San Francisco Shopping Guide

San Francisco is wonderful city to visit. It has a rich history, great architecture and a diverse culture. Another thing the city has is some great places to shop. Some of the places are more common, others are a little off the beaten path, but still worth the trip.

The most common place to go shopping is in Union Square. Here you can find more traditional stores like Macy's, Urban Outfitters, The Gap, Banana Republic and H & M. You will also find a Betsey Johnson store and other little boutiques. You could spend a whole day exploring all the stores. While this is the most common shopping area there are many other neighborhoods with many other options.

Another place to shop is in the Haight. While this is sometimes relegated to a touristy area, there are many great places to buy clothing, accessories, and even music. AS you walk through the Upper Haight (Haight-Asbury area) you will find every thing from thrift stores to trendy boutiques to The Gap (much to the locals' dismay). If you are looking for more mod/goth/alt culture items, you will have great luck at stores like NY Apparel and Daljeets. If you are a music junkie, Amoeba Records will be your Mecca. It is at the end of Haight Street just before you get to Golden Gate Park. It filled with CDs, records, DVDs, imports, out of print and other hard to find items.

No shopping trip in San Francisco would be complete without a stop in Chinatown. Chinatown is filled with great little shops. You can find great items for great deals. Of course you need to check the quality of the item before you buy. Some stores carry low caliber products, but many other stores carry items that are durable. If you want to avoid tourist traffic and shop where the locals shop, go up Stockton. You will avoid the foot traffic on Grant and you will find some great stores.

The Mission district is often over looked as a great place to shop. Valencia Street is home to many thrift stores and boutiques. You will also find many bookstores along this stretch of Valencia. One of those bookstores is called Borderlands. Borderlands specializes in sci-fi, fantasy, and horror books. If you want an autographed copy of Christopher Moore's newest book, this is where to find it. Borderlands also carries prints by Alan Clark and some great jewelry. The highlight of the store is their (hairless) store cat Ripley.

If you do not have car, don't worry all of these locations are easily accessible by public transit (specifically MUNI). You can pay each fare as you go, or you can get a multi-day pass and save some money. It can take a day or two to get to all the stores, but it is well worth it.