(Noah Schmidt/Flickr)
When people try to find cities with a similar atmosphere to Vancouver, Seattle is the first place that comes to mind, for good reason. We are very alike: the mountainous backdrop, the waterfront location, the rain. But there’s another city on the west coast that’s quite similar to Vancouver, and unless you’ve been there, you might be surprised to find out which one it is.
San Francisco, located in northern California, is the Golden State’s answer to Vancouver. Or maybe it’s the other way around, as the city was founded prior to our own in 1850. So what’s so similar? I mean, isn’t California a barren desert wasteland? Well, believe it or not, San Francisco bears a striking resemblance to Vancouver in geography, weather, and natural surroundings.
The City of San Francisco is located on a peninsula of the same name, similar to Vancouver’s position on the Burrard Peninsula. Both are surrounded by rivers, bays or inlets that flow from or empty into the Pacific, with the former bordered by San Francisco Bay to the east and north, and the ocean to the west, and the latter by the Burrard Inlet to the north, Fraser River to the south, and Strait of Georgia to the west. What about the climate? Unlike the never-ending blistering heat of Los Angeles to the south, San Francisco is surprisingly mild, with wet winters, hot summers, and a whole lot of cloud and rain. Sound familiar? Even at the exact moment I’m writing this sentence, 10:39AM on Saturday, September 20th, Vancouver and San Fran are only one degree apart in temperature, a common occurrence between the two. Oh, and if wasn’t already obvious, no, San Francisco isn’t in an inhospitable desert, there’s plenty of woodlands and forests nearby, such as the famous redwood groves that populate the area. It is a bit more arid than Vancouver though, as unlike here, not everything is completely covered by foliage.
Above: The Lions, located on the Northshore. Unlike San Francisco, Vancouver is surrounded by multiple large mountain ranges. (Rob/Flickr)
As for the cities themselves, there’s a lot in common between the two. Both are culturally diverse places with very active art scenes, although I will say the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco is a far more impressive venue than anything we have here. Both are known for their public transit, with Vancouver’s SkyTrain and the Bay Area’s BART serving the same purpose in a similar style. However, the MUNI light rail system and the iconic cable cars are notably absent from Vancouver, although those are arguably more tourist-focused, especially the latter. Speaking of tourism, both have their fair share of fun activities for all ages. Pier 39 offers visitors to the city by the bay a wealth of shopping and dining options on the water, surrounded by seals, sea lions and other aquatic critters. If you’ve ever been to Granville Island, you’d immediately recognize the similarities. The parks scene is also comparable, although San Francisco’s leisure spots are more urban than, say, Stanley Park. Golden Gate Park is a nice break from the action though, with a Botanical Garden similar to that of Vancouver’s VanDusen. On the topic of Golden Gates, both cities even have a similar landmark. The Golden Gate Bridge is a symbol of San Francisco, California, and even the country as a whole, and despite the Lion’s Gate Bridge not being as recognizable, it’s funny that Vancouver and San Francisco both ended up with giant, uniquely colorful suspension bridges crossing a gap with a name that includes “gate” in it.
Above: The Golden Gate Bridge with Point Fort visible below (Pexels/Pixabay)
Unfortunately, the similarities don’t end with the positive aspects of the cities. Vancouver and San Francisco are both known for their dire homeless situations, drug problems, and extremely high costs of living, making them highly desired and highly criticized cities simultaneously. So with that said, is one better than the other? In my opinion, not really. Despite all the similarities I’ve listed, both places have their own very distinct atmospheres. Vancouver’s natural beauty is far more breathtaking than that of San Francisco, but its landmarks are obscure compared to Alcatraz or the Painted Ladies. That’s why I love both, they are both so familiar, yet so different. So if you’ve ever wanted to travel somewhere that feels like home, but with a unique twist, San Francisco is the place to do it.
Written by Noah Schmidt
Contact: nschmidt20@my.bcit.ca