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I have relatives who live around Sunnyside, and in order to get to their house, I’d have to pass through Sunnyside. In a few words, the neighborhood isn’t all that bad. Sunnyside is a small little neighborhood that lies between neighborhoods that have suburban-ish and elegant high class homes. And because Sunnyside lies between such fancy neighborhoods, it is often forgotten in a sense. The reason I say this is because the homes in Sunnyside are your typical economic San Francisco homes, they stand right next to each other, much like the homes in the Sunset, and many other neighborhoods of San Francisco. Aside from living in houses in Sunnyside, there isn’t anything in the neighborhood. If you look around you’ll find an abundance of schools, or rather, a few schools. Here you have Sunnyside Elementary School, St. Finn Barr School, a Catholic school, Riordan High, and City College of San Francisco. Actually, there is a abundance of schools near Sunnyside, on the other side of Ocean Avenue.

Speaking of Ocean Avenue, Sunnyside is very close to this street of restaurants and small shops, however you’ll have to drive by the City College of San Francisco. I have eaten at the local Chinese restaurants on Ocean Avenue with my relatives when I visit them at Sunnyside. The atmosphere of Sunnyside is calm and peaceful, which makes it a great living environment for many.

What there is to see in Telegraph Hill definitely holds its neighborhood name true. For one, the Coit Tower, probably at the highest point of Telegraph Hill. Coit Tower definitely towers over the north-east of San Francisco and can be seen from any points/areas of San Francisco. The Coit Tower is actually a very frequented landmark of San Francisco by tourists. Just like the twisting streets of Lombard Street, the Coit Tower is just as big as a feat to see. Actually, most of the time, tourists will visit both Lombard Street and Coit Tower, as they are not far from each other, and many tourists like to take the Cable Car from one point to the other and vice versa. If you’re looking for places to spend money at in Telegraph Hill, you are also not far from doing so. On Bay Street and Stockton Street is the Northpoint Centre Shopping Center. Beyong this shopping center and closer to the waters is Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39, here tourists and San Franciscans can spend a day here without being bored. There’s so much to do. If you’re ever in this area, you should also head to the Aquarium of the Bay where you’ll see marine life like you’ve never seen it before.

Most of the eastern side of San Francisco is busy and bustling with cars, tourism, and people in general. Living in Telegraph Hill is great for those who love to live in an active environment where you get the feeling that the world around you is busy and is moving constantly.

Visitacion Valley has a bad reputation as a neighborhood, and in reality, it definitely isn’t one of San Francisco’s safest neighborhoods. Visitacion Valley lies on the outer edge of San Francisco near Daly City. One of the main or most probable reasons as to why violence occurs in Visitation Valley is because it lies right next to Bayview and Silver Terrace. These two neighborhoods itself aren’t the best in San Francisco and have been known to contain violence and gang activity, worse would be even Hunter’s Point, on the other side of Bayview. The whole southeastern side of San Francisco has a general makeup of such violence.

I wouldn’t recommend living here as it isn’t the safest place to live, especially when you’re trying to raise a family, you would definitely want to reconsider. There are definitely thefts in this neighborhood you will want to park your car in your garage. I’d say that this neighborhood is mostly for those of lower economic status because home prices here aren’t as high due to the bad reputation of Visitacion Valley. You shouldn’t really have a reason to come by this neighborhood unless you’re trying to reach Daly City or live in this area. By all means don’t come to this neighborhood expecting fun and high spirited residents.

Whenever I think or hear about West Portal, I instantly think about religion, due to the fact that the West Portal Lutheran Church lies in this neighborhood. Aside from my personal remarks about West Portal, this neighborhood itself is always on the move, this is because of the fact that there is a MUNI tunnel leading out to the West Portal neighborhood, and this is the West Portal Station. And wherever any neighborhood has a big MUNI station, there tends to be loads and loads of commuters in the area/neighborhood, and West Portal is definitely one of them. The three MUNI trains that go through this station is the K, L, and T trains. There are also several buses that pass through here as well.

This large MUNI station isn’t the only reason for the plethora of people in this neighborhood; it is also because of all the shops, restaurants, and cafes on West Portal Avenue. I forget the name of the little ice cream shop in this neighborhood, but that was one of my favorite places to go in West Portal.

There is also an Edible Arrangements store in West Portal, your friends and relatives would love to receive something from here on special days.

Living in West Portal is great as you get a good sense of community as you go around this lively neighborhood.

South Beach is a bustling and busy neighborhood on home games at AT&T Park, home to the San Francisco Giants. And on these days you’ll see hundreds of people decked out in orange gear, it’s quite a sight to see as you drive by on the Embarcadero, you’ll even see them cheering for the Giants even before the game starts. Though, the mood really changes on game days, whenever body is in their orange gear, it’s like everyone is family, all the fans are friendly with one another whether or not they know each other. There is also a large number of boats on the waters right next to South Beach, mostly those who wanted to catch a home run ball from a Giants game.

There are a lot of great restaurants and bars in South Beach, great place to celebrate a Giants victory. And if you’re looking for more, you won’t have to go far as there are tons in Downtown San Francisco, which is only 15-20 drive to, depending on the traffic.

West of South Beach is a lot to do, and I’m speaking truthfully, there is so much to do that you won’t be able to do it all in a day. Just a bit west of South Beach, you will find several museums, such as, Cartoon Art Museum, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and the Contemporary Jewish Museum of San Francisco. I’ve only been to the Museum of Modern Art, which I really enjoyed. In the same area, you will also find the Yerba Buena Gardens or center. There you have bowling and ice skating. Lastly you have the Westfield Shopping Center, which is the most trendy and hip place to go shopping nowadays for San Franciscans, it’s still relatively new compared to other shopping centers.

Silver Terrace isn’t that great of a neighborhood. I myself have done some construction work there with my father, and have also taken the SATs there at Thurgood Marshall High School. And for every time I’ve been there, I have always done a take-back or two, in other words, I’ve always looked behind me and around me, to make sure I know my surroundings. I do this because of the way I’ve been raised by my parents and from their experiences in Silver Terrace. My parents have lived in San Francisco for nearly 30 years so I trust their words. And it’s quite true to some extent from what I’ve experienced during my time there.

The neighborhood is quite shady to be honest. It lies right next to Bayview and Hunters Point, and much of the bad things that happen in Silver Terrace are mostly influenced by these two neighborhoods.

A good thing about Silver Terrace is the abundance of restaurants there. Aside from all the bad things about Silver Terrace, the neighborhood itself is known for its food. There’s a large variety of food to choose from, Mexican, Chinese, Italian, etc. you name it.

Living in this neighborhood, I’d personally think twice about it; this is due to the reputation Silver Terrace has. Some San Franciscans who don’t live in Silver Terrace regard it as a shady or bad neighborhood. I have a family friend who lives there who also thinks the same. The living cost there isn’t as high in other parts of San Francisco due to the nature of the location, which could be a good starting location for new San Franciscans.

Sea Cliff is a beautiful neighborhood mainly for the higher class or wealthy people. Just coming into this neighborhood you can already feel the presence of the rich, or just by looking at the house. If there is anything noticeable this neighborhood, it would definitely have to be the homes. All the houses here have a sophisticated look to them, most have a olden- style feel to them, especially one home in particular. On El Camino Del Mar is where the largest house (I’d say) in the neighborhood resides. This home is owned by Robin Williams, which many San Franciscans know him as Mrs. Doubtfire. That home in particular looks like a mini-mansion, it is even a gated home, all this really shows the true colors of the Sea Cliff, it screams “high class.”

What’s also great about the Sea Cliff is its location. The Sea Cliff lies between Lincoln Park and The Presidio. So if you’re ever looking to do recreational activities, you’re never far from a park. And for golfers, you’re really close to both golf courses in Lincoln Park and The Presidio. The Sea Cliff is also right next to Baker Beach.

I myself would like to live in this neighborhood; it’s a great neighborhood at a great location to raise a family and such. But you would definitely need to have the money to do so. The Sea Cliff also has a suburban-ish feel to it as the neighborhood itself is relatively quiet.

The Presidio is one of San Francisco’s most historic landmarks/area, probably even one of the most historic sites in California or on the West Coast. The Presidio’s history dates back to 1776 under Spanish rule. The Presidio was even used as military base during World War II. The Presidio is the longest active military site, running for over 200 years, its military use ended not long ago. There is so much to do and see in the Presidio that I’m not sure where or what to start with in this review. In the Presidio you won’t only find historic landmarks to visit and see, there is also Baker Beach for those who live nearby and would love to go out here for a tan or just for beach fun in general. There is also the Exploratorium, a great place for San Franciscans and tourists alike, more for San Franciscans I’d say though because if you go to the Exploratorium, you can’t stay there for a mere several hours, you basically have to spend your whole day there to get the full experience. I exaggerate, but more around five hours and more of your time. The Presidio is also home to the Walt Disney Family Museum, if you’re a tourist, this would be a perfect reason for you to visit a museum, just because its Walt Disney, anything Disney related is fun and exciting.

As the Golden Gate Bridge runs through the Presidio, a great place to stop by is Fort Point. Fort Point is probably the best and most chill place in the Presidio. Here you can get a great view of the San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge. On foggy days, Fort Point will feel majestic and awesome since you’re standing at a high elevation in the midst of a thick fog. It is also very windy up at Fort Point. As you’re on the 101 heading towards the Golden Gate Bridge and driving through the Presidio, it’ll feel like you’re driving through a forest. There is also a tunnel you will have to go through in the Presidio on the 101, and a lot of people like to hold their breath through the duration of this tunnel because if done, they get a wish. This tunnel is not too long nor too short so it is a hot spot for such wishful actions.

In the Presidio is also a golf course and the San Francisco National Cemetery. There are a lot of historic landmarks to look at in the Presidio, if you go to the right place, you can even see old military equipment used back during Spanish rule, especially several noticeable cannons. Rather than spoiling what there is to see in the Presidio, you the reader should go to the Presidio yourself to find all these interesting historic sites.

As you go through the Presidio you will also notice that some of the street names are quite unique or sound like they are named after people, and true they are. Some of them are named after remarkable people, such as past presidents, generals, etc.

Russian Hill is a charming little neighborhood. Russian Hill receives a lot of tourist attention, or in other words it’s a tourist attraction mostly because of the ever-so-famous winding streets of Lombard. On busy days you’ll see a plethora of people lining up on the streets here just watching as cars go down this incredible twisty and steep street. It’s funny sometimes to watch people’s reactions because it’s their first time looking at such a sight, and most of the times, you can see the older generation folks talking about it and trying to figure out the geometry or whatnot of it.

In Russian Hill there is also Ghiradelli Square. It’s basically a chocolate restaurant. Ghiradelli Square is a great place to go to for tourists and San Franciscans alike. There you can get delicious ice cream and chocolate (of course). There, they even serve huge platters or servings of ice cream, that even a seven of my friends and I couldn’t finish. Although the menu there may be on the expensive side, it is totally worth it to go there with friends.

Nearby is the Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39, another bustling area full of tourists and local San Franciscans there to just have fun. Taking the cable car in Russian Hill is also very fun because of all the hills the cable cars climb up and go down on, it’s like a mini-roller coaster. Just outside of the Russian Hill neighborhood is the Wax Museum and the Northpoint Centre Shopping Center.

Saint Francis Wood is a great little suburban neighborhood located in a city, which is quite crazy, right? When you enter Saint Francis Wood, the mood and environment totally changes. From whichever way you enter into Saint Francis Wood, the mood becomes calm and quiet, just as the neighborhood is. Although you’re still in the city of San Francisco, you really do feel the suburban essence. The homes here are large and grand, and with a nice solid green surrounding of vegetation. You definitely would have to be in the higher class in order to live here. Some houses here are even gated, meaning some VIP must be living there.

There is a little roundabout in Saint Francis Wood, with a fountain in the middle, which is something you don’t see too often in San Francisco. In Saint Francis Wood there is a little recreation area, with a basketball court, tennis court, and a small green field. Living here you’re also very close to the Sava Pool on 19th and Wawona Street.

And for those who love to go out shopping and eating, you’re also not far from Stonestown Galleria, just a 15-20 minute walk or a 5 minute drive away.

Although I’ve never been in the San Francisco Golf Course myself, I pass by it very often while heading to relatives or towards shopping centers. The thing about this golf course is the location. The location is all that great if you want a quiet game of golf. Like most of San Francisco, there’s never really any peace and quiet where you go, since it’s a bustling city environment. However, this area specifically is one of San Francisco’s busiest area, this is mostly due to commuters going to work on the weekends, and on the weekends, lots and lots of people go out shopping and doing fun stuff outside of San Francisco. Thus, Junipero Serra Boulevard is used a lot to get to such places. The San Francisco Golf Club also runs along Brotherhood Way, and in between this street and the golf course is a strip of religious churches or temples. I’ve always passed by them but never really knew if they were from one congregation or not, but I believe they are of all different religions. Most of the time when I pass by these churches, the parking lot is empty, which would mean the church inside is empty.

Presidio Heights is a really nice neighborhood residing next to the Presidio of San Francisco, the big green forest-like area just north of the Presidio Heights. Living in this neighborhood is great, great for singles, couples, and families. This neighborhood is for people of higher class though, the homes here are big and magnificent and definitely have the style of homes back in the 80s-90s, or like what you’d see in the TV show Full House, although the setting of that TV show wasn’t in this neighborhood, the homes there have some resemblance to the homes in the Presidio Heights. Not only are the streets of Presidio decked out with these big nice homes, but also with a lot of beautiful, green flourishing trees, which really brings out the colors of the Presidio Heights during sunny days.

The great thing about living in Presidio Heights is that you’re right next to the Presidio of San Francisco. If you ever want to go for a peaceful stroll, you won’t have to go far. As you go through the Presidio of San Francisco you’ll also get to experience a bit of San Francisco’s history as the Presidio use to be a US Military Base and a Spanish fort before that. The buildings you see in the Presidio definitely emit an older feel to them.

Living in Presidio Heights you are also very close to the action of California Street where you will be able to find a few places to shop at and places to eat at.

Potrero Hill is a great neighborhood for families residing by the San Francisco Bay. There’s a lot to do here for the families, and for anyone of any age actually. In Potrero Hill you’ve got a recreation center and Jackson Park, great for the kids and young teenagers to spend their time at rather than at home with video games. Potrero Hill is also located near the waterfront, where you can always head towards for a leisurely stroll or walk with your spouse/lover. However, the thing about this is that the waterfront area is quite industrialized, and I’m quite sure those walks won’t be as great as say walking around Fort Mason or the Marina.

In Potrero Hill, there are some good restaurants, cafes, and bars to go to. But if you’re looking for more variety or more in general you can head towards the Mission District which is literally right next door, just across the 101 freeway. ‘

Additionally, Potrero Hill lies between the 101 and 280 freeway, noise factors definitely factors into the living situation, and will mostly be a disadvantage to living here. But that shouldn’t stop you from finding a nice place to live at in Potrero Hill.

Potrero Hill has one of the best views of Downtown San Francisco, if you stand in the middle of some streets in Potrero Hill and face towards Downtown, it’ll definitely be a magnificent view, one could even do so photography work here.

Portola is a pretty chill neighborhood. There isn’t much to do here in terms of entertainment or going out to restaurants or bars, just mostly homes. But if you’re looking for entertainment, food, shopping, bars, things like that, you might have to travel a good distance before find anything of that sort. This is because Portola is deep within a residential area of San Francisco. But I mean, if you’re a laid back person, who likes nature, the open outdoors rather than spending money, then I’d say Portola is a good neighborhood for you as Portola is a neighborhood that’s nature-filled. You have John McLaren Park, a big park, in the area, including a golf course and several playgrouns. There is also a basin, split up into two. There are also an abundant amount of schools in Portola. There are a few elementary schools, there is MLK Jr Middle School and Philip and Sala Burton High School. Living in this neighborhood would be great for raising a family, you have a great natural setting including nearby schools of all grades up until 12th grade. Commuting and transportation is quite adequate as well since the 101 and 280 freeway lies right next to Portola. Candlestick Park isn’t far from Portola as well.

Pacific Heights is a great, lively neighborhood, mainly for people of a higher class. I used to do some private work here working as someone’s private bill and finance manager. I work at his home for several hours once every two weeks, and his house was definitely one of the nicer, classier homes in the neighborhood. I also got the mood or feeling from this neighborhood that not only would this be a great neighborhood for a couple or a family, but it’s also a great neighborhood for singles to live, living the bachelor or bachelorette life. Many of the homes in Pacific Heights have an older feel or touch to the exterior model or style; however, many of them look like they’ve been coated with a fresh layer of paint. Many of them are very bigger inside, especially the house where I use to work in. there is a lot of room, and depending on the resident, the inside of these homes have a retro feel to them. There are several schools in this neighborhood, including Schools of Sacred Heart, a highly-esteemed private school. There is also UoP, University of the Pacific, another highly-esteemed University. There are also two major parks in Pacific Heights, Alta Plaza and Lafayette Park, both are great places to go for leisure time.

Outer Richmond is a crazy neighborhood, for me at least. If you’re an intense biker and need a challenge, then I’d suggest you visit Outer Richmond, because they’ve got some of the craziest hills ever. They are long and steeper as you go. When you return and go down these hills, you feel like you’re on a roller coaster, going down at fast speeds. As you go down you will wonder how these cars manage to stay parked. Whenever I go down the hills of Outer Richmond, I always wonder that, maybe it’s just my nerdy side taking over. Outer Richmond is a relatively peaceful and quiet residential neighborhood. The only busy areas of this neighborhood are around Geary Boulevard, Balboa Street, and Fulton Street. All these three streets are generally used by commuters going from and too work or school. All three streets are also home to MUNI buses. In the Outer Richmond, specifically on 33rd Avenue and Geary Boulevard, is where people tend to transition from the 38 MUNI bus to the 18 MUNI bus, that is also where a lot of high school students from George Washington High School go to, to wait for their bus. A lot of tourists get off here as well, to reach the Legion of Honor. There is also a coffee shop, a Quickly’s (for tapioca), and small other shops for food and beverages.

Oceanview lies right next to Daly City. The neighborhood itself is pretty boring as it only consists of homes and nothing else really. But as for things to do, you’ll only find it if you travel outside of Oceanview. Granted there is a recreation center in Oceanview, but there are definitely more exciting things to do if you just travel a bit outside of Oceanview. For one you can head towards Daly City to the Century 21 movie theater. Not only the theater, but the whole area in general is a hot spot for teenagers and young adults to hang out. Not only because of the movie theater but also because of the local restaurants like Fuddruckers, Cold Stones, Jamba Juice, and Kome Japanese Seafood Buffet. So if you live in Oceanview, you’re only a 5-10 drive from all this fun. Living in Oceanview you’re also really close to Stonestown, another great place to go and get food, hang out, and shop with friends.

Living here isn’t all that bad, you can easily get to places because Oceanview lies next to some of San Francisco’s busiest and most essential commuting roads such as 19th Avenue, Junipero Sierra Boulevard and the 280 freeway. However, with living next to these roads also comes to the disadvantage of having to live and deal with the noise of traffic.

North Beach lies in the center of many tourist attractions. Although this neighborhood itself isn’t a tourist attraction, North Beach, I would say, is a great place to live in. There is always a sense of liveliness in this neighborhood because of the fact that many tourists go through this neighborhood everyday for the nearby attractions. Nearby is winding streets of Lombard Street. Many people clump there to take pictures and watch as cars “amazingly” make their way to the bottom of the intense hill. On the other side of North Beach is the Coit Tower, although it may not be as big of an attraction as the streets of Lombard, it’s still quite a sight to see, this tall towering structure, hovering above San Francisco. North Beach is also very close to the pier, specifically Pier 39 and Fisherman’s Wharf. There you’ll find exciting things to do, many of which are what tourists would do when visiting San Francisco. Some things you can look forward to doing or visiting, is the Aquarium of the Bay and the various small shops at Pier 39. There are many hotels in the area as well, which also adds to the reason why the area around North Beach is such a big tourist attraction.

Mount Davidson Manor is a small little neighborhood that lies in a suburban-setting neighborhood. The homes here are even spread apart and are unique in their own ways. Personally, I find this neighborhood, in terms of housing to be one of the most unique because the style of homes here varies as you move through the neighborhood, some homes have a modern feel to them, yet some have a wooden exterior giving off a forest-like feel.

One thing I find strange about this neighborhoods name, “Mount Davidson Manor” is that it is nowhere near Mount Davidson itself. I’m not sure about the reason behind the name, but it’s too late to change it now isn’t it.

Mount Davidson Manor also lies between two very uniquely shaped neighborhoods. In Ingleside Terrace and Westwood Park are suburban-styled homes in a neighborhood in the circular shape of eggs.

What’s great about living in Mount Davidson Manor is that you’re close to Stonestown Galleria Shopping Center, where you can get great food and go shopping with friends. Seriously though, if you’re this close to Stonestown, you’re leisure time will be made useful with friends there. Mount Davidson Manor is also right next to the Ocean Avenue scene where there are a plethora of Asian cuisine, stores, a 24 Hour Fitness, and several other stores.

Mission Terrace lies close to the San Francisco-Daly City border line. There isn’t anything really special about Mission Terrace, there are only homes and more homes in this neighborhood. For one, transportation may be relatively simple because there are several entrances and exits to the 280 freeway. But living right next to that brings disadvantages to living here. The noise is one, living here you will never be able to escape the buzz that comes from the 280 freeway, it’s like what you see in movies when people live right next to train tracks, there will always be the expectation of loud annoying noises. I’m also quite sure that living next to the 280 freeway will also bring traffic jams every now and then. Many freeways and highways in San Francisco tend to jam up during rush hours in the morning and at night. MUNI transportation isn’t that bad, there are several stops within Mission Terrace. There is also the Balboa Park BART station nearby. Mission Terrace is also surrounded by a plethora of schools, you have three high schools near the Balboa Park BART station; they are Lick Wilmerding High School, Leadership High School, and Balboa High School. There is also the City College of San Francisco on the other side of the 280 freeway. Residents of this neighborhood should expect a plethora of students and cars going through during the mornings and during after school times.

Mission Dolores is a hip trendy neighborhood in its own respect. Whenever I come to Mission Dolores there is always a different essence, feel, or aura to the neighborhood, it could probably be from the hybrid outcome from the mixture of different lifestyles and trends from the nearby Castro and Mission District. The Castro and Mission are very different in their respective ways, which is what makes Mission just as trendy, yet so very different. Many people from the Castro and the Mission come and chill at Dolores Park, especially on sunny days, the park’s field is usually covered with small little groups of friends just hanging out. Mission High School is also home to Mission Dolores. What’s great about living in Mission Dolores is that you’re close to all the action in San Francisco. Mission Dolores has a good number of restaurants and bars to go to, but if you’re looking for more, don’t worry, you’re not far from them. You can head towards Market Street or towards the Mission and Castro Districts, they all have great restaurants, stores, and bars. Transportation is really great as well, since you’re pretty much in the midst of it (if you live in Mission Dolores). There are also two nearby BART Stations in the Mission.

Mission Bay is a neighborhood that lies right next to the waters of the San Francisco Bay. There are good things and bad things to Mission Bay (as does each neighborhood have). But for Mission Bay, I’d say they’re more apparent. For one, AT&T Park lies right next to Mission Bay, and because of that, a good portion of Mission Bay is a parking lot for baseball game attendees. I’m pretty sure you can imagine it already, on game days, traffic gets heavy, and parking is scarce wherever you go. But game days aren’t the only days, AT&T Park often hosts concerts and such, and on those days, parking is just as scarce. But what’s great about living near AT&T Park or in Mission Bay is that occasionally you’ll see fireworks depending on the occasion. But it could also be a bad thing for those who hate the noise of fireworks. Public transportation is just as bad as parking on game days, but it’s always great to see San Francisco Giants fans decked out in orange. The land closer to the waters is mostly industrial and development land, but to me it seems like nothing ever really goes on there. And further from the water are homes.

Miraloma Park lies in between two forests basically, but to be real, between Glen Canyon Park and Mount Davidson Park. One thing Miraloma is known for is that it is home to the Mount Davidson Cross, towering high up there. It’s a great place to visit for those who are religious, even for those who aren’t religious, like me, it’s still great to just walk up to it just to look at it, there is even a little trail opening leading up to the cross. One thing about Miraloma is that it is surrounded by nature quite different from the surrounding parts of San Francisco. Miraloma also isn’t your rectangular block neighborhoods as much of the residential side of San Francisco is. The neighborhood consists of many twists and turns that if you’re new to this neighborhood it’ll definitely take some time for you to adjust and know your way through Miraloma. Although the homes in Miraloma are clumped next to each other, the houses look really new and clean, as if a coat of paint were freshly layered on. A small downside could be that some of the streets in Miraloma are quite narrow. Living in Miraloma looks great as well, you’re in a quiet neighborhood with a great view provided.

Midtown Terrace is not your typical San Francisco neighborhood. What’s great about this neighborhood is that it lies in the middle of nothing, or in other words, this is a quiet and peaceful neighborhood that is secluded in a hill. Midtown Terrace is basically a suburban-styled neighborhood, in a city setting, lying a grand hill, right next to Twin Peaks. Many of the homes here have a great view. The view isn’t the only thing that is grand, but the houses as well. The houses in Midtown Terrace are separate from one another, like suburban homes, and many of them have two driveways, which is a bit higher up on the class system since two driveways usually points out that the residents have more money usually. There are a good number of things to do in this neighborhood. For one you could head towards the highest point of Twins Peak and look down onto the surrounding neighborhoods for an even better view than the ones provided in Midtown Terrace. There is also the Sutro Tower that lies at a high point in Midtown Terrace. If you can find a home in Midtown Terrace to live in, you would most definitely enjoy it as it is a great neighborhood to raise a family and such.

Merced Manor is a little neighborhood that I would definitely say, lies in the middle of it all. Merced Manor lies in a great location yet at the same time a pretty bad one. I’ll start off with the good. If you live in Merced Manor you’re not far from things to do. Walking away from Stonestown you’ll go through a large park with some tennis courts and a playground. On the other side of this park is the 19th Avenue Sava Pool on Wawona Street. This pool is one of the most frequented pools in San Francisco, it was just recently remodeled so it looks super-duper nice! If you live in the area you must go and swim there (recreationally) some day. The pool is also kept clean, and again, probably one of the cleanest pools around. On the other side of Merced Manor is the Stonestown Galleria, the place to go to hang out with friends, grab a bite, or to go and just shop. There are so many stores at Stonestown, you could literally spend a whole day there, seriously. There is also a YMCA center, great for those who have a membership to go and workout or play sports. Going down Eucalyptus Drive you’ll hit Lowell High School, and on school days, there will always be high schools heading home, specially towards bus stops on 19th Avenue or to go and chill at Stonestown. Traffic gets pretty heavy too in the mornings and after school when parents go to pick up their children. There is also a great park behind Lowell High School. The bad thing about Merced Manor is that it lies in the middle of everything noisy. From the high schoolers heading home plus their parents going to drop and pick them up, there’s more. Merced Manor lies right next to Sloat Boulevard, definitely a busy street, since many commuters use it to transition over to 19th Avenue. There is also Ocean Avenue where many use it to get onto 19th Avenue as well. Eucalyptus Drive is just as busy since parents use it to get to and from Lowell High. 19th Avenue is probably what contributes to the most noise for Merced Manor, I don’t even need to explain it, you’ll know what I mean if you just walk around Merced Manor.

There is a block on Merced Manor dedicated to the San Francisco Water Department as a water reservoir. I’ve never really known what it was because it lies on a hill and it concaves in so when you pass by it, you’ll just see a hill and sometimes wonder where the building is.

Merced Heights is a very bland neighborhood, there isn’t much to do in Merced Heights, unless you like to go house seeing. There really are only houses here. I’d say the houses here aren’t as nice as the houses in Ingleside Terrace, there really is a big difference when you go from one neighborhood to the other. The houses in Merced Heights are clumped right next to each other—the typical San Francisco home—where as there are suburban styled homes in Ingleside Terrace. However, Merced Heights is quite the quiet neighborhood, except for the area around Holloway Avenue and Junipero Sierra Boulevard where cars frequent. Sometimes it’s a hassle trying to get out of the neighborhood towards Junipero Sierra Boulevard since many cars go through it at times, especially rush hour. One thing that’s great about living in Merced Heights though is that you’re close to the Stonestown Galleria, shopping isn’t that far away, and you’re also really close to places where you can eat out at. There are always ups and downs to most neighborhoods in San Francisco, and Merced Heights definitely has apparent ups and downs. Merced Heights is also right across from San Francisco State University and several golf courses.

I visited the Marina quite often in my childhood days and I enjoyed every bit and single moment of it. I visited the Marina a lot mostly because home to the Exploratorium, probably THE best interactive science museum ever. It’s quite hard to give it a genre of a museum since the Exploratorium is just so amazing. If you’re not from San Francisco and are deciding which museum to go to first, then I’d suggest coming to the Marina to the Exploratorium, you’ll have a blast (that is if you’re with the family and kids). But for those who enjoy a quiet museum then the Exploratorium isn’t the place, kids run around screaming and there’s never a single moment where you stop to take a break. The Marina lies between the Presidio and Fort Mason, both places that hold historical landmarks of San Francisco. The great thing about the Marina is that the neighborhood lies right next to the bay. You’ll feel a great breeze as you drive down Marina Boulevard with your windows rolled down. Along Marina Boulevard is a long green field, great to bring your pets. Right next to the waters is a little boardwalk and a parking lot. It’s always relaxing to just sit on a bench looking out into the waters. The Marina neighborhood is just great, it doesn’t contain the city life as much as other parts of San Francisco, it feels bit more peaceful, or rather, just different in some ways.

Lower Pacific Heights is a great little neighborhood that encompasses a lot of San Francisco’s history. Lower Pacific Heights itself is like a historical site of San Francisco. First of all, Lower Pacific Heights is quite known for its Jazz age in the past, especially since it is home to the Boom Boom Room, there are still shows happening there. Second, Lower Pacific Heights is home to San Francisco’s own Japantown, although it may not be as popular or well-known as Chinatown (to tourists and non-Californians that is), most San Franciscans know about it; probably because it is one of the places to get the most authentic and best sushi at. Not only that, at Japantown, there is a shopping mall where there are a plethora of little shops inside, some sell produce, some sell little gadgets and toys, some are sushi bars, and some are ramen stalls. With all this available in Japantown, you’ll always find something to do and have somewhere you’ll want to eat at. There are also several great Japanese hotels, as well as Kabuki Theatres. One thing about Lower Pacific Heights is that it seems quite gloomy and dirty, this is because of the number of homeless people that frequent this neighborhood. Besides that there are several high schools nearby as well as parks.

I will honestly say that I’ve never heard of the Lone Mountain, but have always ridden my bike through this neighborhood quite often to school. It is quite strange for a San Franciscan to not know their neighborhoods, especially when they (or I) frequently pass through it. Anyways, University of San Francisco and its Lone Mountain Campus lie in this neighborhood. There is definitely a big college feel or vibe, as not only San Franciscans attend this university, but also people from all over California. Although this university may not be as big as say San Francisco State University, University of San Francisco is very college-trendy. There are many things great about Lone Mountain, as there are several parks nearby, as well as the number of restaurants and local markets on Geary Boulevard. There are even two shopping centers very close to Lone Mountain. You have one on Masonic Avenue and Geary Boulevard and one on Laural Heights on California Avenue. Whenever I passed by Lone Mountain while heading towards school, I always found it strange how the apartments on Anza Street looked like college apartments, and not long ago did I realize that those apartments were for USF students. But living in Lone Mountain would be great, a little quiet place for those who’d enjoy it.

Although the Financial District isn’t Downtown San Francisco itself, it still emits the same feel and charm as Downtown San Francisco does. Here in the Financial District, you’ll find a lot to do as well, but this is more for tourists I’d say. Here in the Financial District, you’ll of course see business men and women going from and to work in their nice looking professional suits. But you’ll also see a good number of tourists as well. The Transamerica Corporation pyramid lies in the Financial District, as well as good number of grand an elegant hotels. There several great restaurants in this neighborhood, as well as clubs and bars. There is even a little park on Front Street and Jackson Street and on Drumm Street, which is quite strange considering that the Financial District can hardly find any peace and quiet. There is also the Ferry Building on The Embarcadero, a building frequented by ferry users and tourists. Beware, people tend to get sea sick often on these ferries. There is also a little strip of land in front of the Ferry Building where fixed gear bikers and skaters frequent often, you’ll get a good show of these guys doing tricks and such.

Laural Heights is a little neighborhood that contains more than you’d expect. The Laural Heights neighborhood is lies in a rectangular area between California Street and Geary Boulevard, some of San Francisco busiest streets. But that doesn’t take away the peace from this neighborhood. Since Laural Heights lies right next to Geary Boulevard, you can expect to be close to local produce markets as well as a wide variety of restaurants to dine at. You’re also very close to the California-renown restaurant, Mel’s Drive-in. Mel’s Drive-in is the place to bring your family, or to go eat at after a good basketball game or such. Geary Boulevard isn’t the only place to go for shopping if you’re from Laural Heights. If you’re from Laural Heights you must also frequent the little Laural Heights shopping Center on the California Street side of this neighborhood. Whenever I ride by California Street, specifically this area of Laural Heights, there is always this little lively charm or feel towards this part of the neighborhood. It’s hard to explain, but it makes you want to stick around for a little longer, strange I’ll admit, maybe it’s because of the liveliness of the place. Nonetheless, you’ll definitely enjoy your time here in Laural Heights.

No one really knows Lincoln Park itself, but rather for being the home of the California Palace of the Legion of Honor; the main reason why Lincoln gets so many visitors, especially from tourists. If you ride the 38 MUNI bus to the end of its Geary Boulevard route or are about to hop on the 18 MUNI bus, you’ll know what I’m talking about. 33rd Avenue and Geary Boulevard is where most tourists get off and make bus transfers in order to reach the California Palace of the Legion of Honor. And for local San Franciscans, don’t be afraid to help or talk to those who approach you with a San Francisco map asking you for directions, they’re mostly asking you the route towards the Legion of Honor. Honestly, there isn’t much to Lincoln Park except for the Legion of Honor, there is also a golf course though. And if you walk along the coast line you’ll get a great view of the waters, cliff, and even the Golden Gate Bridge. There is also a memorial site for the USS San Francisco naval cruiser. The Cliff House also lies on the outskirts of Lincoln Park, another great tourists attraction.

Lakeside is a narrow neighborhood lying between Junipero Sierra Boulevard and 19th Avenue. Lakeside is also home to the all-girls school Mercy High School. Drivers and students there should be careful as traffic is heavy on 19th Avenue and could lead to something bad many people wouldn’t desire. Living in Lakeside might seem great since you’re right next to the Stonestown Galleria Shopping Center, but with that comes a big downside. Lakeside lies between two of the busiest roads in San Francisco, 19th Avenue and Junipero Sierra Boulevard. Not only will the daily noise of cars be something that could potentially annoy you, but the fact that there is constant traffic on these roads, especially on 19th Avenue. But besides all these negative aspects of Lakeside, it’s great that you’re living next to Stonestown, because you won’t have to travel far if you’re going shopping for clothes for local produce at the nearby Trader Joe’s. There is also the Sava pool on 19th Avenue and Wawona Street, the place to go for recreational swim on the weekends. But as a little note, it’s pretty crowded on sunny days. San Francisco State University also lies right next to Lakeside, the MUNI stops and stations are usually quite packed during school days.

Inner Parkside is in the middle of it all. Here at Inner Parkside you have what the name suggests, parks. There are parks all around Inner Parkside, so you’re never far from being able to run away for peace and quiet. The same parks are also frequented by families and their children, only those that contain a playground that is, otherwise pets would be there. The West Portal Library is only a couple of blocks away from Inner Parkside. Abraham Lincoln High School is also a few blocks away from Inner Parkside, so expect to see some high school students wandering around or making their way back home. The busy part of this quiet neighborhood would be the area around Taraval Street where the L MUNI train runs through. Here you should expect a plethora of commuters waiting for the train. Not only that but 19th Avenue also runs alongside of Inner Parkside, quite the noisy street for people who live on the 19th Avenue side of Inner Parkside. This neighborhood also isn’t far from Stonestown Galleria Shopping Center, the place to go for shopping and hanging out with friends if you live around the Sunset area. Living in Inner Parkside is much like living in the Sunset, still a great place to live in though.

Ingleside Terrace is a really nice neighborhood compared to its counterpart neighborhood, Ingleside Heights. You definitely get the suburban feel when you go through this neighborhood as the homes are quite grand, they are separated, nice green front lawns, and quite a spacious driveway. My aunt lives in this neighborhood and every time I would go to visit her, there would always be peace and quiet in this neighborhood, definitely very suburban-like. The people in this neighborhood are also very friendly, and every now and then you’ll see residents working on their front lawns, planting plants and such. However, the homes here aren’t as new or modern as you would think, I’m not sure how old these homes are, but they sure do look quite old, or at least that is the feeling I get from this neighborhood. If you look at a map you’ll notice that in the center of Ingleside Terrace is a neighborhood in the shape or a medicine pill. Quite the design isn’t it. There is also a big sundial in this neighborhood, although I have no idea how to read it, it’s always fun to come up to it and look at it. Living in Ingleside Terrace is great since you’re near the Stonestown Shopping Center as well as the various restaurants and shops on Ocean Avenue.

I have a few friends who live in the Ingleside Heights neighborhood, and from my frequent visits there, I can say that the neighborhood is rather bland. It reminds me of my neighborhood in the Sunset yet more excluded from the center of San Francisco (since it lies on the outskirts next to Daly City). One thing great about living in Ingleside Heights is the fact that you’re right next to the Stonestown shopping center. You can even now get you’re weekly produce and groceries there now that they’ve opened a Trader Joe’s at Stonestown. One thing I’d always go to Stonestown for is for the McFlurry at the McDonalds there, silly I must say. Ingleside Heights residents also live right next to three golf courses, great for frequent golfers. San Francisco State University is there as well, I’m pretty sure some houses in Ingleside Heights are rented out to a bunch of students who would rather live in a home environment rather than apartments or dorms. One downside of living in Ingleside Heights is the fact that you’re right next to several busy roads. These roads include Junipero Sierra Boulevard, 19th Avenue, and the 280 highway. And trust me, even if your house is a block away you will still hear the faint buzz and zooms of cars passing by. Ingleside would be a nice location to live in, that is if you’re away from the these busy streets.

Although Glen Park is a relatively quiet neighborhood, there is one part of it that receives a lot of attention and traffic, and that is the Glen Park BART Station. There will be a plethora of commuters scrambling to this station during rush hours in the morning and at dusk. The neighborhood itself is like a park, as the name suggests. There are trees and bushes everywhere, making the whole neighborhood green and fresh. You definitely get the suburban feel in this quiet little neighborhood, although there are only small shops and restaurants here and there, you can easily head towards Market Street or elsewhere by the nearby BART station. The area of the neighborhood that is more quiet and peaceful would be the area furthest from San Jose Avenue. I consider San Jose Avenue more of a mini highway/freeway rather than an avenue or a street. San Jose Avenue is busy at times, not only that but MUNI trains also run through San Jose Avenue, contributing more to the noise. There are several parks within the vicinity including Billy Goat Hill Park, or the larger park, Glen Canyon Park. At both parks you will definitely get to relax in peace and enjoy a great scenic view of the area around.

Forest Hill Extension lies right to Forest Hill (of course). Just like Forest Hill, Forest Hill Extension has a lot of the same neighborhood qualities. Forest Hill Extension is quiet, natural, and quite scenic. There are a lot of green trees in the neighborhood and lies on a grand hill. Some houses even get a spectacular view. Living in this neighborhood, there shouldn’t be anything to complain about, maybe except for the lack of stores and transportation. But all that is made up if you travel a couple blocks out of this neighborhood. On Woodside Avenue and Portola Drive you’ll find a small mall/shopping area. Although it isn’t much, it still is something where you can get your household items and needs. What I found to be quite surprising in this small neighborhood is the number of churches in this neighborhood. This neighborhood must have a diverse range of religious beliefs and activity because there are 4-5 churches as well as a temple in Forest Hill Extension. There is also a little circular drive surrounded by houses, Edgehill Way, this little street is basically a forest with some houses in it. These houses are quite big and get a good view of the area they area faced towards.

Fort Mason is an area that tourists must visit. Here at Fort Mason you’ll get to experience the great Bay Area water smell. You’ll also get a great view of the waters from the shore as well as the narrow peninsula built for sightseeing purposes. A lot happens at Fort Mason. Quite often you’ll see weddings happening here as Fort Mason is a quite the scenic environment to have that beautiful wedding. Not only do weddings happen here but there are also shows happening often at the theatres here in Fort Mason. There is also a museum in Fort Mason as well. Fort Mason is basically a park, or at least you might think it is once you step foot in. But because of the old fashioned buildings, you definitely get the feeling that Fort Mason was once a fort, and right you are. Fort Mason dates back to before 1900, and Fort Mason even participated in some ways to World War II (For America of course). And because of this, I think this is why there is a plethora of elderly citizens roaming around Fort Mason at times, I don’t want to say anything unnecessarily true, but there could be some linkage. Or rather the elderly like to take a quiet stroll through Fort Mason; additionally there are a lot of bikers in Fort Mason as well.

Forrest Hill is a nice little quiet spot in San Francisco, probably most known for housing the Laguna Honda area and Laguna Honda Hospital. It kind of makes sense when you think about it, perfect quiet location for a hospital containing a large number of elderly patients. And because of the peacefulness and natural environment, it can be quite scenic for the local San Franciscan, probably not though for tourists. Driving through Forrest Hill isn’t that bad at all, in fact it could potentially make the neighborhood more scenic due to the fact that the neighborhoods aren’t blandly laid out in rectangular blocks like the Sunset. The neighborhoods in Forrest Hill have no particular design to them, the streets wind all over the place. This neighborhood definitely holds true to its name. The neighborhood lies on a grand hill and there are green trees, bushes, etc. all over the place; this is definitely a great neighborhood to live in if you’re looking for that peaceful and natural environment.

There are barely any stores in this neighborhood, but there is an adequate amount of transportation on neighboring streets. There is also the Hawk Hill Park you could visit. Just expect to live or be in a quiet area when in Forrest Hill.

Hayes Valley lies in the middle of busy neighborhoods, enclosed by Market Street, Geary Boulevard, and Divisadero Street/Panhandle. But because of this enclosure, Hayes Valley has become a thriving, lively, and hip neighborhood, encompassing much of what the surrounding neighborhoods have to offer into itself. Hayes Valley is a great neighborhood to live in as living here will provide you with one of San Francisco’s best experiences. You’re basically living in the middle of everything. There are great restaurants and cafes in and around Hayes Valley; you’ll never go hungry if you have the money. You can go towards Geary, Market, Divisadero, in any direction practically you’ll always have a wide variety of foods to choose from. However, I’d say living in Hayes Valley is more suited for couples rather than a family because of the feel and environment the neighborhood throws off. Because of the liveliness, it is more suited for couples. There are always things going on here, whether it be at a bar, art gallery, or small theater, there are always things to do, so much to do that focus for a family might be diverted. If you want to meet new people, drink coffee, eat good food, etc. then head towards Octavia Street in Hayes Valley, and you’ll find endless things to do and eat within a 4-5 block radius.

One of San Francisco’s biggest tourist attractions is the Fisherman’s Wharf. Tourists themselves aren’t the only reason that keeps the Fisherman’s Wharf busy, but also San Franciscans themselves who come to the Fisherman’s Wharf knowing the attractions there, the food, sea views, etc. Some places specifically get the most attention here, such as Pier 39 where you’ll find tons of souvenir shops, small snack/treat shops, an arcade (not sure if it still exists or not), clothing shops, great view of the bay waters, and many fishermen. Another place that gets a lot of attention is the Aquarium of the Bay. I was a camp counselor for three years, and for each of those years, there was at least once where we brought the kids to the Aquarium of the Bay. The aquarium is one thing to not be missed by tourists, who wouldn’t want to see the beautiful aquatic life of the bay while standing on a motorized moving belt. At the end of the aquarium ride/tour, you’ll reach a big room with several large pools of water, and there you’ll get to see small fishes such as sting rays, sharks, etc. You even get to pet them, but with professionals nearby to make sure you don’t do anything stupid or harm the animals. Ghiradelli is also very well known here. Great ice cream and chocoloate!

The South Financial District doesn’t even feel what it’s name says. What this neighborhood feels like is a small extension of what Downtown San Francisco has to offer. Granted there are lots and lots of tall financial buildings in this neighborhood, there are as well several hotels and shopping areas. I use to do some work in the Financial District, and I can tell you first hand, that the mood is very lively. You’ll see working men and women all dressed up professionally walking to work and all. There are also some great small cafes here and there were these working men and women will often go to on their breaks and all. The Financial District is a very busy place, as is Downtown San Francisco. One thing I noticed is that there aren’t as many homeless people in this area, but there are still some, probably due to the nature of the work environment and how everyone one rushes through this neighborhood. Due to the busy nature of the Financial District, MUNI buses and trains tend to get very packed. Good thing this isn’t like Japan, people know when it’s full and when it’s not. However, there are two buses that are quite the annoyance, I believe they are the 38 and 45 that run through to Chinatown. Those two lines are always packed with elderly Chinese folks, who I swear, have no sense of when the bus is full or not. I’ve seen countless tourists on these buses get really surprised as a plethora of elderly Chinese folks rushes onto the buses.

Ever since I was young, around middle school to high school, I’ve always been confused about the Excelsior. I have a friend who lives here and whenever I would ask him where he lives, he’d tell me “Excelsior,” and because of my ignorance back then I had no idea what that was, so he’d basically say “Around Mission and Geneva.” And because of my geographical ignorant mind, I thought he meant the Mission District (even though Geneva Avenue is far from the district itself). I think this is the confusion hits a lot of other people as well. I have a couple friends who also tend to mistake the Excelsior for the Mission District. Not sure why, but it is definitely a strange mix up by us. Balboa High School also lies a bit outside of the Excelsior, another confusion many people and I have a lot. We tend to think Balboa High lies farther than where it is. Excelsior houses a lot of homes as well as a big park and several playgrounds. I’d say this is a great place to raise kids as you get the chance to bring them to the nearby playgrounds and parks. Not only that, there is also a golf course in the vicinity. Restaurants aren’t that far off as well, you’ll just need to take short drive towards Ocean Avenue.

Bayview Heights is a secluded neighborhood. I would say that this neighborhood is not as bad as Bayview itself in terms of gang activity/violence. I say this because of the fact that Candlestick Park, now known as Monster Park, resides in the Bayview Heights. Although I believe the San Francisco 49ers don’t use this stadium anymore. For many San Franciscans, memories were made here, especially for me (through the TV as I never had the chance to watch the 49ers play when I was younger). For the San Franciscans who know what I’m talking about, just approaching the stadium itself is pretty nostalgic, going back to the days of Steve Young and Joe Montana, great days. There isn’t much to Bayview Heights aside from a few playgrounds, parks, and the Bayview Park. I don’t know whether or not Bayview Park is opened to the public, I’ve never been up there myself. Aside from all this, there are a few neighborhoods of homes here in Bayview Heights as well as a good number of large warehouses. Depending on you, living here would be lovely if you like being near the water and breathing in that salty scent every morning when you leave your home. I have mixed thoughts about Bayview Heights.

Central Waterfront is a very bland neighborhood. From my point of view, Central Waterfront is much of a neighborhood—in some perspectives. Central Waterfront is known to be a big industrialized neighborhood/area, however half of Central Waterfront does consist of residential homes. When you hear “Waterfront” you may probably think of nice piers overlooking the bay waters, true, you do get a pretty good view, however it is nothing compared to the view you get from the Fisherman’s Wharf, Pier 39, and other piers around that general area. This is because of the industrialized feel you get in this neighborhood, which in my opinion, kind of ruins the moment. Although I haven’t particularly visited this neighborhood much, the feel I’ve gotten from it is not that great, nothing special or anything eye-catching, just another neighborhood I’d say. However, if you’re into neighborhoods like this, by all means, try and find a residence here. In some respects, Central Waterfront is a great neighborhood, you’re in the waters, fresh air every morning, and a chill neighborhood to be in. There are some bars and restaurants here and there as well as markets and corner stores. One of the downfalls living in the Central Waterfront I’d say is that the homes lie right between the 280 and 101 freeway, traffic noise is a definite expectation here.

Crocker Amazon is a neighborhood you don’t hear about much. This is because it lies on the edge of San Francisco right next to the borderline of San Francisco/Daly City. I’ve only been in this neighborhood a few times as a friend of mine lives there. I would consider Crocker Amazon to be a secluded neighborhood as there’s nothing there aside from homes, homes, and more homes. However, for those who do like a secluded neighborhood, this could be the place for you. The homes here are of a decent size, most are quite large, however the prices may be a bit high as do most San Francisco homes carry. But I would say that this is an alright place to raise a family as it does have the quiet suburban feel to it. If you were to look for something to do in Crocker Amazon, you should head towards Mission Street and Geneva Avenue, as these are two of the busiest streets in the south side of San Francisco. You won’t find much as you would in the central area of San Francisco on these two streets, but it is at least something to do. MUNI stops are also easily accessible as they run on Mission Street and Geneva Avenue.

Cow Hollow is one of the ideal neighborhoods to live at in San Francisco. However, mostly for those who have a big enough paycheck to spend for the living costs here. I’d say that Cow Hollow is mostly for those who are of the younger generation with a good job who also want to raise a family in a quiet area. I’ve done some private work here in Cow Hollow before for someone, and through that experience I’ve seen that there are a good number of singles living here as well. Although raising a family in Cow Hollow is the ideal place and definitely a great place to, there are few places to take the kids out. There are few parks, during my working time in Cow Hollow I rarely saw of any recreational areas. Shopping and eating here in Cow Hollow is aplenty. I’ve been to a several restaurants such as Kara’s Cupcakes, Mel’s Drive-In, and a Thai restaurant (that I forget the name of, forgive me). Great food and definitely a great neighborhood to enjoy the food in. Lombard Street also runs through Cow Hollow, although the steep curvy hills of Lombard Street are not in this neighborhood, though you’ll eventually reach them as you travel down Lombard Street.

Like all other “Heights” neighborhoods, Diamond Heights comes with a great view. However, much of what you may expect to see will be blocked by tall trees and lots of green vegetation. This is because most of the homes here in Diamond Heights are surrounded by, what it feels to be, literally, a forest. I’ve been through this neighborhood quite often and you’ll always be running along some sort of vegetation. The homes here are quite nice as well, great for new families. Although these homes run alongside a huge park, I don’t think pests and such would be a problem as I haven’t seen any yet. When I think of this neighborhood, Diamond Heights, I think SOTA, School of the Arts. One of the well-acclaimed high schools in San Francisco that many people know of. This school is mainly for high school students who show outstanding talent in the arts, and would definitely be a great school for future students holding such talent. I myself didn’t attend SOTA but I’ve been there for a sports league and such, the campus is quite big and definitely has the feel of an art school. There is also a nice big football field.

Duboce Triangle is a neighborhood I’m very familiar with, mostly around the N-MUNI stops, Safeway area, and around Market Street. Duboce Triangle houses one of the MUNI train centers as several lines converge in the northeastern area of Duboce Triangle. On Duboce Avenue you have the N-train coming towards Safeway and eventually going underground into the tunnels. On Church Street you have the J-train. And on Market Street you have the F-train. There is always an abundant amount of public transportation commuters in this area of the Duboce Triangle, so I would definitely try and not find a place to live here at. Not only that, but also the large number of homeless people in the vicinity, mostly because of the recycling center right next to Safeway that attracts many homeless people who gather recyclable material. Although recycling is not a bad thing, the homeless people is what tends to make people take a step back. There is a little back alley that runs along the whole Safeway complex and the entrance for the N-train where many bikers go through every day. There are even cops at times, mostly to control the homeless. When I first went through this area, it was pretty sketchy for me, but it straightens out as you go through the neighborhood more.

Buena Vista is so great in many ways. I use to pass by Buena Vista everyday for school and I’ve experienced a good portion of what Buena Vista has to offer. First off, Buena Vista Park is another one of San Francisco’s great parks that comes with a spectacular view of San Francisco. Much like Twin Peaks, Bernal Heights Park, and Alamo Square, you’ll feel like you’re on top of the world, or rather, San Francisco. You’ll also want to chill and relax in Buena Vista Park as it is a very green and relaxing park. If you want to reach Buena Vista Park you’ll have to tread through some of San Francisco’s steepest hills. And trust me, some of the hills around Buena Vista are crazy, I’ve done a good share of biking through the neighborhood and it is always a challenge. However, you will surely be fit in no time by doing a daily stroll or jog around Buena Vista. Living here is great as well; you’ll get your peace and quiet to raise that family. Although Buena Vista is rather close to the action of Market Street and the Panhandle, the homes here are a good distance away. Buena Vista is definitely one of the best neighborhoods around!

Bernal Heights is the place to go to with a bunch of friends at night after eating out or whatever has been done, specifically Bernal Heights Park. Here at this high point of San Francisco is where you can get a good wiff the San Francisco breeze as well as enjoy a spectacular view of San Francisco in all directions. I’ve been here quite often and every time I’ve been here is just as enjoy as the last. Although it may not be as safe to come during the day, hanging out at Bernal Heights Park during the night is very enjoyable as you get to see the nighttime skyline of San Francisco. I’ve also had a lot of friends who do photography come up here for panoramic and other great photo shots. Bernal Heights Park is definitely a place where you should bring your camera. Not only is it a great place to hang out with friends here, but also a great place to bring the girlfriend/boyfriend. Although this is a “park” there are barely any trees here, strange, basically bald. The area around the park is a plethora of residential homes that is until you reach Cortland Avenue where you’ll find great restaurants to eat at and small shops.

Ashbury Heights is the place for residing San Franciscans. Ashbury Heights is a neighborhood where anyone and any family can have a good time residing in. The homes here may not be as modern as other parts in San Francisco, but the 80s-90s feel of the homes is what makes living here a really positive experience. Most homes in the Ashbury Heights also come with a great view of the city. Not only that but this neighborhood is also really quiet, and secluded enough from the busy parts of San Francisco. The neighborhood spirit/friendliness is also great. Raising a family here would be great. Ashbury Height is also surrounded by nature, which for me, is one reason that contributes to the peacefulness of the neighborhood. You have Golden Gate Park to the north, Forrest Knolls to the west and several parks to the east and south. There aren’t any restaurants or shopping centers within the neighborhood and will require a car or public transportation. Public transportation is easily accessible as well in this neighborhood as there are various stops all around. Do not worry though; there are many restaurants as you head towards Market Street, as well as the Castro.

As a little precaution, most of this review for Hunters Point will be negative. Honestly, there is little about Hunters Point that is positive. First of all, the neighborhood is known to be the most dangerous neighborhood area in San Francisco. There have been gang-related crimes, murders, and other many negative happenings. So don’t even think about going to this neighborhood if you value your life. Granted you won’t be shot or attacked right away when you first step into this neighborhood, but you will still be in a bit of danger.

Second, aside from the crime and such, Hunters Point is shipyard and warehouse central. I have no idea what goes on in these warehouses and shipyards, but there’s nothing pleasant about it. You’ll probably see workers lifting boxes, and big old rusty ships and cargo boxes.

In general, Hunters Point is a really unattractive place. Various organizations are trying to help improve the community in Hunters Point, but I doubt any major change will occur soon. A neighborhood with such a bad history cannot easily be changed in a few short years.

I would really recommend not coming alone to this neighborhood if you really have to. In fact, try to find some excuse to not go here at all.

Forrest Knolls is a great place. You probably haven’t heard of it because it’s probably one of the most underrated areas of San Francisco that definitely deserves more attention for its natural environment. Although this neighborhood may seem like an uninteresting neighborhood due to lack of shopping centers, places to eat, places to hangout, etc. for you non-naturalistic people, this area has a lot to offer. For one the natural environment and feel to this forest (practically) is just splendid, especially if you want to go for a little stroll through the single lane street that runs through Forrest Knolls.

Although Forrest Knolls is at a relatively high point of San Francisco, you won’t be able to grasp a view of the Sunset, wrong place to do so. However, most of the homes in Forrest Knolls do get a great view of the Sunset. And from the Sunset, around 7th-10th Avenue you can get a good view of homes residing up on Forrest Knolls. For me it’s scary to think of the negative possibilities that could come with living there. Anyways, the homes are really nice and all.

University of California San Francisco Campus also resides in Forrest Knolls, practically connected with Forrest Knolls. Most people tend to overlook Forrest Knolls because of UCSF, “everybody knows about UCSF in San Francisco.”

Golden Gate Heights is highest point in the Sunset from what I can see. Granted the Sunset District is full of hills (where you can get narrow views of parts of the Sunset), but Grand View Park in Golden Gate Heights is a hill like no other. And the name of this small park is for real. You will great the best view ever of the Sunset. There are several ways to get to this park, one would be climbing up the highest and longest set of stairs you will probably ever encounter, which happens to be right on Moraga Street. Don’t underestimate this flight of stairs, I did when I first saw it, I thought it would be a breeze, but after three-fourths way up, I was so tired. Maybe that was back in the days when I was out of shape, who knows. You can also reach Grand View Park by car but only on the other side of the stairs by going on Noriega Street and 14th and 15th Avenue.

This is also the best place to chill with friends, take panoramic pictures of Sunset, have a picnic, or be with a lover. It’s also really quiet up here, because all the traffic from 19th Avenue is a couple blocks away. But on a windy day (San Francisco windy most of the time, especially at the altitude of Grand View Park) you’ll get a nice breeze, and the sound of peace from the wind/breeze.

Alamo Square is the place to be, especially those who love the hit TV show Full House. When you think Alamo Square, you should think about the green grass of a park shown in the introduction of Full House. You can basically sit in the same spot as the actors had in the show. Basically Alamo Square is just a big rectangular (or square) shaped park. It is equivalent to the size of four blocks, pretty big isn’t it. Here at Alamo Square you’ll find green grass, big trees, tennis courts, basketball courts, and a play structure. But those aren’t the only things to do here. This is the perfect place to tan at, sit and read a book, have a picnic, or play with your pet. The area of this park is so vast that you won’t be bumping into other people.

If you know Full House, I’m sure you’re aware of the beautiful homes in the background of the introduction. Once again those homes are here in Alamo Square. While walking around this neighborhood you’ll come across a plethora of these beautiful homes.

Lastly, from the top or center (or just about anywhere) of Alamo Square you’ll get a great view of San Francisco, not the whole city obviously but you’ll get a really great view. I would say living here is great; however I do not know the affordability of homes here.

Bayview has a bad reputation of gang activity in the district. Although the whole district is not under fire by gang activity, only certain parts, and with that said, I cannot tell you the definite area of this activity as I tend not to visit Bayview often. But I have done some construction work in Bayview within the past year or two. The area I worked at wasn’t too bad with the gang activity, although I did see a group of people walking around the streets at times looking pretty gang-like. As long as you know where to go and how to avoid trouble you’ll be fine. There is also a good number of homeless people lurking around Bayview as well.

One thing I really want to address is the feel of Bayview. Of the times I’ve worked at Bayview I always got a gloomy feeling, maybe it could be because it was a wet cloudy day. But none the less, the empty residential streets plus the overall reputation of the district didn’t make me want to voluntarily return to this neighborhood.

I also wouldn’t recommend living here, or raising a family here. Although the affordability is cheap, think about the district that lies right next to Bayview, Hunters Point.

Balboa Terrace is just a lovely place in general. I have a relative who lives around the area that I visit frequently. And every time I pass by this neighborhood I receive a very lively sensation, strange. But I guess it could be because of the lively suburban aura that the neighborhood releases. Yes, the area is very suburban-styled, the homes are set up so that they are apart, and the lawns are nice and green and rich with colorful flowers. Living here would be a great way to raise a family. With this said, a family raised here can have their kids (at the appropriate age) attend Aptos Middle School which is just due East of Balboa Terrace. I have never figured this out, but there is also a school in the neighborhood, from what I’ve seen it looks to be an elementary school, sadly I’ve never figured out the name of this school.

Balboa Terrace also lies right next to Ocean Avenue, although the portion of Ocean Avenue they are connected with does not have as many restaurants and stores, it is only a short walk to reach that certain part of Ocean Avenue. There is also a church and easily accessible public transportation.

Anza Vista has a little shopping center that use to attract a lot of customers, but not so anymore. Shopping here is what I usually associate Anza Vista with. There are big name stores such as Best Buy, Office Depot, Payless Shoes, and a few others. Sadly Mervyns closed down a while back, which was one of the stores that would attract people to the area. The only place I really know to get food at is at Tony’s Cable Car. I’ve only eaten there once and the burger there was amazingly good, definitely worth a short stop to grab a bite there. There is also a Kaiser Hospital in the area.

What’s great and scary (well for me at least) is that Anza Vista is a super big hill. When you reach the top of Anza Vista you’ll get a great view and such. Once you pass the shopping center you’re literally going straight vertically downwards, it’s crazy. I use to ride my bike through Anza Vista to get to school, which was a really bad choice my part as my brakes burned out quickly. Definitely try to avoid taking a bike to Anza Vista.

In the vicinity is Wallenberg High. Beyond the school is a bunch of homes set up in like their own little community, I remember once going through this neighborhood and only finding a couple exits/entrances, there are only four I believe.

Noe Valley is a great place to live in, whether it be with your lover or to raise a family, the area in general is a great place to live in. One thing that makes Noe Valley so great is that it is diverse in many ways. With this said, the diversity is enormous here in Noe Valley, from political views, to ethnicity, to sexuality, etc.

The people are really friendly and you’ll get to meet all sorts of people. For one if you’re raising a family in Noe Valley, you’re not alone because you’ll see many others with their families walking around on the streets. Living here you’ll eventually come to realize that there are many that are just like you, and that is ultimately what makes Noe Valley so friendly, its diverse nature is a plus.

Living in Noe Valley would be great, except the cost of living there is pretty high for most people; it would definitely be a place to live for people who have the luxury to. But living in Noe Valley comes with great benefit as there are various places to eat out at and shop at. You’ll also see a lot of activity in Noe Valley as people are pretty active in the neighborhood.

Although Noe Valley is not really a place of attraction for tourists, it definitely is a place for San Franciscans.

Nob Hill definitely holds up its name, this neighborhood is full of hills. From what I remember when passing by Nob Hill is that the roads were under construction most of the time. Although it creates some traffic and a non-smooth ride, the outcome of these new roads are very beneficial to the look of the community and to your car. The houses on Nob Hill are old fashioned yet look pretty new and refurbished. This is what makes the houses here look so gorgeous. I’d say that living here is for people who make a pretty high income, or for those living on a retirement fund.

Not only is Nob Hill well known for its hills and houses, but also the fact that the famous cable car system of San Francisco that runs through Nob Hill. The cable car is one attraction everybody in San Francisco must ride on at least once. Not only is it a great way to tour the city, but it is an experience that must be met. However, riding on the cable car can be scary at times since it runs up insanely steep hills and will eventually go down insanely steep hills. There is also a Cable Car Museum on Washington and Mason Street.

Nob Hill has many hills leading down to Chinatown, and personally for me, it is the easiest way to get to Chinatown. It feels like a roller coaster though because when you’re reaching the border line of Nob Hill and Chinatown it is literally a mountain. Basically you’re going uphill towards Chinatown on Nob Hill, and once you reach Chinatown its straight downhill. And once again, it can be pretty scary, hopefully your car brakes are in top notch condition.

The Parkside Panhandle has just about everything if you think about it. There are nice homes, schools, places to eat, shopping centers, parks, and recreational activity opportunities.

First, the homes; the homes in Parkside vary but they are very nice and big. Many of them are placed in a suburban style setting. Some of these houses even have three stories. And just about all of them have very nice looking, green lawns. The neighborhood in general is just very clean and nice. Definitely a great place to raise a family and kids.

There are several schools near the neighborhood which include Lakeshore Elementary and Lowell High. These schools are high esteemed schools; another plus to living in Parkside, your children might be able to get into these schools.

In the Parkside Panhandle there is a very well-populated shopping center, I call it the Sloat Mall, I’m not even sure what the actual name of the center is. Anyways, there are many places to eat there including Arby’s, Quiznos, Hawaiian, Thai, and many more choices. I haven’t tried all the restaurants here, but I would definitely recommend coming here when eating out.

There are a lot of places to shop at in this shopping center. There is a Gamestop, Ross, Albertsons, Kinkos, Big 5, etc. You can get just about everything in this shopping center.

There are two big parks nearby and a small lake, great place to just sit there in the sun for a little tan while reading a book. Or you can just go there for a stroll or to play catch with your pet. There is also a little sidewalk along Lake Merced which is very populated with joggers, bikers, and all sorts of people exercising.

Personally, I’ve been to San Francisco State University one too many times, not in a bad sense, but in a good one. I’ve gone there many times to do recreational activities with friends such as playing at the little arcade there and at the pool table room. Although the prices to play pool there are alright/decent, I still had a lot of fun. I would definitely recommend going to SFSU with friends to hang out at. Furthermore the whole campus is really beautiful, although it may not be as big as some UC campuses obviously; its trees and vast green fields look really nice and feel really nice as you take a stroll through it.

Eating out at SFSU is pretty decent, I’ve eaten some of the small food business in the arcade/pool area and the food is decent, like any other college meal in a sense, but just paid for a slightly better. There are also various cafes and café stands at SFSU, so coffee is basically everywhere. There is also a good number of MUNI bus and train stops, but be warned, during the school days, expect heavy traffic and long waits.

SFSU is like a city with in a city if you think about it, there’s all these small food businesses and small stores, and there’s also a big housing complex right next to the campus; great for any student who wants to study at SFSU.