Living in the Bay Area

One of the most beautiful and cosmopolitan cities in the world, San Francisco is also an intellectual hub of the western United States. This city of 49 square miles is situated upon 44 hills and surrounded on three sides by water. The microclimate provides natural air-conditioning: cloudy and cool summers, sunny and warm springs and falls, and rainy winters.

San Francisco's excellent restaurants, museums, art galleries, symphony orchestra, ballet company, and resident theater groups are internationally known.

Residents also benefit from ready access to some of the world's most beautiful areas: the Pacific Coast; nature reserves such as Muir Woods, Point Reyes, and Angel Island; the Napa and Sonoma wine country; and the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Both the Guardian and SF Gate have comprehensive listings of events around San Francisco and the larger Bay Area. For reviews of local restaurants, clubs and bars, try Citysearch. Yelp.com is also a great resource. Information on the local weather can be found at the national weather service website.