Valencia Street

Valencia Street is the main shopping and dining corridor of the Mission District in San Francisco, California, with the densest cluster of independent stores between 16th and 24th streets. The street has long been associated with the city's independent bookshops, record stores, vintage clothing dealers and design studios, and it sits alongside restaurants, bars and cafes that give it a busy evening life. Goods sold include new and used books, vinyl, secondhand and designer clothing, handmade jewelry, ceramics, art supplies, bicycles, stationery and housewares, which set it apart from generic shopping through small independent owners and neighborhood character. Quality is mixed but generally authentic, and the ratio of local or handmade goods is high compared with downtown malls; tourist trinkets are scarce. Prices are moderate to upper moderate, and bargaining is rarely practised, although secondhand and vintage stores may allow small discounts. Cards are accepted almost everywhere, and cash is occasionally preferred by very small stands. California sales tax is added at the register, and visitors are not eligible for a refund. The atmosphere is energetic, with a young local crowd, bicycles, murals and parklets, and the street is busiest on weekend afternoons and evenings. Food options are extensive, from taquerias and burrito shops to bakeries, specialty coffee, ice cream and restaurants, so many visitors combine shopping with a meal. Nearby Mission Dolores Park and the 24th Street Latino Cultural District, with its murals and bakeries, make natural additions to a visit. Must-visit corners include the blocks around 16th and 17th streets, where bookshops and record stores cluster, and the 20th to 24th street stretch with newer boutiques. Shops usually open late morning and stay open into the early evening. BART stations at 16th and 24th streets sit a block or two off the corridor, and bike lanes run along the street.