San Francisco has a bay.
San Francisco . It has several nicknames , including `` The City by the Bay '' , `` Fog City '' , `` San Fran '' , and `` Frisco '' , as well as older ones like `` The City that Knows How '' , `` Baghdad by the Bay '' , `` The Paris of the West '' , or simply `` The City '' . The San Francisco Bay Area ( referred to locally as the Bay Area ) is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California . The Bay Area has the second-most Fortune 500 Companies in the United States , and is known for its natural beauty , liberal politics , entrepreneurship , and diversity .