West Portal, San Francisco Explained

West Portal
Pushpin Map:San Francisco County
Pushpin Label Position:left
Pushpin Map Caption:Location within San Francisco
Pushpin Mapsize:250
Leader Title:Supervisor
Leader Name:Myrna Melgar
Leader Title1:Assemblymember
Leader Name1:[1]
Leader Title2:State Senator
Leader Title3:U. S. Rep.
Unit Pref:US
Area Total Sq Mi:2.705
Area Land Sq Mi:2.705
Population Total:2630
Population Density Sq Mi:9230
Coordinates:37.7409°N -122.4658°W
Postal Code Type:ZIP Code
Postal Code:94116, 94127, 94132
Area Code Type:Area codes
Area Code:415/628

West Portal is a small neighborhood in San Francisco, California. West Portal is a primarily residential area of the city. The neighborhood's main corridor, West Portal Avenue, serves as a principal shopping district of southwestern San Francisco.

Location

West Portal is located at the southern edge of the hills in central San Francisco. The neighborhood is named for the western terminus of the Muni tunnel beneath Twin Peaks that opened in 1918. The ride in the subway from West Portal Station to Castro Station is about seven minutes. By the West Portal Station, the L Taraval goes west along Ulloa Street, and the K Ingleside and the M Ocean View go south along West Portal Avenue. The neighborhood is served by the and Muni bus lines.

Characteristics

Because of its small size and collection of mom and pop stores, restaurants, and saloons, the neighborhood is often described as having a village-like atmosphere. The neighborhood is served by the West Portal Branch of the San Francisco Public Library. Like Glen Park, West Portal is a San Francisco community that almost functions as a small city itself. Though small, the neighborhood has many banks, restaurants of many types, coffee shops, salons, post office (temporary closed), elementary school, drug store, bakery, ice cream shop, real estate agents, and spas. West Portal Avenue is dotted with locally owned and operated businesses which include a record store, book store, toy and craft store, clothing boutiques, produce market, candy shop, and hardware store. West Portal Avenue also has many professional services such as dentists, lawyers, accountants, optometrists, and urgent care facilities.

The frequent fog helps keep the area green in the usually rainless summer months, and on a clear day, West Portal Park, above the Twin Peaks Tunnel, provides a view of the Marin Headlands and the Farallon Islands in the Pacific.

Transit

The neighborhood is served by the Muni train lines L Taraval, M Ocean View, S Shuttle, K Ingleside and T Third Street.[2]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Statewide Database . UC Regents . December 29, 2014.
  2. Web site: Muni. 13 June 2017.