Photos by Phil Coblentz, courtesy of the
San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau.

“San Francisco has only one drawback,” claimed author Rudyard Kipling, “’tis hard to leave.” A compelling mix of natural beauty, historic charm, vibrant diversity, and temperate climate make Kipling’s words as true today as they were when he visited the city in 1889.

From the Golden Gate Bridge to Chinatown, Fisherman’s Wharf, and the streets lined with colorful Victorian homes in between, San Francisco reaches out to touch the heart and stir the imagination. Cable cars cruise the marina, Ghirardelli Square buzzes with shoppers, and the waters of the San Francisco Bay sparkle with commerce and recreational opportunities while providing breathtaking views from the city’s 43 hills. In San Francisco, the arts thrive, technology advances, and diversity is embraced.

The city is at the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area, a nine-county metropolitan region that stretches from Santa Clara County’s Silicon Valley in the south, to scenic Marin County in the north, and across the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge to Alameda County to the east. With a population of more than 6.7 million people, the San Francisco Bay Area represents the nation’s fifth-largest market, according to the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce.

The images of impersonal urban sprawl those facts and figures may conjure up would be out of place, though. The city itself is only 49 square miles and maintains a friendly, accessible feel rare in large cities, which is due in large part to its many distinctive neighborhoods.

Perhaps architect Frank Lloyd Wright put it best, however, when he said, “What I like best about San Francisco is San Francisco.”

On Duty

What professional nurses might like best about San Francisco is the opportunity to work at one of the country’s top hospitals. For others, the top draw might be the chance to study at one of the nation’s leading graduate programs in nursing.

In its annual rankings of the nation’s best hospitals, U.S. News & World Report named the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center the seventh-best hospital in the US. UCSF Medical Center ranked among the best in the nation in the following specialties: cancer care, digestive disorders, eye treatments, geriatrics, gynecology, hormonal disorders, kidney disease, neurology/neurosurgery, pediatrics, respiratory disorders, rheumatology, and urology. The hospital also ranked among the top 20 in the nation in ear, nose, and throat treatment; heart care and heart surgery; orthopedics; and psychiatry. Among pediatric care centers, UCSF Children’s Hospital came in at No. 10 on the list, making it the highest-rated children’s medical facility in California.

UCSF’s programs for brain tumors, liver transplants, women’s health, and comprehensive cancer care are all nationally designated Centers of Excellence. The hospital also reports that its transplant service has conducted more kidney transplants than any other hospital in the world.

U.S. News & World Report also ranked the UCSF graduate program in nursing second in the country in its annual survey of the nation’s top graduate schools. UCSF ranked in the top 10 in seven of eight nursing specialties, including a first-place ranking for its family nurse practitioner program and a second-place ranking for its program for adult med/surg nurses.

Other top-ranked specialty training programs at the UCSF School of Nursing include adult nurse practitioner, psychiatric/mental health, pediatric nurse practitioner, gerontological/geriatric, and community/public health. Also ranking high in the national survey were the UCSF program in nurse-midwifery, administered with San Francisco General Hospital, which tied for seventh, and the physical therapy program, run jointly with San Francisco State University, which ranked 15th in the nation.

California is the first — and so far, the only — state to legislate nurse-to-patient ratios. The ratios, which initially vary from 1:1 in trauma units and the OR to 1:6 in med/surg and psychiatry units, are part of the Nursing Workforce Initiative launched by Gov. Gray Davis in 2002 in response to California’s growing nursing shortage.

According to the California Healthcare Association, the state currently ranks 49th out of 50 in the number of RNs per capita. The state plan also includes funding for the training and recruitment of additional nurses. In the first phase of the plan’s implementation, $21.1 million in grants were awarded.

Hospitals are already increasing their staffing in anticipation of the new staffing law, which is set to take effect in January 2004. The California Department of Health Services has projected that California will need an additional 5,000 RNs to meet the staffing requirements established by the new ratios.

Off Duty

“No city invites the heart to come to life as San Francisco does,” Armenian-born author William Saroyan wrote. That invitation to celebrate life can be heard in the clang of the cable car bell and the rush of the wind as you cross the Golden Gate Bridge. It resonates in the cheering of a crowd at a major sporting event and in the barking of a sea lion basking in the sun. For some, it might be the echoes of history that permeate the city’s streets or the voices and visions of artists and performers who contribute daily to the city’s rich cultural life that beckon them to accept the invitation and experience life in San Francisco.

San Francisco’s cable cars are the only
mobile National Historic Landmarks..

Must-see city sights. The list of major sightseeing attractions in San Francisco is so long that visitors must pick and choose. Residents, however, can indulge in the luxury of time and explore all the city’s treasures, from the century-old cable cars — designated as the country’s only mobile National Historic Landmark — to the island of Alcatraz, where a national park now operates on the site of what was once the country’s toughest maximum-security prison.

According to the San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau (SFCVB), 87% of visitors include Fisherman’s Wharf on their itinerary. Thousand of tons of sole, shrimp, salmon, sea bass, squid, and crab are sold every year from the wharf’s working hub, which is known as Fish Alley. If you’re looking for something other than fresh fish for dinner, Fisherman’s Wharf also offers a variety of shopping, dining, and entertainment options at several popular waterfront marketplaces, including The Anchorage, The Cannery, Ghirardelli Square, and PIER 39.

Chinatown, which the SFCVB says is the largest Asian enclave outside of Asia, and the Mission Dolores, founded by Spanish padres in 1776, both serve as introductions to the city’s rich ethnic diversity. Many festivals held throughout the year help to further celebrate that diversity. Leading the list of the city’s annual celebrations are the Chinese New Year, the Cherry Blossom Festival, the Columbus Day Celebration, and Carnaval.

Golden moments. Golden Gate Park is a 1,000-acre treasure trove of attractions. The park’s Strybing Arboretum & Botanical Gardens are home to some 6,000 plant species, ranging from the majestic California redwoods to the cherry blossoms that flourish in the Japanese Tea Garden. The Morrison Planetarium, Asian Art Museum, Natural History Museum, and Steinhart Aquarium are also located within the park.

The Golden Gate Bridge itself is open to pedestrians at no charge. The dramatic landmark, which has connected the city of San Francisco to Marin County since 1937, can be more leisurely appreciated with the spectacular views available from Baker Beach. Ocean Beach, on the westernmost edge of the city, offers exhilarating views of the Pacific Ocean and the aptly named Seal Rocks, which are usually inhabited by shore birds and stellar sea lions. China Beach is one of the few beaches in the city that accommodates swimmers. Ferryboats and sightseeing and dinner cruises offer additional options for those wanting to experience life on the water.

Appetite for the arts. San Francisco provides a fertile and nurturing environment for the arts. According to the SFCVB, there are approximately 200 arts organizations active within the city. Among the leading lights are the San Francisco Opera, the San Francisco Ballet, the San Francisco Symphony, and the American Conservatory Theater. The Yerba Buena Center for the Arts showcases art and artists from the multicultural community.

San Francisco’s museums also reflect the multifaceted character of the city, ranging from world-class art and science museums to the Levi Strauss & Co. Visitors Center, the National Maritime Museum, the Chinese Culture Center, the Galeria de La Raza, the Ansel Adams Center, and the Museum of Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender History.

Good sports. San Franciscans have plenty of opportunities to exercise their passion for sports. Professional baseball fans can cheer for the National League’s San Francisco Giants or the American League’s Oakland A’s. Football fans also have two Bay-area choices, the San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland Raiders. Basketball-lovers can root for the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, and hockey fans can travel south to watch the NHL’s San Jose Sharks. In addition, you’ll find tennis, collegiate competition, and horse racing.

Of course, California’s coast offers numerous recreational opportunities for those who want to be part of the action, from kayaking on Richardson Bay to exploring the shoreline with more than 230 miles of bayside hiking trails. Maps developed by the San Francisco Bay Trail Project include recommended hiking routes, directions, distances, and historic points of interest you’ll find along the way.

Something for every taste. “You can’t have a bad meal in this town,” celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse says of San Francisco. In fact, for six straight years, San Francisco has been named the top restaurant town in America in Bon Appétit magazine’s “How America Eats” survey. In addition to the freshest seafood, the SFCVB claims you can find everything from ancient Mesopotamian cuisine to proper English high tea in more than 3,300 restaurants that showcase the city’s delightful multicultural flavor.

Exploring the area. You may leave your heart in San Francisco but, if you have a little time, set your spirit free to explore the surrounding areas. The lush wine country of Sonoma and Napa Valley lies an hour north of the city. Head south and you’ll discover the breathtaking 17-Mile Drive along Pebble Beach, the charms of Carmel, and the Monterey Peninsula and the grandeur of Big Sur. In just four hours, you can reach either Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada Mountains or Yosemite National Park’s glaciers, granite cliffs, and exuberant waterfalls.

With so many choices, life in San Francisco is pretty sweet.