This past weekend was my first trip to San Francisco since leaving California as an infant to move to Vancouver with my family. I have grown up and self-identify as Canadian, but returning to the state where I was born was somewhat of an odd existential experience that had me reflecting on how different my life would now be had I stayed. Suffice it to say, the four days were a great experience, but I’m happy to be Canadian.

The interactive map below plots out some of the attractions and neighbourhoods I visited, with each pin linked to a summary and photos of the experience (pull down the map to reveal Angel Island State Park).

The city is vibrant and attractive. Temperatures were summer-like and a west coast, health-conscious spirit is clear in the cyclists and joggers weaving through the city’s hilly streets. But what struck me—even more so than in Vancouver—was the stark contrast between wealthy and working class communities. The “Bay Area” is home to the world’s tech giants. Facebook, Twitter, and Uber all have their corporate headquarters anchored in the city or surrounding areas, with respective micro transit systems ferrying employees to and from their homes. Salaries are high to accommodate the equally high cost of living.

Monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the Noe Valley (where I was staying) was nearly double that of a comparable unit in Vancouver. In this housing climate, it is difficult for someone earning anything less than executive-level compensation (or close to) to survive without a roommate. Business Insider ranked San Francisco as the second most expensive city in the US, with an annual cost of living of $185,303 where the average rent will set you back $4,272 a month.

The divide between rich and poor was pronounced and evident in the people you meet and communities they form, with upper-class neighbourhoods populated by young, upwardly mobile professionals (mainly white or Asian) and everyone else gentrified to less desirable parts of the city. There didn’t seem to be a discernable “middle class” in San Francisco. You were either rich (really rich)—working in tech or finance—or not.

San Francisco seemed to be a city of extremes—a larger version of what Vancouver could one day become. But let’s hope not.