San Francisco Neighborhood Guide: Noe Valley

By San Francisco Limousine Specialist on February 17, 2011

San Francisco’s Noe Valley neighborhood isn’t mentioned in many travel guides and doesn’t present the incredible photo opportunities that other city neighborhoods do. However, if you’re looking for a unique, authentic San Francisco experience, it’s worthy of your consideration. Noe Valley is a favorite location for film and TV crews. The neighborhood’s lovely Victorian homes, steep hills and views of the city have been featured in the movie “Sister Act,” the television show Nash Bridges and many other movies and TV shows.

Like other San Francisco neighborhoods, Noe Valley has its share of great restaurants, chic clothing shops, trendy bars, galleries and one-of-a-kind retailers, but 24th Street, Noe Valley’s main commercial strip, has a charm all its own. Visitors and residents alike will find a great coffee shop or three on every block, eclectic, privately owned book shops, cafes with great food and al fresco dining, antique stores, bakeries and very few touristy-type places with touristy-type prices. Noe Valley is one of our city’s most livable neighborhoods except for those wishing to park anywhere near 24th Street. In a city where finding a place to park one’s car is always a dicey proposition, the residential and commercial areas within six or seven blocks of 24th Street are legendary. In other words, forget about parking anywhere near this part of the neighborhood.

Noe Valley is very popular with young families, and kids, dogs and strollers are a common sight on neighborhood sidewalks. However, local lore has it that one had best be on his or her toes or risk the wrath of local moms running errands and using their strollers as a crowd control device. San Francisco Examiner columnist Debbie Morse once said “many Noe Valley walkers push babies in strollers, often using them as battering rams in crowded situations,” speaking only partly in jest. Don’t let that dissuade you from visiting Noe Valley, especially at night when the moms and strollers are safely ensconced in their Victorians.

If you’re visiting our fair city and prefer off-the-beaten-path places to enjoy a more authentic San Francisco experience, make some time in your schedule to enjoy Noe Valley. You’ll be away from the crowds and high prices and in a neighborhood surrounded by hills, giving it an insular feeling. If you heed our advice and you would rather not deal with parking hassles, rent one of our San Francisco limousines to enjoy all that Noe Valley has to offer in comfort and style. May we suggest renting one of our limos for the whole day and sightseeing during the day and enjoying Noe Valley restaurants and nightclubs by night?

If you’re planning on visiting the area in the future and are putting together an itinerary but don’t know how you’re going to get around, we have the perfect solution: rent a Bay Area limo, and leave the driving and parking to us. For information about rates, selection and a local’s perspective on where to go and what to see, please call NLS Limo at 1-800-339-8936. We look forward to hearing from you!