Nightlife in San Francisco, California

San Francisco nightlife offers plenty in the way of variety, and the city's amount of bars and clubs is an impressive one. The San Francisco bars range from quiet piano bars to raucous bars that might not be suitable for all tastes. As for the San Francisco nightclubs, they are nothing if they aren't lively. There is a healthy club scene in the city by the bay, and top notch DJs can be found spinning tunes on virtually any given night. For some, hanging out in a relaxing lounge will be the aim when it comes to San Francisco nightlife. The city features some dazzling high-rise lounges that afford patrons some dynamic urban views.

Unlike some of the clubs in larger cities like Los Angeles and New York, the San Francisco nightclubs don't tend to charge outrageously high cover charges. While San Francisco dance clubs can be found all over the city, the best are arguably in the trendy SoMa district. Many of the clubs in SoMa are housed in converted warehouses, which allows for plenty of space to move around. In addition to heading to SoMa, anyone who is interested in dancing the night away at one of the San Francisco nightclubs can also find some good clubs in Union Square and in the Red Light District, which is the name that is sometimes applied to part of the North Beach neighborhood. Not all of the clubs and bars in North Beach are risqué, though some can manage to shock even the most open-minded of travelers.

The San Francisco bars, much like the clubs, are spread all over the city, and SoMa is again one of the best places to find some of the best. Visitors can also head to North Beach to visit one of the historic Beatnik bars, which were made famous by authors like Jack Kerouac. As is true in just about any big city, the drink prices at the bars in San Francisco are relatively high. Many San Francisco bars offer good happy hour deals, which are worth taking advantage of when looking to get some good deals on beverages. The various districts in San Francisco tend to offer their own feel when it comes to the bar scene, and finding the right bar can have everything to do with the district. The best San Francisco gay bars, for example, can be found in the Castro district, while the Haight Ashbury district is home to some of the city's best eclectic watering holes.

While the clubs in New York City might have higher cover charges than the San Francisco nightclubs, they do tend to stay open longer. For those wishing to enjoy some San Francisco nightlife, the bars and clubs close at 2 a.m. As such, it's a good idea to get a jump on things when a full night out is the aim. That's where the happy hour rates can come in especially handy. Smoking is not permitted in the San Francisco bars and clubs, so smokers will have to step outside to light up.

San Francisco nightlife isn't limited to the bar and club scenes. The performing arts are alive and well, and venues such as the Orpheum Theatre are known for putting on some high quality shows. In addition to the performing arts, visitors can also consider enjoying concerts on San Francisco vacations. It's often possible to catch some live music on any given night, with the summer months playing host to annual music festivals like the one on Treasure Island. Other options that are worth considering when a night out on the town in San Francisco is in order include enjoying a multi-course meal at an upscale restaurant, entertaining guests in a spacious hotel suite, enjoying a sunset cruise on the San Francisco Bay, and watching a film at one of the city's interesting cinemas.