San Francisco Chinatown

San Francisco Chinatown: Directions and Parking

Chinatown, which is centered around Grant Street, is quite simple to find. If you are coming into the city via the Golden Gate ridge, you'll need to stay on US 101 South. Drive straight into the city and look for Bush St. Once there, you'll need to take a left onto Grant.

If you are accessing the city via the Bay Bridge, you'll need to take I-80 West into San Francisco. From there, you'll need to look for the Fremont exit. Take this exit, and turn left onto Fremont Street. Next, take a left onto Howard Street, then turn right onto Third Street. Finally, bear right onto Kearney, hang a left on Sutter, and then right onto Grant. You're there!

If you happen to be visiting Fisherman's Wharf, another hotspot for San Francisco tourists, you can continue on to Chinatown by riding one of the classic cable cars. You'll need to get off at either Washington and Mason or Powell and California.

If you are using BART as transportation, your best bet is to take BART to downtown San Francisco, then take a cable car to Chinatown.

Depending upon the time of your visit, parking can be a bit tricky around Chinatown. While there is street parking with parking meters available on many of the streets, you might have better luck parking at a nearby lot or parking deck.

San Francisco Chinatown: Streets and Alleyways

While Grant Street is considered the main street of San Francisco Chinatown, there are plenty of other popular streets and alleyways for you to explore. Other Chinatown streets include the following:

1. Waverly
2. Wentworth
3. Walter U. Lum Place
4. Jackson
5. Old Chinatown Lane
6. Pine
7. Sacramento
8. Stockton
9. Clay

Restaurants and Shopping

There is never a shortage of food in Chinatown. You'll be invited over and over by locals extolling the dishes of their restaurants. You'll probably have a collection of menus in your hand by the time you reach the end of one street. If authentic Chinese food is what you are craving, then it will definitely be your lucky day!

Not only will your nose be delighted by all of the exotic smells wafting from restaurant doorways, but your eyes will delight in the variety of gifts and merchandise for sale. If you are looking for a San Francisco t-shirt or sweatshirt, you'll find some of the best deals in Chinatown. If you are looking for a more unique gift, however, you'll find that, too. Gorgeous silk fabrics, hand-painted porcelain, and exotic jewelry are just some of the wonderful items you'll continue to run across in shop after shop.

Before you leave San Francisco, you must visit this wonderful, cultural area of the city! Plan on it!