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Bay-Curious

Learn how to navigate the San Francisco Bay Area... places to go, things to do, where to explore and how to expand your horizons. Learn about cultural outlets and opportunities in the region.

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The San Francisco Bay Area is a metropolitan area in Northern California consisting of nine counties that surround San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay.

The Bay Area is home to around 7 million people, in 101 cities, with San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland being the most populated.

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BAY AREA: 112 Languages Spoken Here!

Language is connected to identity,

self-esteem, tradition and family ties

English 2,485,786 64.2%

Spanish 540,255 14.0%

Chinese 278,285 7.1%

Tagalog 142,055 3.7%

Vietnamese 38,980 1.0%

Russian 29,770 0.8%

French 28,585 0.7%

Korean 25,830 0.7%

Persian 24,495 0.6%

German 24,065 0.6%

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Mission San Francisco de Asís, San Francisco: 1776

Mission San Rafael Arcángel, San Rafael

Mission San Francisco de Solano, Sonoma

Mission San José de Guadalupe, Fremont

Mission Santa Clara de Asís, Santa Clara

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The Gold Rush 1849

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China Camp: Right In Our Backyard

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Sports Fans

around

The Bay

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2019 Sausalito Art Festival (Labor Day Weekend)

Festival: August 31-September 2: Sat/Sun, 10:00 AM- 7:00 PM, Mon, 10:00 AM-5:00 PM

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Fleet Week (October)

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FREE: Hardly Strictly Bluegrass (October)

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Castro Street Fair (October)

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Litquake (October)

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Dia de los Muertos:

Day Of The Dead

Procession and

Festival of Altars

November 2, 2019

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Chinese New Year (February)

The lunar calendar year begins with a bang during the annual Chinese New Year celebration, one of the largest Chinese cultural events outside of Asia. In Chinatown and all around the city, the sounds of firecrackers, beating drums and crashing cymbals can be heard driving away evil spirits (as legend has it). The month-long festivities begin in early February and conclude with the Southwest Airlines Chinese New Year Parade, complete with Chinese acrobats, lion dancers, stilt walkers and a 268-foot Golden Dragon.

Beyond the parade, other Chinese New Year events include a Flower Market Fair, a Chinese Community Street Fair (held on parade weekend) and the Miss Chinatown USA Pageant. Be sure to pick up one of the many oranges or tangerines you’ll see piled up in Chinatown produce bins. These fruits symbolize abundance and good luck in the Chinese culture.

The Chinese New Year parade is one of San Francisco’s oldest cultural events, dating back to the 1860s, not long after Chinese immigrants began arriving during the California Gold Rush. San Francisco's Chinatown remains one of country’s oldest and largest Chinese communities to this day. These 24 hustling, bustling city blocks are packed with cultural riches, from temples to tea houses. A great starting place for your exploration is China Live, a massive food hall where you can shop traditional ingredients, learn about Chinese cuisine and taste everything from soup dumplings to sesame soft-serve ice cream. There are many more places to eat in Chinatown. Check out our list of must-dos In Chinatown to make the most of your visit, or discover local secrets with lifelong Chinatown resident and tour guide Linda Lee.

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St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival (March)

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Northern California Cherry

Blossom Festival (April)

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Beaches (its cold!!!)

Ocean Beach, Baker Beach, Muir Beach, Stinson Beach

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Hiking

Hippy Hill, Mt. Tam, China Camp, the Fire Trail
Campus ministry - moonlight hikes

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The Marin Headlands

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The Marine Mammal Center

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Free Museum Days (first Tuesday of each month)

Legion of Honor

de Young Museum

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

Contemporary Jewish Museum

The Exploratorium (Thurs. 6:00pm 18+)

Asian Art Museum

Museum of Craft and Design

California Academy of Arts & Sciences

Museum of Art And Design

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Pier 39

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Ghirardelli Square

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Japanese Tea Garden (Free)

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Best Fro-Yo - Berkeley

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5. Belly Good

Cafe & Crepes

4. Urban Ritual

3. District Tea

2. Black Sugar

1. Little

Heaven

Top 5 Boba Tea in SF

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Best Tacos - El Farro, SF

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Mitchell's Famous Ice Cream

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How to get around

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Bay-Curious

Have A Great Year!