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City guide · San Francisco
San Francisco
A bay city made by the gold rush: the Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars and Alcatraz
San Francisco is built on steep hills, and neighbourhoods such as Chinatown and the Mission each have their own character. The Golden Gate Bridge, the cable cars and Alcatraz in the bay are its emblems; its Chinese name, 'Old Gold Mountain', comes from Chinese immigrants of the gold-rush era.
History
How the city came to be
On 29 June 1776 settlers from New Spain founded the Presidio of San Francisco and the Mission of San Francisco de Asís at the Golden Gate, which gave the city its name. The earliest civilian village here was called Yerba Buena and was renamed San Francisco in 1847. The California Gold Rush of 1849 quickly made it the largest city on the US West Coast. The 1906 earthquake and fire destroyed three-quarters of the city, which was rebuilt so fast that nine years later it hosted the Panama–Pacific International Exposition. In 1934 Alcatraz in the bay became a federal prison; it closed in 1963.
- 1776The Presidio and Mission of San Francisco were founded
- 1847'Yerba Buena' was renamed San Francisco
- 1849The Gold Rush made it the largest city on the West Coast
- 1906Earthquake and fire destroyed three-quarters of the city
- 1915Hosted the Panama–Pacific International Exposition
- 1934–1963Alcatraz federal penitentiary
Stories
Stories of the city
History · Alcatraz
The 1962 escape
On the night of 11 June 1962, Frank Morris and the brothers John and Clarence Anglin chipped through the air vents of their cells with homemade tools, left papier-mâché dummy heads in their beds to fool the night guards, climbed down from the roof and left the island on a raft made of raincoats. The three were never seen again; officials believe they most likely drowned in the bay, but no bodies were ever found. Less than a year later, on 21 March 1963, Alcatraz prison closed.
Before you go
Rules to know in San Francisco
Driving in the US: what to do when police pull you over
- Signal right and pull over safely to the right
- Roll down your window after stopping, before the officer reaches you
- At night, turn on the interior light
- Keep both hands on the wheel and ask passengers to keep their hands visible too
- Getting out and walking towards the police car
- Suddenly reaching for the glovebox, a pocket or under the seat
Sudden movements may be read as a threat and become dangerous. The wording of the rules varies slightly between states.
Not yet verifiedSource: Texas Department of Public Safety driver handbook
USA: tipping is almost always expected
- Restaurants with table service: 15–20% of the pre-tax bill
- Bartenders: US$1–2 a drink, or 15–20% of the bill
- Taxis: 15–20% of the fare, at least US$1
- Hotel housekeeping: US$2–5 a day
- Not tipping at restaurants with table service
Not illegal, but seen as very rude.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Emily Post Institute: tipping guide