In the mid-19th century, the western section of town just north of Golden Gate Park was known as the Outer Lands, and it was covered in sand dunes and seen fit for cemeteries and little else. Today it's the Richmond, comprised of two distinct neighborhoods: the Inner Richmond, from Arguello Boulevard to about 20th Avenue, and the Outer Richmond, from 20th to the ocean. (More formally, this area of San Francisco is called the Richmond District. Just don't confuse the Richmond with Richmond, a city 20 miles away in the East Bay.) Clement Street, packed with solid dining options, from French to Burmese, and with numerous Chinese groceries, is the Inner Richmond's favorite commercial strip. The street makes for great strolling and even better eating. The Outer Richmond has its share of restaurants—most along Geary Boulevard, some along Clement—including the city’s highest concentration of Russian eateries and bakeries. But this mostly residential neighborhood is about the foggy hinterlands that stretch west to the coast: dramatic Lincoln Park with Golden Gate views, the (currently closed) Cliff House, and often-chilly, uncrowded Ocean Beach.
From Lands End in Lincoln Park, you have some of the best views of the Golden Gate—the name was given to the opening of San Francisco Bay long before the bridge was built—and the Marin Headlands. From the historic Cliff House south to the sprawling San Francisco Zoo, the Great Highway and Ocean Beach run along the western edge of the city (south of Golden Gate Park, you're in the Sunset). If you're here in winter or spring, keep your eyes peeled for migrating gray whales. The wind is often strong along the shoreline, summer fog can blanket the ocean beaches, and the water is cold and too dangerous for swimming. Don't forget your jacket!
