Airline passenger news and views

If you are new to San Francisco you should treat it as a city of multiple parts and districts. Chief on your list will be Fisherman’s Wharf, Chinatown, Union Square, and a few of the other tourist points.

But, to get a better sense of the city you might want to start off with a single neighborhood such as the Inner Richmond which has everything from vast urban parks, shopping that caters to multiple cultures, and world-class museums. It is not a major tourist trap and so you will quickly feel a part of the community rather than a visitor.

The recently rebuilt de Young Museum has a magnificent art collection but, for me, an even better view from its ninth-floor observatory. If you look across the park to the Golden Gate Bridge and Marin Headlands beyond, you will get a real feel for the layout of the city.

San Francisco is full of restaurants that celebrate its ethnic diversity. Even having been a regular visitor over the years, I still love the Chinese which seems to constantly develop its own diversity.

Whilst in the area, head for the Presidio, and take in picturesque Lake Street with its sprawling Victorian homes. At the end of the business day, you will see the locals biking and walking, down to the Presidio Social Club for a casual dinner of local cracked crab and delicious grilled steaks. 

It beats being a tourist.