San Francisco - Alison Bing [240]
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PETS
Since San Franciscans have more pets than kids, this town is definitely pet-friendly – although dogs still have to stay on a leash in many parts of town, and you’re required by law to clean up your dog’s little gifts to nature. To check out the best locations for Rover to roam free, see http://sf.urbanhound.com, and bone up on local leash laws at www.sfdog.org.
To find SF hotels that allow dogs, check out www.dogfriendly.com. If you need to go away for a few days, you might check your pet into the swanky Wag Hotel (Map; 415-876-0700; www.waghotels.com; 25 14th St). There are opportunities galore for pet lovers to connect in SF, including two SF-based websites: www.catster.com and www.dogster.com.
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POST
You can buy stamps at post offices and some ATMs. Current rates for 1st-class mail within the US are 44¢ for letters up to 1oz (17¢ each additional ounce) and 28¢ for postcards. International airmail to locations other than Canada (75¢) and Mexico (79¢) is 98¢ for a 1oz letter or postcard. Post restante (general delivery) can be arranged at any US post office. Check out www.usps.com for post office locations throughout San Francisco. Following are the most convenient post offices for visitors.
Civic Center Post Office (Map; 415-563-7284; 101 Hyde St; & Civic Center)
Rincon Center Post Office (Map;800-275-8777, 415-896-0762; 180 Steuart St; 8am-6pm Mon-Fri, to 2pm Sat)
US Post Office (Map; 415-397-3333; Macy’s, 170 O’Farrell St; 5, 6, 7, 21, 31, 71, F, J, K, L, M, N; & Powell St; Powell-Mason & Powell-Hyde) Located in Macy’s department store.
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RADIO
For local listening in San Francisco and online via podcast and/or streaming audio, check out these local stations:
KALW 91.7 FM (www.kalw.org) Local NPR affiliate: news, talk, music, original programming.
KPFA 94.1 FM (www.kpfa.org) Alternative news and music.
KPOO 89.5 FM (www.kpoo.com) Community radio with jazz, R&B, blues and reggae.
KQED 88.5 FM (www.kqed.org) Local NPR affiliate: news, talk, music, original programming.
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SAFETY
Keep your city smarts and wits about you, especially at night in the Tenderloin, SoMa and the Mission. The Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood south of Potrero Hill along the water is plagued by a high crime rate and frequent violence, and not particularly suitable for wandering tourists. After dark, Dolores Park, Buena Vista Park and the entry to Golden Gate Park at Haight and Stanyan Sts host drug deals and casual sex hookups.
Expect to be asked for spare change often in San Francisco, but don’t feel obliged – donations stretch further at the nonprofit Haight Ashbury Food Program.
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TAXES
SF’s 9.5% sales tax is added to virtually everything, including meals, accommodations and car rentals. Groceries are about the only items not taxed. There’s also a 14% hotel room tax to take into consideration when booking a hotel room. In response to city laws mandating healthcare benefits for restaurant workers, some restaurants are passing along those costs to diners by tacking an additional 4% charge onto the bill – a slippery business practice mentioned in the menu fine print that may eventually be eliminated, given widespread diner protest.
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TELEPHONE
The US country code is 1, and San Francisco’s city code is 415. To make an international call from the Bay Area, call 011 + country code + area code + number. When calling Canada, there’s no need to dial the international access code 011. When dialing another area code, the code must be preceded by a 1. For example, to dial an Oakland number from San Francisco, start with 1-510.
Area Codes in the Bay Area
East Bay 510
Marin County 415
Peninsula 650
San Francisco