San Francisco Facts and Figures

Visitors to San Francisco often tell us that they want to know more about the City by the Bay than simply what museums and attractions to see and which hotels they should stay in. "Tell us about the city in general," they implore. "Give us some background about how big it us, what its history is, and above all, what we should expect weather-wise."

In response to these pleas for information, The San Francisco Insider is pleased to present a brief overview of some of the facts and figures visitors may find useful:

Size/Population
History
Weather
Public Transportation
Sports Teams
Industry
Resources

Size/Population

• San Francisco is approximately 7 miles long and 7 miles wide. Many people believe that the square mileage of the city led to the choice of the 49-Mile Drive moniker for the sightseeing trail that winds throughout the city.

• With a population of 724,000 people, San Francisco proper is the 14^th largest city in the nation. But looking at the people in the city itself doesn't tell the whole story since there are more than 6 million in the San Francisco metropolitan area, making it the 4^th largest metropolitan statistical area in the United States.

• As far as population per square mile goes, those charmingly close together Victorian houses contribute to San Francisco's status as the second densest area in the U.S., with 15,000 people per mile. For comparison's sake, note that New York City is first, with 24,000 people per square mile, while Los Angeles is relatively spacious with roughly 7,000 people per square mile.

History
The following are some of the major milestones in San Francisco's history:

• In 1579, Sir Francis Drake landed a few miles north of the Golden Gate, but apparently the fog shrouded the area to the south, preventing him from discovering the Bay or claiming the surrounding territory.

• About 200 years later, Don Juan Manuel Ayala established a mission and a town in San Francisco.

• Even by 1846, San Francisco remained a small town, with only about 800 inhabitants. The number one occupation at that time was raising livestock. It was not until 1849, a year after gold was discovered at Sutter's mill, that the town boomed, as 40,000 gold prospectors flooded the area. The gold rush peaked in 1852.

• In 1906, the San Francisco earthquake and fire occurs, killing 452 people and destroying 28,000 buildings.

• In 1920, the first transcontinental airmail route is established between New York City and San Francisco.

• In 1969, 78 Native Americans seize Alcatraz Island, demanding it be made into a cultural center; 19 months later they leave.

• On October 17, 1989, San Francisco suffered the Loma Prieta earthquake, the second most powerful in U.S. history, measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale, which killed 67 people, left 48,000 people homeless, and resulted in $10 billion of property damage.

Weather
Mark Twain once noted that "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco." San Francisco's famous fog may have been partially to blame for the seemingly unseasonable weather Twain experienced, although it is true that it rarely gets really hot within the city of San Francisco (note that this generalization applies only to the city proper and not to surrounding areas).

The city has what many refer to as a "Mediterranean climate:" wet winters (with an average of nearly 20 inches of rain between November and March) and dry summers – with year-round temperatures that generally don't stray far from the 60s. It rarely snows or gets below freezing within the city (thank goodness -- think how difficult San Francisco’s hills would be to navigate if there were ice and snow regularly!), but the city did have 1 inch of snow in 1938 and again in during the 1970s.

As you travel around San Francisco, you'll find that areas close to the water, such as the Golden Gate Bridge, tend to be a few degrees cooler, while other areas are tropical enough to sustain palm trees.

That said, here are some average temperatures to help you plan your trip:

• January - March: average high is 61^o F; average low is 45^o F
• April - June: average high is 66^o F; average low is 49^o F
• July - September: average high is 69^o F; average low is 53 ^o F
• October - December: average high is 68^o F; average low is 47^o F

Public Transportation
While San Francisco is best known for its cable cars (which cost $2 per ride), there are a number of other modes of public transportation as well. Here is a description of each with phone numbers to call for more information:

• AC Transit (buses to Berkeley, Oakland and other East Bay communities; buses depart from the Transbay Terminal and the Financial District): 510-839-2882

• BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit - underground San Francisco train system that also links San Francisco with the East Bay and Daly City): 992-2278

• Blue & Gold Fleet (ferries to Oakland and Vallejo): 705-5444

• CalTrain (train service to San Jose): 800-660-4287

• Golden Gate Ferries (to Sausalito and Larkspur): 332-6600

• Golden Gate Transit (buses to Marin and Sonoma counties): 923-2000

• MUNI (city buses, which cost $1 and offer transfers): 673-6864

• Red & White Fleet (ferries to Alcatraz, Angel Island, Muir Woods, Sausalito, Tiburon and the Wine Country): 800-229-2784

• SamTrans (buses to San Mateo County, including the SF International Airport): 800-660-4287

If you expect to travel around quite a bit, consider purchasing a MuniPass, which provides unlimited transportation on buses and cable cars, plus discounts to a number of local museums. The cost is $6 for one day; $7 for 2 days; and $10 for three days. For more information, call (415) 673-MUNI.

Sports Teams
San Francisco boasts two major professional sports teams:

• For football, watch the 49ers (members of the Western Division of the National Conference)

• For baseball, see the Giants (part of the National League)

Industry
San Francisco's primary industries are tourism, movies, banking, insurance, computers (especially in nearby Silicon Valley) and real estate. At one time, San Francisco's economy centered more around shipping; in fact San Francisco once ranked #3 in the world as the busiest port. Those days are over, and a look at the downtown area shows that the financial sector rules. It is no surprise, therefore, that the building that dominates San Francisco's skyline, the Transamerica Pyramid, is related to the financial industry.

Resources
Those seeking more visitor information are encouraged to seek out the information booth located at Hallidie Plaza (900 Market Street at the Powell Street cable car turnaround). The Visitor Center is open Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5:30 PM; Saturday, 9 AM to 3 PM; and Sunday 10 AM to 2 PM.

We also recommend that you check out our list of key phone numbers. This list provides access to numerous resources that may come in handy throughout your trip.

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