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Bay Area visitors can find plenty to keep them well fed, housed and entertained around Union Square, Fisherman's Wharf and other districts most frequented by tourists and business travelers. If time permits, though, try exploring some of the outlying neighborhoods where the city's rich social fabric and cultural diversity really come to life. Highlights include:

--The Castro, the heart of the city's vibrant gay community, has a lively commercial district and a grand 1920s movie palace that screens an eclectic mix of foreign, independent and classic films.

--Generations of immigrants from Mexico and Central America have made the Mission District one of San Francisco's most dynamic neighborhoods. A more recent wave of hip young urbanites has added trendy restaurants and nightclubs to the area's inventory of funky discount shops and terrific taquerias.

--Golden Gate Park is not really a neighborhood, but a popular gathering place for outdoor enthusiasts from all over the city. The vast expanse of woodlands, gardens and meadows extends from central San Francisco to the ocean, with an extensive network of walking and biking trails, an arboretum, a sublime Japanese tea garden and abundant recreational and sports facilities.

--The Richmond District, a largely residential area at the city's extreme northwest corner, offers a remarkable mix of beaches and parks and humble neighborhood commercial zones that truly reflect the city's longstanding cultural diversity. The area is known locally for unpretentious and affordable restaurants serving a wide range of ethnic cuisines, including Chinese, Thai, Burmese, Korean, Vietnamese and other Asian foods.

--Since the late 1800s, Pacific Heights has been known as one of the city's more upscale residential neighborhoods, with an impressive collection of grand Victorian mansions overlooking the Bay and the Golden Gate. Even so, the area has enough relatively affordable apartments to house a significant population of young professionals, and the main commercial strip, Fillmore Street, offers a fun collection of boutiques, bars and restaurants that you won't need a trust fund to enjoy.