Overview
San Francisco is a city located on the West Coast of the United States in the State of California at the tip of the San Francisco Peninsula. It is the 12th most populous city in the United States, and the 4th most populous in California, with just under 810,000 residents calling the city home. San Francisco's climate is characteristic of the cool-summer Mediterranean climate of California’s coast with mild, wet winters and dry summers.
San Francisco’s economy is largely based on tourism, with millions flocking to the city each year to marvel at its astounding and world famous attractions, such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Per 9 near Fisherman’s wharf and Alcatraz Island. Aside from tourism, San Francisco has a large Financial Sector, with many large financial institutions, as well as some Fortune 500 companies, to be found in the city. In addition to this, San Francisco has a burgeoning Biotechnology and Biomedical sector. There are several leading educational institutions located in San Francisco, including the University of California, San Francisco and San Francisco State University.
San Francisco has a thriving cultural scene, with vibrant Art, Music, Theatre, Sport and Museum scenes located within the city’s boundaries. The city is home to the wonderful Museum of Modern Art, as well as a number of large sporting organisations, including the San Francisco 49ers National Football League (NFL) team.
Visitor Attractions
San Francisco is one of the United States’ top tourist destinations, with a variety of attractions bringing throngs of visitors to the city annually. These include world famous attractions such as Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge and Fisherman’s wharf. The city also features a wide variety of museums, galleries, parks, shopping districts and much more. The city’s top attractions include:
- The Golden Gate Bridge
- Fisherman’s Wharf
- Alcatraz
- Museum of Modern Art
Please see our ‘Things to do’ page for more information.
Transport Information
San Francisco is easily accessible by air for international passengers. San Francisco International Airport is located south of the city, and is mainly served by United Airlines and Virgin America. Greyhound operates a number of bus services across California from San Francisco, while Amtrak provides cross country rail services to San Francisco.
Pleases see our ‘Getting Here’ page for more information.