puerto santa maria Action central for all the major sights. Rooms hold up to five beds. All major public transportation

San Francisco puerto santa maria s Top 10op 29 Formerly a doggedly industrial area full of warehouses and factories, this flat stretch attracted few residents. For nearly 100 years, it was considered puerto santa maria unattractive, if not downright dangerous. All that began to change in the 1970s, when slums were cleared away and the Moscone Center was built. Upscale interior designer showrooms soon followed, ensuing decades brought premier puerto santa maria nightclubs, and, more recently, the digital boom added more than virtual life to the place. Public structures have sprung up lately, puerto santa maria and the whole district is now seen as a desirable neighborhood at least for creative types. The Rise of South of Market puerto santa maria Top 10 New Constructions South of Market 1 AT&T Park 2 SFMOMA 3 Moscone Center 4 Yerba Buena Center 5 Rincon Center 6 Metreon 7 South Park 8 The Galleria 9 Ed Hardy San Francisco puerto santa maria 0 The Four Seasons and the Marriott hotels *California Historical Society Museum The state s official historical research organization holds vast collections puerto santa maria of photos, books, manuscripts, maps, and fine and decorative arts. Some of the artifacts date as far back as the 1600s. puerto santa maria d 678 Mission Street Map P5 Open 11am 5pm Tue Sat Adm (Mexican Museum and Contemporary Jewish Museum (CJM) Both of these museums, which chronicle the place of their respective cultures puerto santa maria in the weave of life are set to move to new, permanent homes in the Yerba Buena complex. The Mexican Museum opens in 2007 and the CJM in 2008. Check their websites for the most up to date information. www.mexicanmuseum. org www.thecjm.org )Metreon Sony has created an alterna- tive high tech fun zone for the city s youth. Its main attraction is a state of the art cineplex, where you can take in the very latest movies special effects in all their glory. Elsewhere, kids sit in vast darkened rooms and play the latest multimedia games. On the upper deck is a pleasant terrace with a caf. d 101 4th St Map Q4 Esplanade, South of Market

*Ghirardelli Square Housing over 70 restaurants and shops, this former chocolate factory has become one of the most frequented destinations in Fisherman s Wharf. The stores range from tourist TT TTshirt shops to fine jewelry boutiques (see p13). d 900 North Point St Map K1

acre woodland is home to one of the few remaining first-growth groves of redwoods. The oldest of these giants is at least 1,000 years old, and such trees once covered the coastal area of California. The woods are named in honor of John Muir, the 19thcentury conservationist (see p39). d Muir Woods National Monument Open 8am sunset daily

Action central for all the major sights. Rooms hold up to five beds. All major public transportation is just outside. Nightly movies, e mail access, walking tours, an events board, and lots of tourist info are other pluses.