The Arts

• If you crave opera, theater, dance or music, San Francisco has it. For information on current events, visit www.wheresf.com. This monthly publication is written with tourists in mind and includes local performance schedules. Print versions are available in many hotels throughout the city.
  
  

Clubs

• San Francisco has a wide array of clubs featuring everything from disc jockeys spinning tunes for a dance floor to live jazz , blues, rock and R&B.
  If club hopping is your thing and you want a fun designated driver, try Three Babes and a Bus. This party bus takes a load of party-goes to a sampling of the city's clubs each night for about $40 per person. As an added perk, bus riders get to skip lines and cover charges.
  
  

Comedy Clubs

• When you are in the need for a laugh San Francisco has a line-up of comedy clubs that are there to help.
  While traditional comedy clubs like Punch Line Comedy Club and Cobbs Comedy Club are a hit, you can also catch Beach Blanket Babylon, a San Francisco staple where ridiculous characters take center stage.
  Fans of the hit show "Whose Line is it Anyway?" will love BATS Improv, where a cast competes in improvisational stage games.
  
  

Bars

• With hundreds of bars in the San Francisco area, the key to finding a good one is to scope out the neighborhoods during the day.
  Chances are that the neighborhood you feel most comfortable in during daylight will host your favorite bars in the city.
  
  

Cinemas

• Movie buffs will be glad to discover San Francisco's collection of classic and contemporary cinemas.
  For a night with the classics, hit up Castro Theater, but if you prefer independent films without all the Hollywood hype, try the Red Vic or The Roxie Film Center.
  
  

The Gay and Lesbian Scene

• The nightlife scene for gays and lesbians in San Francisco is just as varied as the nightlife scene for straight people. There are an endless amount of bars and clubs aiming to please a certain portion of this demographic. For listings, a calendar of events and hot spot reviews, grab a copy of the Bay Area Reporter, a newspaper for the gay and lesbian community.