San Francisco: Artsy city lures techies and homeless

The Life: San Francisco may seem the go to destination for America's homeless, but the artsy city has attracted a legion of young entrepreneurial and veteran techy types thanks to its proximity to Silicon Valley.

San Francisco is not short on street entertainment. Eric Risberg / AP Photo

San Francisco may have the reputation of being the go-to-destination for America's homeless, but the artsy city has attracted a legion of young entrepreneurial and veteran techie types thanks to its proximity to Silicon Valley.

Many of these technologists have chosen this Californian city on the bay as their home and with their spending power and numerous conferences, San Francisco's economy continues to strengthen with new construction projects both residential and commercial.

The city still has a big problem with the number of homeless people, thanks to its year-round sunshine. They number up to an estimated 9,000 and while they make a depressing sight, they also add life to the streets, making money as entertainers.

Eating out: Michael Mina, a French-Japanese fusion restaurant in the Financial District is a popular choice for business meetings and has a tasting menu for US$160.

For a taste of the legendary Mission style burrito, the Mexican inspired wrap believed to have originated in this part of town, head to Taqueira La Cumbre. The sheer size of the burritos do not make for elegant eating, so best to avoid for a serious client meeting, but worth heading over if you have some downtime.

Hotels: The InterContinental in South of Market is a popular business hotel with all the amenities required to complete work, hold conferences and meetings. It is conveniently located near the Moscone convention centre and the city's business and leisure districts are both within walking distance.

Airport Hotel: The Westin San Francisco Airport hotel is just 20 minutes away from downtown San Francisco. It has 397 guest rooms with high-speed internet access and two dining options.

Getting there: Emirates Airline flies directly to San Francisco once daily. Travellers flying from Abu Dhabi have a wider option of airlines usually with a stopover in Europe.