Did You Know San Francisco Is Home To North America’s Oldest Chinatown? Here’s How To Explore Its 24 Historic Blocks

Did you know that San Francisco’s Chinatown is the largest Chinatown outside of Asia and the oldest in North America ? The neighborhood is a world-famous [tourist destination](https://secretsanfrancisco.com/places-to-visit-in-san-francisco/) that has defined San Francisco since the mid-19th century. 175 years on, it continues to be a thriving and tight-knit community, popular for its lively festivals and historic streets. A brief history of SF’s Chinatown --------------------------------- Chinatown began taking shape in San Francisco in the late 1840s and early 1850s , when migrants from southern China arrived for the California Gold Rush. Many came as laborers, settling around Portsmouth Square and today’s Grant Avenue. Anti-Chinese sentiment rose in the 1870s, leading to discriminatory city ordinances and eventually the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. The neighborhood also grappled with problems such as opium dens and forced prostitution for its predominantly male population. After the 1906 earthquake and fires destroyed most of Chinatown, city leaders attempted to relocate the Chinese community to the outskirts of the city. Chinese merchants and local figures like Look Tin Eli resisted the pressure, pushing instead to rebuild the neighborhood with pagoda-style roofs and ornamental façades to appeal to tourists. When China became a U.S. ally during World War II, Congress repealed the Chinese Exclusion Act, which led to increased immigration and better public acceptance of SF’s Chinatown. More waves of Chinese immigrants arrived in the 1960s and 70s , bringing a revitalized energy and additional businesses to the neighborhood. Thanks to the efforts of Chinese American activists, Chinatown developed into a civil rights and community development hub. These days, Chinatown spans about 24 square city blocks , preserving a mix of historic alleys, temples, associations, and housing alongside souvenir shops and dim sum restaurants. The neighborhood attracts about 2 million visitors annually. Visiting Chinatown ------------------ Behind the historic Dragon Gate entrance , Chinatown is packed with fantastic points of interest worth visiting, many of which are centered around Waverly Place, Grant Ave, and Stockton Street. Popular restaurants include Mister Jiu’s, at one point the country’s only Chinese Michelin-starred restaurant, the always-hopping House of Nanking , and the tiny Good Mong Kok Bakery. And no visit is complete without a Chinese mai tai from Li Po Cocktail Lounge. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people come out for the Chinese New Year Parade and Festival, which dates back to 1851 and is the oldest and largest celebration of its kind outside of Asia. It’s a great way to see Chinatown at its best, with lively cultural celebration and dozens of vendor booths. This year, the parade will take place on March 7, 2026. Read our full neighborhood guide to learn more about how to make the most of San Francisco’s Chinatown. Source: https://secretsanfrancisco.com/chinatown-san-francisco-history/