S.F. Bay Area
San Francisco Attractions
Chinatown
— Chinatown Walking Tours
— Chinatown Shopping & Dining
— Chinese New Year Festival
— Chinese New Year Parade
— Flower Market Fair

Largest Chinatown on the West Coast
San Francisco's Chinatown is one of North America's oldest and largest — reportedly the largest on the West Coast and the second largest in the nation, after New York City's. You can't miss the entrance to Chinatown — look for the green Pagoda Gates on Grant Street, at Bush, near Union Square (top photo).

Fun Destination
San Francisco's Chinatown is one of the most highly-visited Chinatowns in North America — popular with tourists and locals alike. You can easily spend hours here walking, shopping, people-watching and eating — Chinatown is loaded with fun restaurants and dim-sum parlors.

Chinese New Year Festival & Parade
During the annual Chinese New Year Festival and Parade, hundreds of thousands of people flock to Chinatown to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

Chinese New Year Festival
The Chinese New Year Festival "Street Fair" is FUN for the whole family! Streets are lined with little stalls and live entertainment — and the shops and restaurants are packed. Traditional Chinese dance and music is performed on the main stage. Other activities include martial arts, calligraphy, puppet shows and a Children's Area featuring a petting zoo and fun games. Free admission.

The festival primarily takes place on Grant Avenue (from California-Broadway) — in addition to Pacific Avenue (Kearny to Stockton) and Washington and Jackson Street (Kearny to Stockton).

Chinese New Year Parade
— Largest Parade outside Asia
San Francisco's Chinese New Year Parade is the largest event of its kind outside Asia. Tourists and locals alike turn out to see beautiful decorated floats, Chinese acrobatics, Lion Dancing, fun festive activities and Chinatown's famous Golden Dragon.

The Parade begins at approximately 5:15pm at Market & Second Streets, through Union Square and ends in Chinatown at Kearny & Columbus. Free admission.

More Info on Chinese New Year
Festival & Parade

"Gum Lung" Golden Dragon
— Longest Dragon outside Asia
Gum Lung (pronounced "goom loong") is the star of the Chinese New Year Parade. The dragon glows (it's fitted with hundreds of LED and compact fluorescent bulbs) as it winds its way along the parade route. For the first time (on Feb. 7, 2009), the dragon leads the Chinese New Year Parade vs ending the procession.

Thought to be the longest dragon outside Asia, Gum Lung brings luck, longevity and prosperity — the longer the dragon, the more luck it is supposed to bring.

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Chinese New Year
Flower Market Fair
Each year, the Chinese New Year Flower Market Fair takes place the weekend before the Lunar New Year holiday so that families can come to the Fair and purchase their traditional holiday plants, flowers (peach blossoms, narcissus, orchids, snapdragons and chrysanthemums) and fruits such as pomelos, oranges and tangerines. These flowers and fruits are symbols of the reawakening of nature for the new year, and are associated with happiness and prosperity throughout the year.

Mini-Parade & Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony
The Lunar New Year kicks off with a Mini-Parade procession and Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony with SF Mayor, Gavin Newsom. The Mini-Parade route begins on California Street and Grant Avenue and ends at the stage on Jackson Street and Grant Avenue.

More Info on Chinese New Year Flower Market Fair, Mini-Parade and Ribbon-Cutting Festival

Nearby Attractions
Walk through Chinatown to San Francisco's popular North Beach neighborhood — it has a distinct European feel and is filled with a variety of Italian restaurants, outdoor cafés and coffee houses.

North Beach & Little Italy Walking Tours and FUN Chinatown Walking Tours

Oakland's Chinatown
Fortune Cookie Factory Tours
Fortune Cookie Factory Tours

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