Compared to many US cities,
where you need money and
attitude in equal measure, San
Francisco's
nightlife
scene demands little of either.
It is not unusual for
restaurants to provide live
music and you can often eat and
be entertained for no extra
cost. This is no 24-hour city,
and the approach to socializing
is often surprisingly low-key,
with little of the pandering to
fads and fashions that goes on
in New York or LA. For $30 you
can get a decent night out,
including cover charge and a few
drinks. Always have your ID with
you, otherwise you cannot get
past the bouncers at all clubs
and music venues. Though smoking
is technically illegal in all
bars and clubs, the law is
routinely flouted by locals
willing to risk a ticket.
The Sunday Chronicle
's "Pink Pages"
supplement, along with the free
weekly Bay Guardian or
the San Francisco Weekly
, are the best sources of listings
. Ticketmaster (tel
415/421-8497, ) is the major ticket
agency, with outlets in Tower
Records and Rite Aid stores.
Tickets.com (tel 415/478-2277, )
is also worth a try.
Bars
Since its lawless, boomtown
days, San Francisco has been a
drinking town. Even as the rest
of California cleans up its act,
San Franciscans continue to
indulge; the city's bars vary
from seedy late-night dives to
rooftop piano lounges touting...
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Live music: rock, jazz and
folk
San Francisco's music scene
reflects the character of the
city: laid-back, eclectic and
not a little nostalgic. The
options for catching live music
are wide and the scene is
definitely on the up and up,
with the city regularly spawning
good...
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Clubbing
While clubbing in San Francisco
may not have the feverish
following of other cities, the
clubs that exist are
encouragingly inexpensive, and
you can leave your attitude at
home. A recent spate of police
raids has put something of a
damper on...
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Classical music, opera and
dance
Though the San Francisco arts
scene has a reputation for
provincialism, this is the only
city on the west coast to boast
its own professional symphony,
ballet and opera companies.
These companies rely entirely on
private...
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Theater
The majority of the theaters in
downtown's Theater District are
not especially innovative, but
tickets are reasonably
inexpensive - up to $20 a seat -
and there's usually good
availability. The TIX Bay Area
ticket booth in Union Square...
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Comedy clubs
Bay Area Theatresports Bayfront
Theatre, Bldg B, Third floor,
Fort Mason Center (Marina Blvd
at Buchanan St) tel
415/474-6776. An acting-based
improv group that can be
hilariously spontaneous.
Definitely a less predictable
comedy night out than at...
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Sports in San Francisco
San Francisco's dedication to
its professional sports teams
can verge on the obsessive.
Tickets for the big events can
sell out, but it's usually
possible to show up on the day,
and it needn't cost all that
much: an outfield seat to
watch...
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more >>
