San Francisco packs a lot into its seven-by-seven frame: history, culture, entertainment, natural beauty, community, and great food, just to name a few. In fact, the city is so rich with stories that no one can know them all, not even those who have lived in San Francisco their entire lives. So, here are a few interesting facts that many of you may not know about San Francisco, courtesy of SF Tourism Tips.
- SF has the largest and oldest Japantown in the United States. It's also one of only three Japantowns still that remain in the US.
- The city is built on more than 50 hills. Many believe it only has 7 or 9 hills, but there are a total of more than 50 named hills. Some of the most well known are Russian Hill, Nob Hill, Telegraph Hill, and Twin Peaks. A few of the lesser known ones are Golden Mine Hill, Excelsior Heights, and Tank Hill.
- In addition to loving wine, the locals also love independent films. SF is home to more than 50 film festivals each year. Some are large international festivals. Others are smaller with a very focused film offering such as the Greek Film Festival, the Jewish Film Festival, and the American Indian Film Festival.
- The United Nations Charter was signed in San Francisco. It was signed in the War Memorial and Performing Arts Center in the Civic Center District on June 26, 1945.
- You will never run out of new restaurants to try here. At any given time, there are more than 3,500 restaurants open in SF.
- Joseph B. Friedman invented the bendy straw in San Francisco. He observed his daughter's frustration when she tried to drink out of a straight straw and came up with this invention to make it easier for her. He received a patent on it in 1937.
