There are many reasons why San Francisco continuously rates as one of the most liveable cities in the USA. For starters, its residents retain a relationship between materialism and money on the one hand and cutting-edge thought and progressive politics on the other.

This dualism is played out in all facets of society: from eating, drinking and socialising, to art and design, music and culture, landscape and architecture. The reward for unleashing this creative and freethinking beast on everyday activity is a dynamic lifestyle on par with New York and streets ahead of most other cities in the country.

San Francisco is fortuitously positioned between the ocean and Sierra Nevada mountains to the east and west and redwood forests and the California desert to the north and south. On its doorstep, the Bay, which fits neatly between the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Bridge, is not only tantalisingly beautiful, it's home to 14 small islands, including Alcatraz. Not far away, the glorious vineyards of the Napa and Sonoma wine regions ensure weekend escapes are part of the San Francisco experience.

The city has a mild year-round climate but it should not be confused with hot and sunny Southern California. When the fog and cold sets in, as it often does, locals head indoors, to jazz venues, cosy restaurants, wine bars and old-school breweries to talk life, love, politics and people.

Though steadfast in its bright future, the city's past is always remembered with a collective nod. Since its early days as Yerba Buena (Good Herb), a Spanish fishing village, it has seen peace and happiness, and depression and misery in equal parts. Both have helped shape the city's personality.

The Gold Rush of 1849 inspired a migration from the west but also from the east - the humble beginnings of Chinatown and Japantown. In 1906, a devastating earthquake hit. From its ashes, development saw horse-drawn streetcars replaced with cable cars. In 1937 the completed Golden Gate Bridge provided a postcard-perfect city icon.

In the 1950s, the bohemian Beat movement fostered the city's love of the literature. The counter culture flowered in the Haight Ashbury neighbourhood during the 1967 Summer of Love and the gay community fought for and found a home in Castro and Polk Street.

The city saw rapid growth in dotcom industries and has now recovered from downturns. Today it is the financial capital of the West Coast.

Tolerance for all ways of life is perhaps what buoys the city most today, and what inevitably makes it an unforgettable destination for people from all walks of life.