The Marina District is one of the northern districts of San Francisco, California. The area is bounded to the east by Van Ness Ave, on the west by Lyon Street and the Presidio, on the south by Lombard St. The neighborhood sits on the site of the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, staged after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake to celebrate the reemergence of the city. The grounds for this world's fair were created from a former lagoon on landfill. Aside from the Palace of Fine Arts (POFA), all other buildings were demolished to make a residential neighborhood.

Cow Hollow, Russian Hill, and the Presidio bound the Marina District to the south, east, and west, respectively.

Much of the Marina is on landfill, and is susceptible to liquefaction during strong earthquakes. It should be noted that several people were killed during the Loma Prieta earthquake due to collapsing residential structures.

A three-block by three-block area is referred to as the Gold Box because of its prime location on sandstone/bedrock geology (as opposed to landfill). It is bordered by Fort Mason, Octavia St, Lombard St, and Van Ness Avenue. Those who live in this area are equidistant from the shops and restaurants of Chestnut St. (Marina), Union St. (Cow Hollow), and Polk St. (Russian Hill). Furthermore, this location is close to Fort Mason, Moscone Recreation Center, and The Marina Safeway.

Marina Safeway. The Marina Boulevard location (the first such modern concept store in June 1959), continues to operate with only minor exterior modifications 40 years after construction. The “Marina” Prototype: A classic piece of architecture named for the first Safeway store so designed, on Marina Boulevard in San Francisco. Hundreds of these remain around the country, including the original. Most have been remodeled and expanded. The Marina Safeway is particularly notable for its singles scene — it is frequently listed as one of the city's best pick-up spots and is affectionately known as the "Singles Safeway" or more recently, "Dateway."

The Exploratorium, a science museum, is a popular tourist destination in the Marina District. Many couples take their wedding photos at this site. The Exploratorium is located at the Palace of Fine Arts and provides an opportunity for patrons to explore the physical sciences in a hands-on fashion. Schools throughout Northern California routinely bring young students on field trips to this museum, as it is well known for its exhibits and creative learning environment.

Courtesy of www.wikipedia.org