The City by the Bay was settled by the Spaniards in 1766, but it didn't really begin to grow until the Gold Rush of 1848, when it blossomed into the largest city in the US. Today, San Francisco is America's fourth most populated city. As beautiful as this historic and culturally-rich city is, most of us identify it with hippies, trolleys, Rice-a-Roni ("the San Francisco treat"), and the place where many crooners have left their hearts. Landmarks abound in Frisco (a term that SF natives dislike). The Golden Gate Bridge, Treasure Island, and Fisherman's Wharf are an eclectic blend of old and new, underscoring the fact that in San Francisco there is something for everyone.
