The mission area, or commonly referred to as the “Mission,” is one of the San Francisco districts in which a large Latin American population lives. The area was so named because of the sixth mission in Alta-California, the San Francisco de Asis Mission, which was built in the area, before urbanization the area was populated by Mexican American ranches.
Before the arrival of the Roman Catholic Spanish missions, the area was occupied by the Olon Indians for nearly two thousand years. The peaceful tribe of Indians who lived on the edge of the lagoon was later used as slave labor by Franciscan monks, and the period marked the end of Olon culture.
The mission gradually became the Latin American community during the 50s and 60s, and today it is a link among Latin American and Chicanean cultures, and its inhabitants include many artists, hipsters, while a number of Mexican, Salvadoran and other Latin American restaurants are plentiful. At the heart of the Mission area is Mission Dolores, one of the oldest buildings in San Francisco, and was the site of the Spanish mission. Recently, this unique area has improved significantly, expensive restaurants and work facilities for street performers have been raised to facilitate the best tourist experience.
Among the popular attractions in the area is the Balmae Alley, which is an alley full of frescoes on 24th and 25th street. The frescoes were initiated by Chicano’s artistic art movement in 1970, while traditional Mexican paintings by the famous artist Diego Rivera can be found on the Balmaean alley and Clarion Alley.
Located close to the Mission area is Bernal Heights, which is referred to as the smaller version of the Castro-area, which is a popular LGBT hangout. This area is very popular among the lesbian community and is an eclectic area with quite a number of houses. The main attraction here is the "Hill", which is mainly a vast grassy area, with a breathtaking view of the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco Bay, Mount Diablo and the city center.
San Francisco hotels are in close proximity to the eclectic Mission area. San Francisco hotels offering great travel packages to guests is a great place to start exploring this city.
