# If you're going to San Francisco **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 13, 2011, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-san-francisco/571241 "2011-02-13T20:14:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kamrusepas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@Kamrusepas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamrusepas)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-san-francisco/571241/1 "2011-02-13T20:14:36Z")
SF Dopers, I need you. I’m writing a story that takes place in the wonderful city of SF, and I need to know a few things as I have never been there myself. The first thing is, does it ever snow in San Francisco? Has it ever snowed in there? I might update this post as I think of / run into any more questions. All of your help is greatly appreciated as I want to do this city justice. ---
**Author:** ![Bag\_of\_Mostly\_Water](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bag_of_mostly_water/32/1029_2.png) [@Bag\_of\_Mostly\_Water](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bag_of_Mostly_Water)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-san-francisco/571241/2 "2011-02-13T20:31:11Z")
It very rarely snows in San Francisco. There has been recorded snow [11 times in the last 150 years](http://ggweather.com/sf/snow.html). ---
**Author:** ![TravisFromOR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cc9497/32.png) [@TravisFromOR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TravisFromOR)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-san-francisco/571241/3 "2011-02-13T20:32:54Z")
Although it rarely snows in San Francisco, you should be sure to wear flowers in your hair. ---
**Author:** ![moejoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@moejoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moejoe)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-san-francisco/571241/4 "2011-02-13T20:35:29Z")
Why/how are you writing a story that takes place in a city you’ve never been to? How would that even work? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-san-francisco/571241/5 "2011-02-13T20:40:23Z")
> [@TravisFromOR](#): > > Although it rarely snows in San Francisco, you should be sure to wear flowers in your hair. And there’s [del]gentle[/del] homeless people there. The weather is very changeable, it can go from sunny to foggy/cold and back very quickly. Summer can be colder than winter in some parts. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-san-francisco/571241/6 "2011-02-13T20:42:18Z")
It doesn’t snow often in San Francisco, only about 6 or 7 times in recorded history, but it can snow. It’s more common elsewhere in the Bay Area, at higher elevations. Places like the Berkley Hills and Santa Cruz mountains get snow almost every year. ---
**Author:** ![Kamrusepas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@Kamrusepas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamrusepas)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-san-francisco/571241/7 "2011-02-13T20:46:46Z")
Thank you for the helpful answers 😃 > [@moejoe](#): > > Why/how are you writing a story that takes place in a city you’ve never been to? How would that even work? Because I wish to live in SF one day. Right now, I have no money or means to move there. But I keep on dreaming. In my story, my main character is basically what I wish I could be/could have been. The story does not focus on what and how San Francisco is. It just _happens_ that it mostly takes place there. ---
**Author:** ![Foggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foggy/32/1082_2.png) [@Foggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foggy)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-san-francisco/571241/8 "2011-02-13T20:55:53Z")
> [@moejoe](#): > > Why/how are you writing a story that takes place in a city you’ve never been to? How would that even work? [ul] [li]Reseach[/li][li]ask someone[/li][li]Make stuff up - useful for places that no longer exist or never will[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Kamrusepas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@Kamrusepas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamrusepas)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-san-francisco/571241/9 "2011-02-13T20:59:14Z")
> [@Foggy](#): > > [ul] > [li] **Reseach** [/li][li] **ask someone** [/li][li]Make stuff up - useful for places that no longer exist or never will[/li][/ul] Which is _exactly_ why I’m here 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-san-francisco/571241/10 "2011-02-13T20:59:57Z")
> [@Kamrusepas](#): > > Because I wish to live in SF one day. You want to live in a city you’ve never been to? Like, on a temporary basis, or permanently? FWIW, I’m a native San Franciscan, and it’s not exactly a problem-free paradise. Nothing against writing a story that takes place there, just that you seem to be over-idealizing it a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Kamrusepas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@Kamrusepas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamrusepas)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-san-francisco/571241/11 "2011-02-13T21:09:06Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > You want to live in a city you’ve never been to? Like, on a temporary basis, or permanently? > > FWIW, I’m a native San Franciscan, and it’s not exactly a problem-free paradise. Nothing against writing a story that takes place there, just that you seem to be over-idealizing it a bit. Over-idealizing on what basis? You don’t know which city/town I currently live in and you don’t know what it’s like here. You also don’t know what my image of SF is like. I appreciate a native San Franciscan putting in their say, but I never said it was paradise. ---
**Author:** ![moejoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@moejoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moejoe)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-san-francisco/571241/12 "2011-02-13T21:15:49Z")
> [@Kamrusepas](#): > > Over-idealizing on what basis? You don’t know which city/town I currently live in and you don’t know what it’s like here. > > You also don’t know what my image of SF is like. I appreciate a native San Franciscan putting in their say, but I never said it was paradise. Another native here, and I find this fascinating. I wasn’t trying to be snarky, I just wonder how you set the scene in a place that isn’t familiar to you. One thing you could do is post the bits that are site specific, and we could help you tweak them if you’d like. It’s an interesting place for sure, but probably very different from what most people imagine. Plus you’d learn more about your future home town. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-san-francisco/571241/13 "2011-02-13T21:17:30Z")
> [@Kamrusepas](#): > > Over-idealizing on what basis? You don’t know which city/town I currently live in and you don’t know what it’s like here. > > You also don’t know what my image of SF is like. I appreciate a native San Franciscan putting in their say, but I never said it was paradise. True enough, but in the OP you call it “wonderful”, and considering you’ve never been there, it seems a little strange. ---
**Author:** ![Kamrusepas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@Kamrusepas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamrusepas)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-san-francisco/571241/14 "2011-02-13T21:18:32Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > True enough, but in the OP you call it “wonderful”, and considering you’ve never been there, it seems a little strange. Well I was drunk when I wrote that. Wait, I still am. ---
**Author:** ![TravisFromOR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cc9497/32.png) [@TravisFromOR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TravisFromOR)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-san-francisco/571241/15 "2011-02-13T21:20:22Z")
> [@moejoe](#): > > Why/how are you writing a story that takes place in a city you’ve never been to? How would that even work? Authors do it all the time. I once read an awful detective story set on the West Coast. It was obvious that the author had never even visited here, as sections of driving that would take a few hours were accomplished in under half an hour. ---
**Author:** ![moejoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@moejoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moejoe)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-san-francisco/571241/16 "2011-02-13T21:24:09Z")
> [@TravisFromOR](#): > > Authors do it all the time. I once read an awful detective story set on the West Coast. It was obvious that the author had never even visited here, as sections of driving that would take a few hours were accomplished in under half an hour. Exactly. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-san-francisco/571241/17 "2011-02-13T21:26:58Z")
> [@TravisFromOR](#): > > Authors do it all the time. I once read an awful detective story set on the West Coast. It was obvious that the author had never even visited here, as sections of driving that would take a few hours were accomplished in under half an hour. I might have read the same one except it was a vigilante type story. While driving from San Jose to SFO ,he pulled off the freeway in Santa Cruz, just north of Palo Alto. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Kamrusepas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@Kamrusepas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamrusepas)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-san-francisco/571241/18 "2011-02-13T21:31:00Z")
> [@moejoe](#): > > Another native here, and I find this fascinating. I wasn’t trying to be snarky, I just wonder how you set the scene in a place that isn’t familiar to you. > > One thing you could do is post the bits that are site specific, and we could help you tweak them if you’d like. It’s an interesting place for sure, but probably very different from what most people imagine. > > Plus you’d learn more about your future home town. Hi and great to hear from you. My story actually has no specific SF places, at least for now. Like I said, the emphasis of the story isn’t that it happens in SF, it just so happens that the main characters live there. I created this topic so I can ask a few questions so that nothing I mention might actually contradict with reality. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-san-francisco/571241/19 "2011-02-13T21:36:28Z")
I experienced the **Great Blizzard** of 1976 in SF at the tender age of 8, my first year in the city. Having previously lived in NYC, Ithaca and Boston I was unimpressed but my SF-bred peers were going completely apeshit at the little dusting of white on the ground. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-san-francisco/571241/20 "2011-02-13T21:51:50Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > I might have read the same one except it was a vigilante type story. > > While driving from San Jose to SFO ,he pulled off the freeway in Santa Cruz, just north of Palo Alto. :smack: Was it possible the writer was referring to Santa Cruz Avenue in Menlo Park? That’s just off the freeway (280), and Menlo Park is just north of Palo Alto. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-san-francisco/571241.md?page=2)