Five tips about Chinatown
San Francisco’s Chinatown is thronged with tourists, especially in the summer. But the sights, the sounds, the culture are still worth the effort. Here are a few tips to make a visit easier: 1 Go early and on a weekday if you can. Allow a full day for deep exploration. Take the time to wander into shops along alleys and side streets. Wear good walking shoes and take a jacket, even in summer. 2 There are three ways to get to Chinatown: You can ride in style on a cable car; take the 30-Stockton bus, which lets you off near the Stockton Street produce markets; or drive. If you drive, the best place to park is the Portsmouth Square Plaza Garage, at 733 Kearny St. It’s an underground garage with several levels, and instead of using numerals, rows of parking spots are marked with Chinese symbols, also printed in English, that mean things like Serenity, Long Life, Power and Growth. It’s much easier to remember where you’re parked when you’re in fourth-level Honesty, or third-floor Bravery.
The best part of this garage is that it’s underneath Portsmouth Square, and you’ll emerge from the elevator into what’s been called Chinatown’s living room, a big plaza where dozens of folks sit bowed over games of Chinese chess or 13-card poker. Old women chat around tables they’ve set up on plastic crates, smoking, dealing cards, betting pennies. And a group lesson of the meditation practice Falun Dafa is usually under way. 3 People really live and work here, so be respectful of private residences in the side-street neighborhoods. 4 A great way to learn about the history and culture is to take a walking tour. Some of the best-rated ones include All About Chinatown (www.allaboutchinatown.com) and The Real SF Tour (www.therealsftour.com). Be sure to book your walking tours in advance, especially during the summer. 5 Find more information on Chinatown through the Chinese Historical Society of America, the oldest organization in the U.S. dedicated to the social, cultural and political history and contributions of the Chinese in America; housed in the landmark Julia Morgan designed Chinatown YWCA building at 965 Clay St., www.chsa.org.