Lowriders and lasers … just a couple of the many reasons we still love SF. Andy Andersen/Special to SFGATE
By SFGATE staff Jan 9, 2024 (SFGate.com)
It’s a great time to live in San Francisco. Yes, the city has its struggles, from inequality and the ongoing drug crisis to government bureaucracy that can be almost comically inefficient. But there are also so many reasons to be hopeful about SF’s future and to celebrate what’s ahead in 2024.
Not only are we not leaving San Francisco, but there has been a swell of developments either recently or on the horizon that makes us energized about living here right now. Our entire staff nominated reasons why we’re especially optimistic about the city this year. From exciting restaurant openings to a surge in live music, here’s why we think it’s a great time to live in San Francisco:
Chinatown’s newest festival will be even bigger and better this year
The Chinese Cultural Center threw its inaugural Hungry Ghost Festival in the fall, with dance performances, interactive art and a parade, and it’s coming back in 2024. It’s just one of the many vibrant events and transformational meals that make SF’s Chinatown such a gem (and now even easier to get to on public transportation).
Our bakeries are amazing right now
Sweet doughy goodness is invading our neighborhoods, and the options are more creative than ever. From viral soft serve-filled croissants at Union Square’s new Miller & Lux Provisions to the bacon, egg and cheese croissant at North Beach’s recently opened Butter & Crumble, the goodies continue to wow us. When George’s Donuts & Merriment opens this summer, we will flock to West Portal and eat cheffy doughnuts in a whimsical, sit-down cafe. Until then, we’ll see you at a hidden downtown bakeshop for the city’s most perfect golden baguette — for $1.
You can play the world’s fastest growing sport with some excellent views
Move over, pickleball: Padel is the hottest new racket sport, and SF is the first city in Northern California to open designated courts. Check them out near the Ferry Building and on Treasure Island.
Civic joy is on the rise
Throughout history, the arts have always relied on patrons, and San Francisco has found a damn good one in the Civic Joy Fund. From paying musicians to play on street corners every Saturday of the summer to mobilizing 100 sidewalk drag performers, to bringing Halloween festivities back to the Castro, the Civic Joy Fund was the boost that the SF arts scene needed in 2023, and we can’t wait to see what’s coming for 2024.
SF’s Yerba Buena Island is more accessible than ever
Yerba Buena Island — the island in the middle of the bay that, until now, has been largely inaccessible to the public — is now flush with new parks and public spaces. New additions to the island include a dog park, hiking trails, picnic areas and a 69-foot stainless steel sculpture by Japanese artist Hiroshi Sugimoto named “Point of Infinity.” These new attractions — along with the island’s criminally underrated beach, Clipper Cove — give San Franciscans a new place to explore, despite a large swath of Yerba Buena still being under construction.
North Beach is having a moment
Walking around North Beach these days, you can feel the energy in the air. Tony Gemignani’s new Pizza, Bagel & Beer Festival debuted last summer, and the neighborhood also welcomed a number of trendy new spots, from specialty grocery Luke’s Local to cocktail bar Petite Lil’s. There are more exciting openings slated for 2024, and if that’s not enough evidence for you that North Beach is thriving, the data also supports it: Sales tax revenue is up.
The lowrider ban has been lifted
After the passage of Assembly Bill 436 last year, San Francisco’s iconic lowriders could make the streets of the city bump in ways they haven’t for decades. The bill lifted restrictions on vital parts of lowrider culture, like cruising and modifying cars to sit at lower heights — bans that lowrider enthusiasts say had resulted in overpolicing and racial discrimination. While lowriders have remained a part of the city’s events and celebrations throughout the years — the art was born from California’s rich Chicano and Chicana culture — the new law could mean that cruising will once again be a regular sight on the streets of the Mission and elsewhere throughout SF.
There are corner store pets all over the city — and one incredibly old fish
The oldest fish in any aquarium in the world is enjoying belly rubs in the middle of Golden Gate Park, and nearly every street is replete with corner store cats and friendly shop dogs that are waiting to be discovered. Just be sure to ask politely before giving them a pet.
We’ll host WNBA basketball, finally
The new team isn’t coming until 2025, but the excitement for WNBA basketball in the Bay Area is already building. We’ll likely find out the general manager and coach of the team in 2024. Could we see stars with Bay Area ties like Chelsea Gray and Sabrina Ionescu be the initial face of the franchise? Could Cameron Brink, the Stanford star who could be a top draft pick this year if she turns pro, decide to play one more college season because, as she said before this season, it “would be a dream” to play for the Bay Area’s team — and in the same building as her godbrother Steph Curry? Enjoy all of the dreaming before the games arrive.
Night markets are becoming A Thing here
Several Asian-inspired street festivals packed with food vendors, entertainment and local businesses hawking their wares launched across the city in 2023. And they’re continuing this year: The Sunset Night Market plans to take over different commerce corridors every month. (Plus, the Fort Mason food truck fest Off the Grid.)
Treasured parks and playgrounds are getting a glow-up
Some of our favorite “secret” green spaces are due for improvements this year, recently filed permits show. Notably, progress is also slated to continue on the “Golden Gate Greenway,” a planned pedestrian oasis in Tenderloin.
We’ve laid our claim to the hottest new technology
For tech workers and companies, artificial intelligence was a bright spot in 2023 — and San Francisco has secured a front-row seat to its progress, as well as its accompanying drama. Key startups like Anthropic and ChatGPT-maker OpenAI have gobbled up office space in the city, and local AI researchers looking for in-person events will find everything from small hackathons to major conventions. With AI, there’s some good, some bad and some ridiculous (see: the shuttering of a so-called “AI-powered smoothie bar”), but San Francisco has clearly reaffirmed its status as the go-to place for what’s next in tech.
We have officially become a Festival Town
From Hardly Strictly Bluegrass to Outside Lands, San Francisco has a vibrant range of outdoor music festivals — probably a better selection than anywhere in the country. Not only have we shown we can support yet another 30,000-person-per-day festival (Portola) and that we can sustain one of the longest-running free music series in the country (Stern Grove), but the appetite for festin’ is so strong that in 2024 Golden Gate Park is slated to open its grounds for what will essentially be a second weekend of Outside Lands.
You might actually be able to afford to live here
Rent prices in SF are no longer the most expensive in the country, and experts predict they won’t shoot up substantially anytime soon. Plus, your landlord officially can’t ask you for more than one month’s security deposit thanks to a new law. It could even be a great time to buy if you’re willing to bet on downtown’s comeback — there’s a rare buyer’s market.
People are moving back
The population losses San Francisco endured during the pandemic seem to be waning, and now we’re hearing more and more stories about folks moving back to the city by the Bay Area. Whether it’s for a new job in AI or because rent is finally cheaper, they’re ready to crush the “doom loop” narrative, and we can’t wait for them to join us.
Because the Great Highway is now for pedestrians
A car-free Great Highway was a pandemic experiment that showcased how wonderful the roadway could be without traffic. Officials have since voted to keep the space car-free on weekends through 2025. Multi-block stretches of Golden Gate Avenue in NoPa, Lake Street in the Richmond, Sanchez Street in Noe Valley and Shotwell Street in the Mission District have also been given the green light to remain Slow Streets, or roadways that are limited to outside vehicle traffic, adding more public spaces for pedestrians and cyclists alike to enjoy the city.
Downtown is shifting from ‘vacant to vibrant’
The city’s initiative to transform empty storefronts downtown into diverse pop-up shops continues, with plans to announce a second cohort in the spring. Meanwhile, Mayor London Breed announced dozens of much-needed changes to the planning code aimed at making it easier for small businesses to open, survive and thrive.
Our local news coverage is extensive (and multilingual)
Call us biased, but we think the media coverage in San Francisco is top notch. The city has nearly 100 local media outlets focused on all aspects of city life, including new upstarts that have joined the ranks in recent years and several that are published in multiple languages. For comparison’s sake, Los Angeles — a city with more than 4 times the population of San Francisco — has a similar number of publications.
You can still find Anchor Steam beer
When 127-year-old Anchor Brewing shuttered in 2023, drinkers across the city had visceral reactions. Runs were made almost immediately on the final stash of the historic brew and yet, almost six months later — if you look hard enough — you can still find some Anchor. Whether it’s in the back of a beloved corner store, at a friend’s apartment party or in the fridge at Anthony Bourdain’s favorite SF burger spot (where we found a stockpile in December), there’s still a treasure trove of America’s first craft beer stashed across the city.
The young poets are back
SF’s legacy as a literary mecca hasn’t fully faded. We’re in something of a “golden age” for young poets right now. Our festivals, traditions, organizations and mentorship opportunities are helping a new generation find — and share — their voices.
America’s favorite airport has a bunch of new international routes
SFO once again ranked as the best airport in North America last year, and it’s growing its reputation as a convenient launchpad to various international playgrounds: This spring, United Airlines is planning to launch nonstop flights to Barcelona and Rome. United also recently debuted a new route to Christchurch, New Zealand, making SFO the only place in the U.S. where you can get nonstop service to the country’s South Island, which is celebrated for its mountains and outdoor recreation.
Golden Gate Park is getting its first new memorial garden in more than 30 years
Our biggest city park — which is so beautiful that Snopes recently had to prove a picture of it was real — is slated to open a new memorial garden this summer. The first of its kind since 1991’s AIDS Memorial Grove, the enclave honors locals who have died from breast cancer and aims to be an “incredibly special, almost-sacred kind of place,” according to members of the nonprofit Bay Area Young Survivors, which conceived of and funded the space.
St. Ignatius is getting a massive remodel
The Outer Sunset prep school is making progress on a multimillion-dollar makeover that it describes as the “most ambitious project” in its nearly 170-year history, aimed at bettering the educational experience for students.
Our public transportation is electrifying
SF is continuing to embrace faster, more environmentally friendly technology this year. The new electrified Caltrain fleet, set to take off in the fall, is expected to haul passengers between San Jose and SF in under an hour. Meanwhile, the city is collaborating with a European maritime technology company to introduce five battery-powered and zero-emission ferries, though they won’t officially launch until 2025.
Our pizza scene is the best it’s ever been
San Francisco doesn’t mess around when it comes to amazing pies. Tony’s Pizza Napoletana was one of the few U.S. joints to make the world’s top pizzeria list last year, and our city features every style under the sun. We love spots like Flour + Water Pizzeria, Outta Sight Pizza and Cellarmaker House of Pizza, and are looking forward to the opening of Che Fico Pizzeria, which is slated for the spring.
Office tenants leaving was our gain
As companies ditch downtown office spaces in favor of remote work, those empty buildings could be transformed into housing, which the city desperately needs. New legislation could help these projects along, and one of them — in the historic Warfield building — could even be completed in 2024. There are also lots of great deals on all that abandoned office furniture.
The techno scene is bouncing back
The Bay Area, and specifically San Francisco, has historically been a paradise for electronic music subcultures. After going quiet during the height of the pandemic, the city’s nightclubs are thumping once more, and a new wave of DJs is ushering in a techno renaissance. Weekend nights see no shortage of foggy, sweaty and strobe-lit rooms. Warehouse shows are back, and established venues like F8, Mothership and Underground SF are showing love to envelope-pushing local collectives like Vitamin1000, program and Amor Digital.
This season could be the last shot at glory for the Warriors’ ‘core’ trio
The Golden State Warriors’ ascent as one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history came by way of 3-point barrages that overwhelmed all that came across their schedule. But the days of the team’s core trio of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green — whose efforts have brought the four championships that turned this franchise from a laughingstock to a world-famous name — may be numbered. This season could provide the final glimpses of the triad that wrote this legendary chapter in Bay Area sports history.
The already amazing Tunnel Tops is getting better
This sprawling Presidio park with quintessential Golden Gate Bridge views finally opened in 2022 and it was worth the wait. The 14-acre park is equally exciting for children as it is for adults, and it’s poised to get even better. An Italian-style cafe and pizzeria named Il Parco is slated to open in January near the entrance, and the city plans to add an additional 1.5 acres of picnic areas, lawn space and vegetation next year.
A musical remake of a classic SF film hits stages this summer
The “Mrs. Doubtfire” musical has earned both rave and rotten reviews, and we’ll finally be able to form our own opinions when it opens at the Orpheum Theatre this July.
More amazing light shows are on their way
In 2023, San Franciscans were perplexed and delighted by colorful lasers that shot through the city’s skies from landmarks like Coit Tower, Sutro Tower and the Ferry Building. The nonprofit Illuminate SF still has several ongoing projects on display around the city, like a multicolored light projection that turns the Conservatory of Flowers into a rainbow spectacle and a curtain of light that is occasionally on display inside Grace Cathedral. New iterations are expected to debut this year (the Bay Bridge may even light up once more).
A city park unlike any other is adding more facilities
Crane Cove Park still feels like an undiscovered gem, and it will feature even more attractions in 2024. Building 49 — the old, massive hanger on the north side of the space — is getting revamped as a hub for Dogpatch Paddle, a new YMCA and an outpost of bagel favorite Daily Driver.
The hottest clubs in San Francisco are … its art museums
Once you’ve lived in a city long enough, certain civic amenities tend to fade into the background. But it’d be a shame to sleep on San Francisco’s museums, which have recently curated world-class exhibits, including pop-up gay bars, viral sensations, Japanese monster masters, and a showcase of thousands of local artists — with lots more planned for 2024. The best part? Almost every museum has at least one day a month of free entry for Bay Area residents.
The 49ers could host a championship parade next month
For a franchise with as much prestige and glory as the San Francisco 49ers, the one thing they don’t have is a recent championship: The team’s last Super Bowl title happened before Michael Jordan unretired (the first time). But the 49ers entered 2024 with perhaps their best shot at a title yet, already clinching home field advantage through the NFC title game. They’re the favorites to win it all at almost every sportsbook, and if they can finally complete that long-sought quest for their sixth title in Las Vegas, the championship parade will be an undoubtedly raucous party down Market Street.
Our rooftop bar scene is ascending
San Francisco isn’t known for its rooftop bar scene the way New York is, but that’s starting to change. Mission Bay’s Latin American bar Cavaña and Union Square’s massive Nikkei-style restaurant Chotto Matte both opened last year, and new downtown hotel the Jay also debuted a rooftop terrace restaurant called Third Floor. More rooftop bars are yet to come: We’re expecting to see the revival of the glamorous century-old Starlight Room (now called Starlite) on the 21st floor of the Beacon Grand early this year. It’s only up from here.
The Cliff House is coming back, hopefully better than ever
The National Park Service awarded a new lease on the historic Cliff House, which shuttered in 2020, and the building is slated to undergo a remodel and open in late 2024. It will include a restaurant, cafe, event space and retail shop — and hopefully secure bike parking. The new owner hopes to utilize more of the surrounding outdoor space, drawing in both tourists and locals.
San Francisco has started embracing skateboarding
San Francisco’s iconic skateboarding scene has long been the ignored stepchild of the city, pushed under freeways and actively discouraged by the city’s leadership. That recently changed when the city opened a new skate park at UN Plaza. The skateboarders love it so far and even seem to be keeping the troubled area a bit cleaner. I guess the city can do something right?
It’s a great time for comedy lovers
From extended residencies with big stars to tiny, weekday lineups in corner stores, basements and restaurants, San Francisco’s comedy scene is thriving. With Sketchfest and former “Saturday Night Live” stars on the docket and dozens of smaller shows every week, you never have to have the last laugh.
Pier 70 is finally taking shape
Completed renovations! New tenants! We’re finally expecting to see real movement at this new Dogpatch hub this year.
Because living in SF feels like a best-kept secret
While the national media attention is focused on San Francisco’s decline, those of us who live here know the real story. Let them focus on the “doom loop” — we’ll keep enjoying its amazing parks, unparalleled food, treasured local businesses and all that’s quirky and fun about this world-class city. We’re never leaving.
Tessa McLean, Jillian D’Onfro, Jessica Yadegaran, Susana Guerrero, Alex Simon, Lester Black, Dan Gentile, Grant Marek, Timothy Karoff, Madeline Wells, Olivia Harden, Stephen Council, Sam Mauhay-Moore, Madilynne Medina, Gabe Fernandez and Amanda Bartlett contributed to this story.
Jan 9, 2024
By SFGATE staff
