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Chinatown, San Francisco, CA

Photo: Ilkka Simomaa, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingIconicFoodie FavoriteFree

Chinatown

Dragon's Gate at Grant Ave and Bush St · San Francisco, CA

Why you should go…

Established in the early 1850s, this is the oldest Chinatown in North America, covering about 24 blocks between Bush Street and Broadway. Enter through the Dragon's Gate at Grant Avenue and Bush Street, then follow Grant past ornate buildings and lanterns. Stockton Street has the produce and fish markets where residents shop, and Portsmouth Square fills with tai chi and Chinese chess. On Ross Alley, the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory has been baking since 1962.

  • #chinatown
  • #historic neighborhood
  • #dim sum
  • #walking tour
  • #markets

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Chinatown, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

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    San Francisco Cable Cars

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    Ride an open-sided cable car up and over the hills on three historic lines pulled by underground cables.

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    Union Square

    Free

    Shop the department stores and boutiques around a 2.6-acre downtown plaza, then hop a Powell Street cable car.

    0.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Shopping

  • Tours
    Family Favorite

    Gray Line San Francisco

    $50+

    Narrated sightseeing and hop-on hop-off bus tours of San Francisco and day trips to wine country.

    0.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

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    Foodie Favorite

    Local Tastes of the City Tours

    $50+

    Small-group San Francisco walking tours pairing neighborhood history with local food stops.

    0.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

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    Coit Tower

    Under $25

    Ride the elevator up this 210-foot Art Deco tower on Telegraph Hill for 360-degree views of the city and bay.

    0.6 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
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    San Francisco Bay Ferry

    Under $25

    Passenger ferries linking San Francisco's Ferry Building to Oakland, Alameda, Sausalito, and other bay towns.

    0.7 mi awayMore like this