Congratulations on landing a summer internship in San Francisco! SF is one of the most eclectic and beautiful cities in the US; offering everything from national parks, to niche art communities, and a bustling downtown. Historically, San Francisco has been home to risk-takers and independent thinkers, from the frontiersman of the 1800\u2019s to the counter culture movement of the 1960\u2019s and the tech visionaries of today, who are re-imagining the way we interact with the world.<\/p>\n
At Looksharp we want you to get the most out of your summer in San Francisco so we took the time to create an Internship City Guide and give you some broad stroke ideas on how to navigate the city and maximize your time here. The guide covers everything from transportation and networking opportunities to how to avoid some of the many San Francisco \u201cgotchyas\u201d such as the absurdly high parking meters. And don\u2019t worry about finding the time to meet other interns, all you have to do is sign up for the Summer Internship Program and we\u2019ll connect you with other students in the city and keep you aware of cool intern-centric events!<\/p>\n Enjoy!<\/p>\n There\u2019s never a shortage of fun things to do in San Francisco or the Bay area. From hunting down the best dumplings in Chinatown to heading over to UCSF for a tech talk, San Francisco has something to offer everyone.<\/p>\n For a truly unique experience make sure to enjoy the\u00a0food trucks<\/a>. Seriously, they\u2019re everywhere, impossible to resist, and your rite of passage from summer transplant to local. Whether you like chicken masala, red velvet cupcakes, pulled pork sandwiches or bbq tofu burgers, you\u2019re guaranteed to find your flavor.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking for something a little lighter than bbq and cupcakes, then spend the afternoon at the\u00a0Japanese Tea Garden<\/a>. Tucked away in\u00a0Golden Gate Park<\/a>, it\u2019s often overlooked by tourists, despite being the United Known for more than just great food, San Francisco\u2019s location makes it the ideal place to spend the summer. Be sure to set aside some time to take a trip with friends, maybe drive an hour or two north for a day of wine tasting in A city with so many options can be overwhelming, so check out\u00a0Meetup.com<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0Eventbrite<\/a>\u00a0and impress your friends by customizing your weekend plans. Featuring exclusive deals to restaurants, festivals, networking opportunities, concerts, and lectures, these sites provide some great ways to have an authentic San Francisco experience with opportunities to meet new people.<\/p>\n One of the best parts of San Francisco is how easy it is to get around. If you\u2019re tempted to bring your wheels, don\u2019t. Parking in San Francisco is very limited, which makes it difficult to find and very expensive. Most of the city\u2019s available parking requires meter fees Monday-Saturday, with lofty fines for expired meters. Daily parking in the city will cost around $20 a day; meanwhile, garage parking costs $150-$200 per month on average.<\/p>\n So how do you get around? Public transportation!\u00a0Muni<\/a>\u00a0which includes busses, light rail, and trolleys has over 80 routes and will take you almost anywhere in the city (but beware bus stops are marked with a large yellow stripe on utility poles and can easily be missed). Also, Muni transit has some punctuality issues, so take advantage of\u00a0NextBus<\/a>\u00a0for more accurate scheduling or use the city’s\u00a0Trip Planner<\/a>\u00a0to figure out the best means of transit.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking to branch out and explore the South Bay (including Palo Alto, Mountain View and the rest of Silicon Valley),\u00a0Caltrain<\/a>\u00a0is convenient and runs regularly every day until midnight. Last but not least, for getting out to the East Bay, including Berkeley and Oakland you can hop on the Bay Area\u2019s second major commuter rail system,\u00a0BART<\/a>.<\/p>\n When it comes down to paying for public transportation in San Francisco, it\u2019s all about the\u00a0Clipper Card<\/a>. Think you might need a car for a special occasion or event? Then take advantage of several\u00a0Zipcar<\/a>\u00a0lots located throughout the city where you can rent a car for a single ride.<\/p>\n Incase the hills, outdoor parks, rock climbing gyms, and\u00a0numerous bike trails<\/a>\u00a0don\u2019t fulfill your cardio fix, there are plenty of gyms to choose from throughout the city. Local SF gyms provide unique atmospheres such as\u00a0Equinox<\/a>,\u00a0a higher-end workout facility, or\u00a0Crunch Fitness<\/a>, known to be a gym for the less serious fitness fiends.<\/p>\n In addition to these options most summer interns tend to be on the cost-conscious side and look to big chains like Gold’s Gym or 24 Hour Fitness that offer cheap monthly plans that can give you a place to stay fit during the summer without all the amenities.<\/p>\n If you have friends or family coming to visit, they\u2019ll most likely either drive or fly into one of the three major airports in the Bay Area:\u00a0SFO<\/a>,\u00a0SJC<\/a>, or\u00a0OAK<\/a>. From there they can either foot a $50 bill for a cab ride into San Francisco or hop on Caltrain or BART. If there isn\u2019t room at your place for them to shack-up, they can always find a great place to stay in the city using\u00a0Airbnb<\/a>.<\/p>\n Finding medical attention in a new city can be difficult, especially when you\u2019re sick and need one most.\u00a0ZocDoc<\/a> Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as What is an Internship?<\/a>\u00a0and find answers to common interview questions such as What’s Your Dream Job?<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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\nSee our housing guide for a full breakdown of neighborhoods and summer housing resources.<\/a>
\n<\/em><\/p>\nExploring San Francisco as an Intern<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
\nStates\u2019 oldest public tea garden. For $7 you can zen out amongst the lush gardens or enjoy traditional ramen, tea and pastries in their small cafe. Or for another version of a relaxing day,\u00a0head over to Dolores Park for an outdoor treat. It\u2019s a San Francisco jewel known for it’s unique mix of\u00a0eccentric\u00a0people and is also home to some of the
\ncity’s best views.<\/p>\n
\nNapa Valley<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0Sonoma County<\/a>. Or if you prefer fun in the sun, then drive an hour south (along Rt. 1) and enjoy the breathtaking views of California\u2019s coastline.<\/p>\nNeed a lift? The Need-to-Knows About SF Transportation<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nUsing their online payment system, you can load your Clipper Card with cash, individual rides, or monthly passes to save money on fares and add ease to your commute.<\/p>\nKeeping in Shape and Looking Good in SF<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Friends and family coming to visit?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Is there a doctor in the house?<\/h2>\n
\nis a great tool to find a doctor based on your location and insurance provider and also to book an appointment online. If you\u2019re in need of any serious help, you can always visit one of the main hospitals in SF such as\u00a0St. Mary\u2019s Medical Center<\/a>\u00a0or the\u00a0UCSF Medical Center<\/a>.<\/p>\n