Find Asian treasures, trinkets, and exotic cuisine.

The oldest and second largest Chinatown in North America, San Francisco's vibrant Chinese neighborhood almost feels like you've traveled to a distant country. Rightfully so, this compact district (only eight blocks long and two blocks wide) has attracted throngs of tourists for many years. While many people know about the countless bustling shops selling unique and interesting souvenirs on overloaded shelves, the neighborhood is also home to stores that sell precious jewels, jade, and objets-d'art, as well as hard-to-find cooking and art supplies. And follow the locals to find some of the most memorable Asian cooking outside of China, often an incredible bargain for the quality of the food. (Be really adventurous and order from the Chinese menu--only written in Chinese characters.) Guided tours let visitors in on the history, secrets, and culinary gems of this vibrant area. Come for Chinese New Year, which features a massive street fair, followed by the famous and boisterous evening parade and a spectacular Chinese dragon.

For the first time in 30 years, the artifacts from the tomb of Tutankhamun return to the de young museum. Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs present over 130 important objects inducing 50 from the tomb of king Tut. The exhibition places Tutankhamun in a larger context though an additional 80 objects from the tombs of his ancestors, which provide insight into the daily life and royal burial practices of the 18th dynasty, Egypt’s Golden Age.