Marina / Cow Hollow, San Francisco, CA

Originally built on sand dredged from the Bay, the Marina experienced major damage during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

Despite the destruction, the area was quickly rebuilt – with developers promising higher standards – and is widely characterized today as home to a party-happy young crowd of successful professionals and fashionable scenesters mixed with old-money types.

Some San Francisco residents decry what they see as a vapid singles scene in the Marina, highlighted by the fact that locals only half-jokingly refer to the local Safeway grocery as “The Dateway.”

Boutiques and high-end shops along the main commercial corridor of Union Street burst with the latest trends, while the classy bars that dot Chestnut and Fillmore streets cater to well-to-do couples during the day and explode with preppy post-grad revelry at night.

Especially notable is the intersection at Fillmore and Greenwhich Streets, where three corner bars make up the (in)famous Triangle, a popular haunt for many city denizens who will no doubt be running large companies or government agencies once their mid-20s hangovers wear off.

Apart from nightlife and shopping draws, the neighborhood also caters to science fanatics of all ages at the celebrated Exploritorium museum, housed in the equally venerated turn-of-the-century Palace of Fine Arts complex.

The nearby Fort Mason military complex, meanwhile, is now the site of theatrical shows, cultural events, and several non-profit agencies.

To round out a day in the Marina, everyone from bikers and joggers to kite flyers and picnickers takes to Crissy Field, a 28-acre meadow and beachfront that outdoor enthusiasts from all over the city come to enjoy.