The Best Neighborhoods for Nightlife in San Francisco

North Beach

North Beach is San Francisco's Italian neighborhood, and although you may still see the Italian flag flying proudly outside of a few great Italian restaurants and gelato shops, the neighborhood has lost much of its cultural roots. It still has a lot to offer visitors though. Head to Washington Square Park to relax with the locals. This area also has a vibrant nightlife scene, so you can explore many of the neighborhood's fun bars and clubs as well.

Fillmore

Fillmore St. connects Western Addition to Pacific Heights, and it's a popular area with locals who often refer to it as "The Fillmore." This area is popular for its music scene and nightlife, but during the day the area becomes a popular shopping destination. Upper Fillmore is filled with trendy vintage shops, big name fashion retailers, and everything in between. There are also a number of historic churches in the neighborhood.

Historically, Fillmore was considered one of the most diverse neighborhoods in San Francisco with large populations of African Americans, Japanese, and Jewish residents. The area has a rich cultural history that at one time had a notable jazz scene (that some people claim is making a comeback).

Market Street

Market Street is a major corridor through San Francisco and along it you'll find many shops, restaurants, and businesses. The Central Market neighborhood is home to a number of recognizable tech companies including Twitter and Spotify. There are also theaters, museums, and music venues in the area. Some of the restaurants in the neighborhood cater mostly to tourists, but if you know where to look there are some hidden gems as well.

SoMa

SoMa, which stands for South of Market, is a neighborhood that includes The Moscone Center, the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, and Yerba Buena Gardens. There are number of quality museums in this neighborhood as well including the Museum of the African Diaspora, Contemporary Jewish Museum, California Historical Society Museum, Children’s Creativity Museum and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

While it's filled with culture during the day, the neighborhood comes to life at night. Head to SoMa in the evening to take advantage of one of the neighborhood's many dance clubs. This area also has excellent restaurants, including Luce, a Michelin-starred restaurant in the InterContinental Hotel.

Western Addition

Any 1980s kid is going to want to visit Western Addition, where you'll find Alamo Square Park and it's famous view of the Painted Ladies. This row of ornately decorated Victorian houses found fame as the home of the Tanner family, in the hit sitcom, "Full House." It really does feel like you've stepped out of the screen as you look out on this classic setting.

Western Addition also has a rich history as a multicultural neighborhood with it's roots in jazz and music, having been home to such greats as Duke Ellington and Billie Holiday. The jazz scene remains vibrant today and the neighborhood has a number of great bars and music venues.

The Castro

This friendly neighborhood is known as San Francisco's classic gay neighborhood. You can reach it by taking the F-Line street car and then explore the area with its colorful buildings and welcoming people. The neighborhood has a great nightlife scene with a number of fun bars and clubs. There always seems to be a lively party going on, so put of your most fun dancing clothes and head here for a uniquely San Francisco experience. This is also a great destination for brunch as their are a number of good cafes.