Dog Walkers in Chinatown, San Francisco

In the northeastern corner of San Francisco, a little piece of Chinese culture can be experienced by anyone willing to hustle through its bustling streets. This is one of the oldest and largest Chinatowns in America, and it's a must-stop on a majority of tourists' lists. Most of the residents of Chinatown are immigrants who may not feel the need or desire to assimilate as most of the signage and even street names are in Mandarin. 

A multitude of attractions keep both visitors and locals coming back to re-experience this charming neighborhood: There's a fortune cookie factory, historical Buddhist temples, picturesque cathedrals, and iconic alleyways, which are both photogenic and efficient shortcuts. 

Walking through this unique and colorful landscape, you may feel like you've traveled to a busy street market in Hong Kong. While the area offers cheap housing and delicious and authentic Chinese cuisine, it may not be as accommodating of dogs as other parts of San Fran. 

Much like the rest of San Francisco, Chinatown is full of inclines and declines. As a fair majority of residents in Chinatown are elderly, the city does what it can to make its complex system of hills easier to scale, so you'll find most of the steeper hills are equipped with stairs. Many Chinatown residents choose to stay within the confines of their neighborhood making cars unnecessary. This means pedestrian crosswalks and sidewalks abound. 

Although only a fraction of San Francisco's footage, this is the most densely populated region of the Bay Area city, meaning, you may find yourself shoulder to shoulder while walking down the sidewalks. This will be especially treacherous territory if your dog is frightened or over-excited by noise or movement. If you do own a reactive canine, you may want to leave them home and safe in their crate if you intend on exploring and savoring the culture Chinatown has to offer. 

Willie Wong Playground is a small space designed to be a haven for children and their parents. Parts of the area are shaded, giving watchful mothers and fathers a place to perch. Equipment and paved courts give the opportunity for fun and play. There aren't any trails or designated dog-friendly spaces, however. 

St. Mary's Square is another petite park in Chinatown that offers swings and play equipment for kids. The park is typically well-maintained, with crisp, clean lawns, benches, public artwork, and spacious sidewalks. And when nature calls, there are trash cans for your dog baggies. 

Woh Hei Yuen is another great park to highlight in the Chinatown area. Yet again, equipped with a playground, this is another popular destination for young families. The park is small and closed off from the bustle of the city that surrounds it. Tall concrete walls, an elegant archway, multiple seating spaces, and decorative pavement make Woh Hei Yuen, perhaps not a destination for dog-walkers or owners, but a nice pit stop.

Empire Park describes itself as a "Public Open Space". It's not uncommon to find a few men in business suits or young couples enjoying their lunch here. The public space is covered by an arbor which is twined with lush, green vines. Similiar to several other parks in Chinatown, this may not be the end-point for a dog-walking expedition, but rather a plot to take a short break from the heat and hills of a summer's day in San Francisco.