San Francisco Chinatown

Nearly all San Francisco city tours include a stop or drive through Chinatown. For history, check out the Chinese Historical Society of America Museum and Portsmouth Square; alternatively, book a Chinatown walking or Segway tour for insight into the neighborhood’s food and culture. A stop in the area is often combined with a visit to nearby North Beach or a tasty, traditional lunch. Chinatown food tours are especially popular.

• This is a neighborhood to explore on foot, so wear comfortable shoes.

• Chinatown bumps right into North Beach, another favorite San Francisco neighborhood, so it’s easy to visit both in one day.

• Grab cash before you go, as many of the small shops and food venues only accept cash or have credit card minimums.

• The streets of San Francisco Chinatown are mostly wheelchair accessible, although not every shop and restaurant will be.

Chinatown covers about 24 city blocks in northeast San Francisco between Powell, Kearny, Bush, and Broadway streets. Enter through the Dragon Gate at Bush and Grant, walking north into the crowd to find souvenir shops and eateries. Located in the densest area of the city between Nob Hill, Union Square, and the Financial District, Chinatown is easy to reach by walking, city bus, and the Powell Street Cable Car. Driving is not recommended on the traffic- and pedestrian-heavy streets.

For shopping, go in the late morning when the shops are open but many visitors haven’t yet arrived. Otherwise, the evening hours offer a lively atmosphere, when locals head to Chinatown for drinks and dinner. To see the neighborhood at its best, visit during Chinese New Year, which falls in January or February.

For a look at the making of fortune cookies, visit Golden Gate Fortune Cookies Co., in business since 1962. Located on Ross Alley, off Jackson Street, the factory offers a free tour that allows you to watch how the cookies transform from hot, flat dough into their iconic, fortune-stuffed shape.

As one of the oldest Chinatowns in North America, San Francisco Chinatown has a long history. Wander through the streets of the nearly 30-block area to find Taoist temples, dragon sculptures, pagodas, dim sum, and other Chinese restaurants. You’ll hear lots of languages, too.

San Francisco’s Chinatown dates back to 1853 when one of the first Chinese laundries was set up. From here, it began to grow exponentially. Chinese pioneers were drawn to California during the gold rush and settled in San Francisco. Here, they retained their culture, including food, to this day.

Plan on spending the day in Chinatown if you have that much time. There is plenty to do, from just wandering the streets and people-watching to visiting the Taoist temple and doing souvenir shopping. Plus, there is so much good food in the area it’s worth staying for a few meals.

Grant Avenue is Chinatown’s main drag, so you’ve got to check it out. Do some shopping for Chinese-style paper lanterns before working up an appetite for authentic Chinese food at a restaurant on the street. It’s named after Ulysses S. Grant, so there’s some history in the name, too.

Yes, Chinatown San Francisco is worth it. It’s one of the oldest Chinatowns in North America, and there are layers of history here. Plus, come hungry since you’ll find some delicious Chinese restaurants with various dishes, from dumplings to ducks. Visit the temples, pagodas, and more, too.

Plenty of San Francisco tours run through Chinatown, both group and private, or you can get a local guide to concentrate just on Chinatown itself. Greater San Francisco tours will often stop at Muir Woods, Sausalito, Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, North Park, and more for a well-rounded San Fran experience.