San Francisco's China Town is one of the best China Towns in America. It is the second largest in America. New York City's China Town is bigger but San Francisco's is much more attractive. Enter San Francisco's China Town through the large ornate dragon guarded Chinese Pagoda Gates at Grant Avenue and Bush Street. It was a gift from the Republic of China.

The true essence of the neighborhood is observable a couple streets over on Stockton Street, especially in the early morning when locals are out buying their groceries and freshly butchered meat. At night time the neon lights are fantastic and enhance the Chinese atmosphere. You don't need an itinerary to tackle San Francisco's Chinatown just wander around aimlessly .

If you like Chinese food you are in for treat. There is great variety and it is mainly inexpensive. I love wondering around Chinatown because of the delicious food smells that waft out of restaurants. Look for restaurants where the local American-Chinese eat rather than the empty tourist restaurants. In the smaller restaurants the waiters will give you lessons on using chopsticks if you ask and it is quiet.

Chinatown has been a thriving neighborhood since the Gold Rush of 1849. Today more than 30,000 residents live her in China Town. Most speak Cantonese and live in a tightly knit very un-Western community. China Town has to be seen on foot. As you walk around the streets you may here the clack of mahjong tiles. The shops along Grant Street, the main thoroughfare, cater to the tourist trade. For a less commercial experience the area you should visit is located between Stockton Street and Grant Street, which has the best Chinatown atmosphere.

There are a couple of open spaces in Chinatown. St. Mary's Park that boasts a statue of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen; a war memorial to Chinese war veterans. There are a number of stores, restaurants and mini-malls that cater mainly to tourists surrounding the park. Portsmouth Square bustles with activity such as Tai Chi and old men playing chess, Checkers or Mah-jong. A replica of the Goddess of Democracy used in the Tiananmen Square protest stands in the square.

Chinatown also has several temples; three of them are located in the Waverly Place, which is also known as the 'street of painted balconies'. There are a lot of pagoda-roofed buildings, as well as nicely decorated lamp posts and phone booths in Chinese style. A good place for a photograph is the corner of California and Grant, which has some nice pagoda-roofed buildings.

There is a very small shop in China town where you can see fortune cookies being made. Nestled in a dark alleyway lies the unassuming little fortune cookie 'factory', called Golden Gate Fortune Cookies. You will find it at 56 Ross Alley just off Jackson Street in the middle of Chinatown near the junction of Jackson Street and Grant Ave. Golden Gate Fortune Cookies It is nothing more than a small undecorated shop with a fortune cookie press machine. They will let you sample the cookies. You can buy a bag of fortune cookies or you can get a bag of 'naughty' fortune cookies. Don't expect anything too scandalous. The fortunes read along the lines of, 'A husband who works hard will be rewarded by his wife' or 'On honeymoon, bride get sleepy. Can't stay awake for a second.'

Although the fortune cookie has become a standard part of the Chinese restaurants experience, you might find it strange to learn that they did not originate in China. Fortune cookies were the invention of a Japanese man living in San Francisco. Golden Gate Fortune Cookies are open daily from 10 am to 7 pm. Chinatown is roughly bordered by Powell Street and the Nob Hill District on the west. On the east is Kearny Street and The City's Financial District. On the north is North Beach and Green Street and Columbus Street. On the south is Bush Street and the Union Square area.

Guided tours are very helpful to understand the origin and San Francisco Chinatown history. Did you know that there are underground passages and opium houses? City Guides offers free walking tours weekly. Some tours include a dim sum lunch. If you cannot get booked on one of those tours don't get ripped off by a $60 tour. Try www.walkingtourssf.com and check out their Chinatown tours as they are much cheaper.

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