San Francisco is the fourth-largest city in California and the fourteenth largest city in the United States (estimated population in 2004 was 744,230). Located on the tip of the San Francisco Peninsula, the city of San Francisco is the main hub of the San Francisco Bay Area. San Francisco is second only to New York as the most densely populated major American city. It is one of the world’s top tourist destinations and remains a principal international commercial center.
When one thinks of San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, and the cable cars often come to mind. The beauty of San Francisco is inescapable as it preserves its historic charm in spite of being the unofficial capital of the technology universe. The city is ranked as one of the best places to live in the United States and in the world. With its Victorian mansions, breathtaking vistas, and culinary delights, it is no secret why tourists love visiting the city and why natives make the city home.