The Richmond, San Francisco, CA

Stretching from Arguello Boulevard all the way to the Pacific Ocean, The Richmond is commonly broken into two sections: the inner Richmond, home to a bustling restaurant scene and a Chinese population large enough to unofficially dub it “New Chinatown,” and the outer Richmond, which is about as bustling as the fog that slowly envelops it almost daily.

Much like the adjacent Sunset, The Richmond was mostly sand dunes prior to the late 19th century, when the only people who “resided” here were dead and buried in the area’s early cemeteries. Nowadays, however, local foodies – especially budget-conscious ones – flock to the main drags of Geary and Clement Street (between Arguello and Park Presidio Boulevard) to gorge themselves on authentic fare from Burmese noodles to Vietnamese pork chops, while the smell of fresh dumplings wafts from the open windows of Chinese bakeries.

Popular used bookstores keep the literary set happy, while inquisitive shoppers get their fill at the foreign groceries and cheap markets that peddle everything from overstocked merchandise to handmade jewelry. Although the vibe begins to calm down the closer one gets to outer Richmond west of Park Presidio – and becomes almost comatose after 25th Avenue – the outdoor meccas of nearby Golden Gate Park, Lincoln Park, The Presidio, and easy access to miles of beaches (Ocean and Baker for starters) enthrall millions of visitors annually.

While The Richmond isn’t rife with nightlife, raucous dives like Trad’r Sam attract young revelers from all over San Francisco, and an assortment of quaint English and Irish pubs make it easy to forget about the cold winds blowing in from the Pacific.