CHINATOWN, SAN FRANCISCO

Chinatown, San Francisco is one of the largest Chinese communities outside of China, and - I'm told - is quite reminiscent of Hong Kong.

It's a busy, bustling place, and only partly because of tourists! Walk through the dragon-topped pagoda-style gateway at Grant & Bush, and you'll be walking into another world.

WHAT TO DO IN SAN FRANCISCO'S CHINATOWN

Chinatown, San Francisco shopping is a unique and interesting experience - a popular San Francisco attraction because of its uniqueness!

There are two main streets in Chinatown, and both are worth a visit, though for different reasons.

Grant Avenue is the main street for tourists. It's chock full of kitschy shops, markets, and mega-stores for you to duck into and wander through.

You'll find Asian imports of every description, plus kites, jewelry, antiques, books, fine art, swords - you name it!

The other Chinatown main street is Stockton. This is where you'll discover the authentic Chinatown - the one where the locals live and shop!

Stop in at the colorful produce markets - you can join the shouting over Chinese cabbage, winter radish, yard-long beans, and bok choy. And check out the live markets where you can buy turtles, or pick the clucker you want out of a crateful of chickens, or take home a frog or two.

VISITING CHINATOWN IN SAN FRANCISCO

• The Golden Dragon Fortune Cookie Factory, where they've been hand-folding fortune cookies since 1962
• Portsmouth Square, the "heart" of Chinatown where they might let you join in a game of elephant chess if you know how to play (and can speak Chinese)
• The Chinese Historical Society Museum & Learning Center, housed in the old YWCA building (where I once lived!)
• St. Mary's Church, originally built by Chinese laborers using granite from China


• The Tien Hau Temple, said to be the oldest Taoist temple in the United States
• The Bank of Canton (formerly the Chinese Telephone Exchange)
• The Eastern Bakery, where DH and I always stop in for a Steamed Pork Bun

Plan on spending at least a couple of hours exploring this San Francisco attraction because you'll want to leisurely stroll, and take it all in! And when you've worked up an appetite, you might want to try the Hang Ah Tea Room for dim sum and a pearl drink.

Follow one of the links below to explore other famous San Francisco attractions:

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