The Club & Music Scene

The greatest legacy from the 1960s is the city's continued tradition of live entertainment and music, which explains the great variety of clubs and music enjoyed by San Francisco. The hippest dance places are south of Market Street (SoMa), in former warehouses; the artsy bohemian scene centers are in the Mission; and the most popular cafe culture is still in North Beach.

Note: The club and music scene is always changing, often outdating recommendations before the ink can dry on a page. Most of the venues listed are promoted as different clubs on various nights of the week, each with its own look, sound, and style. Discount passes and club announcements are often available at clothing stores and other shops along upper Haight Street.

Drinks at most bars, clubs, and cafes follow most big-city prices, ranging from about $5 to $10, unless otherwise noted.

Club-Hopping Tour -- If you prefer to let someone else take the lead (and the driver's seat) for a night out, contact 3 Babes and a Bus (tel. 800/414-0158; www.threebabes.com). The nightclub tour company (the head babe is a stockbroker by day) will take you and a gaggle of 20- to 40-something partyers (mostly single women) out on the town, skipping lines and cover charges, for $39 per person.

Scope-a-Scene -- The local newspapers won't direct you to the city's underground club scene, nor will they advise you which of the dozens of clubs are truly hot. To get dialed in, check out reviews from the ravers themselves at www.sfstation.com. The far more commercial Club Line (tel. 415/339-8686; www.sfclubs.com) offers up-to-date schedules for the city's larger dance venues.