Life in San Francisco is a grab bag of fantastic surprises and “real-life” challenges. It’s a golden city, but be prepared to see firsthand the humanitarian issue of homelessness, an incredibly high cost of living, over-the-top activists, hella horrific traffic and highly aggressive drivers (the City is ranked 186 on the Allstate list of “Best Drivers”). Why do we put up with it? Well, there is the year round temperate climate; the hills, the Bay and the views they provide; the distinctive food and wine they inspire; the music and art; the overall creativity and inimitable free-thinking and open-mindedness: the City certainly has its qualities.

I am proud to say that Fineman PR has been at least a peripheral part of so many news making milestones that helped shape the modern day Bay Area: from working with rock and roll impresario Bill Graham to fixing what was broken in the ’89 Loma Prieta earthquake; and from riding the roller coaster of the Dot Com boom, bubble and bust to promoting a client’s work in the recent re-opening of the expanded and renovated Museum of Modern Art.

Ever since the Gold Rush, this city has been both a trend setter and maverick. Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Charles Schwab all started here, as did Levi’s, the Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy. Silicon Valley is nearby as are the top, top universities, Stanford and UC Berkeley. The Bay Area attracts some of the best and brightest in workforce talent.  Approximately 30 percent of San Francisco residents have a bachelor’s degree, nearly twice the state level, and more than 16 percent of residents hold a graduate or professional degree, compared to 9.5 percent California-wide.

The evolutionary caldron of San Francisco and environs has been tumultuous, provocative, and conflicting, yet, serving as a crucible to forge ever new creativity and innovation. We’ve endured major earthquakes, steady waves of immigration and numerous cultural conflicts. There’s been the Beatniks, hippies and flower children, the Summer of Love, the Berkeley Free Speech movement, Black Panthers, the Sierra Club and environmentalism, and the fight for gay marriage and LGBT rights. There’s been the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Sly Stone, Santana and Janis Joplin, not to mention Etta James and Vince Guaraldi. On the other hand, there’s been the founding of several major banking institutions, great engineering firms and multi-billion dollar tech companies like Oracle, Salesforce, HP, Yahoo, Twitter, Google, Apple, Intel, Cisco, eBay and Facebook.

Suffice it to say, the place is anything but boring. And that’s my segue for recommendations of things to do in this crazy and wonderful city.

Cycle or walk along Golden Gate Park, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Presidio, all along the Embarcadero from AT&T Park to Ghirardelli Square, the Marina from Fort Mason to Fort Point right under the Golden Gate Bridge, the Marin Headlands just on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge with killer views, the five-mile circuit around Angel Island with breathtaking, 360 degree views of the Bridge, Bay and City. Take the Magic Bus through the Haight, stroll through the oldest Chinatown in the nation, or take a leisurely walk through lovely Hayes Valley or Noe Valley. Take a ferry to beautiful surrounding areas like Sausalito, Tiburon, or Jack London Square. Grab a drink on top of the Marriott Marquis Hotel or at the Cliff House for amazing views or visit one of San Francisco’s many spectacular museums—the SF MOMA is fresh out of a 3-year remodel, and the brand new space is incredible.

Enjoy your stay, everyone, and welcome to San Francisco.

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