Chinatown, San Francisco
The largest of its kind outside of Asia and the oldest in North America, San Francisco's Chinatown is one of the city's most popular attractions. The dramatic Dragon's Gate at Grant Avenue and Bush Street welcomes visitors to this 24-block city-within-a-city, full of specialty shops, restaurants, exotic food markets, temples, cultural centers and tea bars. Grant Avenue serves as Chinatown's major thoroughfare, offering tourist-populated stores and restaurants. Meanwhile, Stockton Street offers a more authentic, off-the-beaten path feel, featuring produce stands, fish markets, shops and restaurants.
The bustling Portsmouth Square is a popular spot for practicing Tai Chi, while Ross Alley is home to the Golden Gate Cookie Factory, which produces 200,000 cookies a year. The area is best explored on foot, as its many side streets and alleyways are home to antique shops and delicious, authentic restaurants. A Chinatown can't-miss, the Chinese Historical Society of America is home an extensive exhibition on the history, art and culture of Chinese America ranging from immigration to contemporary Chinese American communities.
