San Francisco

San Francisco is known for its scenic beauty, cultural attractions, diverse communities, and world-class cuisine.

Measuring 49 square miles, this walk-able city includes landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars, Alcatraz and the largest Chinatown in the United States. A stroll of the City's streets can lead from Union Square to North Beach to Fisherman's Wharf, Japantown and the Mission District, with intriguing neighborhoods to explore at every turn. Views of the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay are often laced with fog, creating a romantic mood in this most European of American cities.

San Francisco has a colorful past, growing from a small village to a major city nearly overnight as a result of the 1849 Gold Rush. The writers of the "beat" generation, the hippies of the Summer of Love in the late 1960's and the large gay/lesbian population have all contributed to making San Francisco the fascinating place it is today. The City is home to world-class theater, opera, symphony, and ballet companies and often boasts premieres of Broadway-bound plays and culture-changing performing arts. San Francisco is also one of America's greatest dining cities. The diverse cultural influences, proximity of the freshest ingredients and competitive creativity of the chefs result in unforgettable dining experiences throughout the City.

San Francisco has well over 33,000 hotel rooms, from first-class hotels and ultra-chic boutique hotels to familiar names in lodging and budget friendly inns. For additional information, please visit www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com.

"I am excited that the 2012 Amgen Tour of California will return to San Francisco, showcasing our City’s legendary hills and iconic waterfront to host the world’s elite cyclists,” said San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee. “San Francisco has invested in its bicycling infrastructure leading to historic increases in bicycling around our City and we are eager to share this with those who will be visiting our City for this world class cycling event."