "run" the Conservative movement in this country right now don't want normal people like you in the club anymore. They only want brainwashed sheep who will believe whatever crazy crapola about lizard people and the deep state.
@@BH6242KCh That's the thing though. "The neighborhoods" in SF (everything that isn't downtown) are remarkably clean by US standards. I dare you to walk around the Marina, Fillmore, and Cole Valley and find me any dirty or dangerous areas.
SF's neighborhoods are extremely different. They vary a lot. The vastest majority are extremely clean. The Tenderloin is the one area in SF that is getting all the negative press coverage. They're pretending like all of SF is the Tenderloin.
As a local, you just don't go there and never have to deal with any of those issues. It's a tiny area anyway.
Sunset District checking in. Love it here
Inner or outer?
@@MarcosElMalo2 actually parkside, Taraval/ 30th
To be honest, that area is safe, but too cold for me. My favorites are Marina and North Beach.
Mission District checking out because It's strung out on meth.
20 years ago in my late teens/early twenties I had so many great adventures running around upper Haight. RIP Dal Jeets. SF is always beautiful in all of it's glory and grime. There is so much history, interesting people, and so many special hidden places.
Very interesting video! Thanks for the point of view.
Thank you so much for doing this! Yes the city does have some problems as do all cities, but it is still a beautiful, vibrant, exciting place to live with plenty of nice people. Terrific restaurants can be found everywhere, beautiful parks are there to explore , and our hills offer amazing views.
Thanks for the update. I have been thinking of making a trip.
I went to SF a couple of months ago for the first time in over ten years - you would think it had turned into some post-apocalyptic nightmare from what the media present. It was not at all, it was almost just like I remember (and remains one of my favourite cities in the world). I saw a couple of sketch things in downtown, but nothing worse than anywhere else in the US I've been. Was also sad that when I went into a Target everything was locked up and lots of security, so that was the major change I noticed - clearly petty crime has gotten bad. Other than that though, it was a vibrant and beautiful city.
People be acting like tenderloin hasn't been sketchy for 100 years
How many businesses were open?
@@sanic1085 Everything looked normal and open to me, I didn't see any noticeable vacant businesses.
All the tourist areas I went to were literally like a zombie apocalypse when I went Ik we are trying to be positive but the whole downtown was like that and I don’t think that’s something to ignore
@@danieljasinski1043 Oh I didn't see that at all. There were people everywhere and everything looked normal. Not sure what tourist areas you went to, but downtown, fisherman's wharf and all the areas shown in this video were packed when I was there.
I just spent a week in this beautiful city. It was clean, safe, and chilly!
I thought you were serious. Halfway through I was thinking "How is this dead?" LOL
Very intresting to see! Love those city-walk-videos. I live in Sweden and have never been to the USA but som day I will come, for sure!
It is a stunning, unique city and as a Bay Area local, I really should venture in more frequently. As long as you keep your wits about you - as you should in any big city - it's wonderful. Glad you had a nice time walking around the neighborhoods.
Thanks for doing this. I was born in SF, raised nearby and still live fairly close to it. It's been a long time since I've walked around there, but even, say, 20 years ago, there were plenty of panhandlers along Market Street. Most of the rest of the city was just its usual self, and as your video shows, still is. So it looks like things haven't changed quite as much as the media would like us to believe.. The Tenderloin and the southeastern quadrant were always pretty sketchy, even when I was a kid (half a century ago), so it wasn't perfect even when the tourism was peaking.
And honestly, is there a better-looking city skyline in the country than this one?
Yep! We went there for a couple of days last August (Fogust), and honestly, as a former NorCa resident and very frequent visitor for many decades, I was prepared for the worst. We drove in from 280 and at the first block into southern SF we did note ONE homeless tent on the off ramp and a few blocks in an obviously mental person dancing harmlessly through slow traffic. After that, the city was sublime, the best I have ever experienced it. Stayed in Japan Town/LoPacHts, delicious, cool foggy weather, super clean, somewhat busy streets. No zombie FetyHeads, no homeless tents or people, just busy, super fun bars and restaurants, SF’s stunning architecture, pleasant streets and parks to walk through and explore again. I was so glad to see the SF of my youth from the ‘60s as good as it has ever been and not the totally false dystopian narrative pushed by so many.
Thank you SO MUCH for a REAL view of SF. I lived on Sutter & Taylor (Tendernob) 10 years ago and have been shocked by the videos showing Union Square & Powell Street completely deserted. Then they usually go into showing the outer reaches of the Tenderloin which has ALWAYS been seedy, but they never venture into like the real city neighborhoods like you did. Looks just like it always has, vibrant, fun, lots of different people out enjoying a beautiful day, etc.
Really, really appreciate you doing this. CHEERS!
I had to log on and comment…now this is a video that really shows SF. I’m from Canada and visit SF at least a couple times a year. Yah, market street and tenderloin is struggling and there is a homeless and drug problem, but there are still nice neighbourhoods and you can take in and still enjoy SF. Go to a Giants game, ride a bike on the pathways, visit some of the parks, go to north beach or nob hill. I’m a bit of a contrarian traveller and like going to The City as you can get good deals on hotels now, and it’s not overwhelmed by tourists. Just take in the city and enjoy it for what it is.
Went there one time and I’m dying to come back. It’s probably the most beautiful city I’ve seen. I love the views, the beautiful trees and amazing architecture. As an architect myself it’s such a dream to be there.❤
It's one of two US cities that they could drop you into (the French Quarter section of New Orleans being the other) and you wouldn't think you were anywhere else.
Fox (Faux) News is always trying to vilify San Francisco. It’s their “boogeyman” to scare all the Christian nut jobs out in Hooterville and Podunk!
@@KreemieNewgatt You forgot Chicago, NYC, Santa Fe and Charleston
This was my experience visiting SF in 2023. Honestly, I couldn't tell the difference between 2023 and 1993. It was exactly the same, including the Tenderloin, which has always been rough, but it's not all bad. Two of SF's best jazz clubs are in the Tenderloin, The Black Cat and Mr. Tipple's.
A+ clickbait trolling title. 😂
I live outside of Portland, and my cousin from Texas literally thought the entire city was a war zone. Yeah, the city has issues, but it's amazing, the media's ability to distort the truth to cater to confirmation bias.
I'm right there with you from the north side of the Columbia. I love Portland and I don't really mind that Fox News viewers stay away because they think it's a smoldering crater (credit to @CityNerd for that apt phrase).
@@dbowielookalike I'm also a Vancouverite. Hello, my fellow tax-hesitant friend! 🤣
Yeah, I heard it was "burned to the ground." 🙃
Great to see the visits from this video. Keep this formula up Kyle!
Really nice audio of the bus starting up and dr:iving by at 5:15. Thanks. Great video.
Thanks for sharing. Unfortunately, my perspective has been what much of the media and my algorithms show. Glad to see some positivity.
Thoroughly enjoyed this video. My heart belongs to San Francisco
Great counterpoint to the negative media stories. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
As well as negative headline.
Thanks for making this video. This is also what we experienced a year ago. My son moved to CA two years and has no plans of moving back. I don’t think I’ve met one person with a positive comment about SF or CA. I can’t wait until I can visit my son and stay for months at a time to explore.
Thank you for the video Kyle.
Why is the title at odds with the content? Is it clickbait? Does RUclips recommend fear and anger titles?
Why didn't you show the Tenderloin, Castro, and Mission?
Thanks Kyle! Don from Vancouver Canada here. I've seen dozens of dystopian narrative videos on SF in the past year. Props to you for showing the entire picture. Can't say as I'm surprised either with the Mainstream media, always spreading negatively and fear is their stock and trade. Cheers for this! 🍻
Kyle: love seeing you rocking a Giants cap, and thanks for your great travelogues!
San Francisco is possibly the most beautiful city in the world. My wife and I visited in 2019 (not my first time). I was hearing about the unrelieved hellscape the city had become; frankly, I didn't see it. Yes, it is more crowded than I would prefer and is definitely pricy. However, San Francisco has a vibrancy that few other cities I have visited can match. From what I observed, at least in the sections we visited, the city was not overrun by homeless. When I returned to Alabama and described our largely positive experiences, many of my FOX News-indoctrinated relatives were unbelieving.
Thanks for your honest outlook on SF
I needed to hear that!!!
I went to High School and San Francisco City College back in the 1950s. After I graduated from HS & SF City, I went into the military. I never went back to SF. Life would have been so different had I returned to SF. I really enjoyed my time there. It was nearly six years.
As someone who lived in London for many years until recently, the media in the UK and in the States always depicted it so negatively, focusing on stabbings, terrorism, so called 'no go neighbourhoods' (that one was complete fiction), but my experience was that these things were exceptionally rare, and it was mostly a positive vibrant melting pot of cultures with so many interesting things to see and do. I made many friends there and still have a good opinion of it even after I left. I expect it's a similar story to San Francisco.
I loved London when I visited last july. One of my favorite cities along with New Orleans, Honolulu, chicago, and Edinburgh
Just don’t bring your car if it’s possible., there’s a big chance that you’ll be the next victim. Our new car was stolen, it was such a big blow in our family. There’s still plenty of places to visit in San Francisco like the North beach is our favorite, the museums of course, we also enjoyed walking going to the Coit tower but avoid Embarcadero , that place is a big mess. We had great memories bringing our children there when they were young., now it’s just sad and unfortunately the Ferry building is affected by it. Union square and Fisherman’s wharf is another place that’s no longer fun to visit. Those places are the most important landmarks of San Francisco. The Chinatown is getting a little better because they put several police in that area and I finally went there for the first time after 4 years because it was truly getting out of control.
I kind of agree. Those places can have problems right now which didn't have before, but it doesn't mean that they are horrible and you should never go there again. In last months I see many negative videos on RUclips, especially about the UK with clickbait names like: The UK is done, England is death, never go to London again......and so on. While those places can have some problems and it is not a good idea to hide them, it is also quite unfair. If you gonna call the places like that and people will see them so badly, the problems are just gonna be worse. But it's RUclips with its algorithm loving strong and usually negative emotions, so there will always be just few people who are able to show more complex view.
Thank you so much for this video. I loved SF years ago when I was there. Good to see that some of it is still safe to visit.
25-year SF resident here. Thanks for your video and perspective.
Did you go to the wharf. I saw a channel yesterday showing that almost everything in the wharf area is closed…..Aliotos, the fish market etc. it was so sad to see
You are doing it right, giving real raw audio visual truth with a good down to earth personal commentary. Please keep it up!
Thanks for the video. I've lived in San Francisco for 20 years and the propaganda about the city's death spiral is almost completely created by people who have no connection to the city. Particularly frustrating because I know people who live 10 miles outside of the city who believe the nonsense that's being propagated about San Francisco. It's not a perfect city, it's got the same issues every urban center in America has but despite its problems it's probably the most beautiful city in the US.
By coincidence, I just spent the weekend in SF by Union Square. The cable cars and tourist areas were half- filled. Not as many as the shops want, but lots of tourist activity. The homeless were easily avoidable (though I did not go to the Tenderloin).
Also walked south of Market and Castro. The hotel was more affordable than I expected, and ok.
Would have no problem going back!
Real estate metrics include a WALK SCORE. A high walk-score is desirable in many ways and promotes health/wellness/connectivity- Walking Lifestyle!!!!!!. Grocery store is the #1 amenity.
Meanwhile Whole Foods and even Trader Joe's are fleeing.
Cope more, gaslight more. Cali dystopia Newsom Pelosi Getty Oil.
That's tough because grocery stores, for some inexplicable reason, are almost never within a reasonable walk from residential areas in the U.S.
Even when grocery stores are relatively close to residential neighborhoods, they seem to be built with absolutely no walking infrastructure or connectivity. In fact, a lot of them will have walls/barriers to separate nearby residents from the store and prevent walkability. It's a crazy phenomenon, and I think it's founded in some flimsy excuse to "reduce crime."
I’m just 2 years younger than you, and first visited San Fran in the summer of 1991. Although I now haven’t been there in probably 18 years, from 1991 to about 2006 I was there several times and it had a big positive impact on me. To this day I continue to say it’s one of my 3-4 favorite big cities in the U.S. So it pains me that it’s been so long since I’ve been back. I’ve seen the areas of blight in San Fran, heard how expensive it is, and heard about its decline. But I continue to say that it’s a great place, and very cool. The Bay Area as a whole still has some of the biggest companies in the world. From Apple, to Lucasfilm, to many others. One interesting note. One of my favorite beers was long Anchor Steam, by Anchor Brewing out of San Fran. The company recently after years went under, but I still noticed a neon sign for it in a window you passed. I hope one day that company can be revived. It was a great local San Fran label, that you could usually find even on shops around the country in bottles and cans.
I went to SF once over 20 years ago. Absolutely loved it. Stayed for 2 weeks. Walked and took transit everywhere. Look forward to visiting again one day.
I've traveled to every large US city and SF is by far the most scenic. Thanks for not throwing it under the bus!
You clearly love what makes a great city great, and you have a sense of humor as well. For some reason a lot of Americans bought into the negative hype about SF being a filthy hellhole or a ghost town, lining up to drink some Kool Aid spiked with vitriol and hate. You offer a refreshing, cool and clear glass of water. As a resident, I am happy to say you could just have easily walked from Noe Valley to the Panhandle to JapanTown to the Richmond and Sunset Districts, then the Castro and the tree-lined Duboce Triangle, then caught the folksy feel of Bernal Heights and the Excelsior, then toured the “Swiss Village” vibe of West Portal and Glen Park, then come back by Dolores Park in the Mission through uber-chic Hayes Valley before climbing Cathedral Hill to Polk Gulch to Russian Hill, Nob Hill and Jackson Square and finally ending up in Chinatown, that amazing City-within-a-City that never ceases to dazzle me, and you’d see sidewalks at least as charismatic, invigorating and dynamic as these.
It’s sad that the media focuses only on the city’s problems. And yes it does have its problems, but overall San Francisco is doing just fine. And they do the same with Chicago too
I visited SF last month for a week and it was one of the greatest cities i've ever been to! You do need to avoid tenderloin though. LA was fine but it's soo freaking busy all the time and the people are full of themselves.
They're focused on being able to walk around and do... Nothing... SF is boring as fuck and I wouldn't trust any of the restaurants. Anyone who lives there eventually leaves. You really think they use fresh healthy ingredients when they can't even afford rent? Their priorities are out of whack and you can see it in the tent cities.