San Francisco's Chinatown is legendary: it's the largest Chinese community outside of Asia. Though this neighborhood is flooded with tourists and shops that cater to them, the food is great and elements of authentic Chinese-Americana can still be found.

Chinese Cultural Center
750 Kearny St., 3^rd Floor (415) 986-1822

An excellent first stop before checking out the sites, the C.C. center offers tours of Chinatown and hosts an historical museum that documents the often difficult history of the Chinese in the West.

Outdoor Markets

Kitsch and just plain bizarre gifts abound in the sidewalk tables lining Chinatown's walkways. Take some time to examine the exotic animals and off the wall imports. Grant Street has the best wares.

Buddha Bar
901 Grant St.
(415) 362 1792
What's lacking in square footage is compensated for with character. Buddha's bartender/part-owner Mark is a Chinatown legend who willingly wallows in pathos after a few drinks. Surprisingly, there are few Buddhas to speak of at Buddha Bar, save the portly, hapless proprietor himself.

Li Po
916 Grant St.
(415) 982 0072
Darkly lit, dressed up with a flower-laden Buddhist altar, red carpet and stools, Li Po is a low-key lounge true to its neighborhood. A balanced mix of Asians, tourists and after-work drinkers hang out here.

• GOLDEN GATE PARK

Given the premium on space in S.F., few people can afford to have a backyard. Golden Gate Park is everyone's garden by default. And what a yard it is--four miles-long and a half-mile-wide, this natural wonderland in the heart of the city includes Dutch windmills, bison, botanical gardens, mountain biking paths and ocean beach.

Bison Fields
Off MLK drive just before the Polo Fields
Few people would guess that the buffalo roam in the heart of northern California's biggest city--but indeed they do. These stoic beasts have been in the park for over 30 years and graze in a vast paddock near the west end of the park.

Roller Skater's Forum
Off JFK Blvd @ 12^th
San Francisco's Venice Beach, this is where bygone 70s-era roller-kings and queens now strut their stuff. A few stunt jumping roller bladders and BMX bikers are also in the mix on some Sundays.

Beach Chalet Brewery and Restaurant
1000 Great Highway
(415) 386-8439
This restored beachfront building offers stunning views of the Pacific, especially at sunset. Microbrews and seafood appetizers are the best bet. Downstairs is the Golden Gate Park Visitor's Center (415) 751-2766.

• HAIGHT-ASHBURY

Grateful Deadheads and the Jefferson Airplane are vestiges of a bygone era. Today, the Haight is no longer living in the Age of Aquarius, and the hippies have been ousted by increasingly prohibitive housing prices. Still, a few mementos of the free-love days remain.

Buena Vista Park
Haight Street @ Buena Vista Avenue
A labyrinth of trails crisscross this hilltop park. In the summer when the fog rolls in, Buena Vista has an eerie feel; cypress and eucalyptus groves are draped in mist.

Haight-Ashbury Free Medical Clinic
558 Clayton St.
(415) 487 5632
To get a sense of what the Haight-Ashbury movement was all about check out this completely free community clinic, which has delivered health care to the general public since the 1960s. Given the increasingly expensive price of health insurance, Haight-Ashbury Clinic is a God-send to San Francisco's poor and uninsured.

• MISSION DISTRICT

Dolores Park
18^th and Dolores
The hub of the Mission District, Dolores is where all of San Francisco's varied residents converge. The lamp-lit tennis courts are a favorite of the Yuppie set while the expansive soccer field is working class Latino territory. A dog park is staked out for pets from all over the city, and the upper hillside is the Castro zone, known as the "Castro Beach," where residents sunbathe daily. Don't miss the view at the corner of 20^th and Church, where at sunset, the city looks like a golden Babylon bathed in soft sunlight.

Precita Eyes Mural Arts Tours
(415) 285-2311
This 25-year-old community arts project offers walking tours of 75 of the city's outdoor murals. Many of the murals have political themes and depict issues of concern to the Latin American immigrant community. Tours are Saturdays and Sundays at 1:30 pm.

Mission Dolores Cemetery
6^th and Dolores
On a hot afternoon, the cemetery in the rear of this Jesuit mission built in 1776 offers the perfect respite. Trees shade stone benches and gravestones show that most of the buried died between 1776 and 1900. Casualties of the Gold Rush, the first mayor and the first governor of San Francisco are also buried here.

NORTH BEACH
A little taste of Europe on the edge of the U.S. West Coast, North Beach is cappuccino and beret country. Artistes galore, bookstores and outdoor sidewalk cafés define this district. The best way to experience the neighborhood is to café-hop along Columbus Avenue, where mind-altering espresso is the main draw.

Caffe Triest
609 Vallejo
(415) 392-6739
The nerve center of North Beach activity and the once-favorite hangout of the Beat poets. The espresso drinks are rocket fuel. Go easy.

The Steps of Rome
348 Columbus Ave.
(415) 307-0435
A classic North Beach venue where the camieri are straight from Roma and the food is typical Italian trattoria fair. The exuberant staff often break into song and dance when a favorite Italian pop tune hits the radio.

Tosca
242 Columbus, (415) 391-1244
1950's Italy is the theme here complete with old-school espresso steamers, jukebox and red vinyl booths. An excellent place to chatter away the evening.

• SOMA

Art and lots of it. MOMA and Yerba Buena are world-class museums that merit a solid day. New nightclubs and bars have recently flooded the SOMA neighborhood, chiefly a business district. Soak up some culture and then vegetate in the nearby Yerba Buena gardens.

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)
151 3rd St.
(415) 357-4000
The MOMA has made a name for itself since opening in 1995. Cutting-edge artists are often featured here, including the newest innovators in multimedia/digital art. Abstract, unusual and avant-garde tend to be the standard fare. Caffi Museo in the lobby has legendary espresso and one of the sunniest perches for afternoon tea.

Yerba Buena Museum and Gardens
701 Mission St.
(415) 978-ARTS
Across the street from MOMA is an urban oasis of greenery and fountains. Weekend afternoons the gardens come alive with free outdoor live music. The museum often has exhibits that appeal to California sensibilities. One recent example: The History of Surfing Exhibit. Behind the cascading waterfall in the middle of the park is a glass-paneled memorial to Martin Luther King.

Flower Market
6^th and Brannan
In the heart of the city's gray warehouse district is a vibrant corner of wildlife and color. Flowers grown throughout the state and world are featured here in a two- block market. Everything from Venus Flytraps to bamboo to rare orchids is for sale.

ACTIVITIES

San Francisco has a wealth of natural attractions, most of them centered along the coast. And since the weather is almost always sunny, there's no excuse to stay inside. From hiking in Marin to hang-gliding at Ocean Beach, there are plenty of favorite local outdoor activities and outiftters to help you take advantage of one of the most beautiful coastlines in the country.

A Walk Along the Coastal Trail
(415) 556-8642
Walk the forested coastal trail from the Cliff House to the Golden Gate Bridge, and take in the breathtaking views of the bay and Marin headlands. In spring and summer the trail is lined with a kaleidoscope of wildflowers. Bring a California wildflower guide and marvel at the abundance of foliage. Start at the parking lot just above Cliff House and head north.

Canoe the Bay
California Canoe and Kayak
(510) 893-7833
Spend a day with docile sea otters, sea lions and, if you're lucky, gray whales. The calm waters of the bay are ideal for kayaking and canoeing, and on warm days, the temperature is pleasant well into the evening for moonlight paddles.

Bolinas, Marin
Head up Highway 1 on the Marin coast for unbelievable views of the shoreline. Bolinas, a tiny 60's hippy town, is a great stop for lunch/dinner as well. Surfers and Haight-Ashbury refugees abound. Don't be surprised if the sign directing traffic to Bolinas is nowhere to be found--Bolinas residents are reclusive and would prefer to stay as far away from fast-paced San Francisco influences as possible.

Marin Headlands
San Francisco's backyard of sorts, the Marin Headlands are located just across the Golden Gate Bridge to the west and offer not only the best views of the city, but also a wealth of outdoor activities. Bird watching, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and more are all fair game at this glorious national recreation area. Don't miss the Marine Mammal Center, a ward for injured or abandoned seals (cute little buggers) and sea lions.

Hang Glide Ocean Beach
(415) 556-8371
Experienced gliders can take the plunge off of Ocean Beach dunes into the Pacific Coast wind. The timid can watch on the viewing platform nearby or head off to the Fort Funston Environmental Education Center nearby (415) 556-8371

Windsurf Lake Merced
The San Francisco School of Windsurfing
(415) 753-3235
Rent equipment or take lessons on this picturesque urban lake. Stop in for a beer at the boathouse bar afterwards, and enjoy great views of the lake.

LODGINGS

San Francisco has no shortage of charming inns. Forego the blasé hotel room option and go for a cozy bed-and-breakfast experience instead.