From Here To There: San Francisco
I can’t believe it has been so long since I posted a blog about this topic. I have so many half-drafts saved, and just haven’t followed through to finish and schedule them. I am making sure this trip is different, I am actually sitting on the plane right now (a few days before you read this) on my way home from one amazing trip to San Francisco.
After several trips to San Francisco, I finally feel like I have experienced enough of the city to share some of my favorite areas. One of my great friends moved to San Francisco a little over a month ago, and I just so happened to be traveling there for a week-long conference. Obviously, I would need some girl time in the mix of a pretty long developer conference. I also love spending time with her because she is recently married and can relate to everything I am going through with the wedding. Needless to say, we had an awesome 6 days.
In total I am pretty sure that I walked at least 60 miles on my 7 total days in the city. We walked everywhere, took the BART (their metro/subway) twice and then a street car a few times. I love all of the modes of transportation right at your fingertips, but it seemed like everything was very spread out.
Between the 6 days from this trip, and a few things from other trips to San Francisco, I finally have a “favorites” list for this great city. If you are there for a few days, you will constantly have things to do. Here are some of the best spots and tips I have found.
Escape Alcatraz. For $37 you can get a “night tour” of Alcatraz. This includes a boat tour to and from the island, a guided audio tour on the island, and you are able to freely walk about and take photos if you wish. I recommend the night tour because of the views. The boat ride there was a perfect view of the Golden Gate Bridge, and the sunset while you are on the island was amazing. You also get wonderful shots of the city on the way to the island, and all lit up on the way back to the dock.
Eat All Of The Food. Being on a pre-wedding diet is not the best thing when traveling to this city, but vacation (I’ll pretend this was a vacation and not a work trip) calories don’t count right? As we wondered we found some amazing spots, I can’t wait to get back and try out some more.
Pistos Tacos– This place was in the cutest area of San Francisco and the environment was great. We arrived around happy hour, and while they only serve beer and wine, they had some very delicious drinks. I recommend the Agua Fresca Margarita, it is made with the fresh juice of the day and mixed with wine. Every item was incredibly fresh and delicious, between all of us we had just about everything on the menu and the verdict around the table was the same
II Cane Rosso– If you are walking around the Ferry Building and along the piers, you should stop here for lunch. I had the most amazing grilled cheese, it had mint pesto and tasted wonderful with my fresh cauliflower soup. There is a place to eat inside or outside, and it’s in a very fun and family friendly area.
The Station– Best breakfast in San Francisco! I went here three days in a row, and I wish I had started going on my very first day. They also have a raw juice section which is a great added option. They are a coffee bar, but the croissant sandwich was the best I have ever had. Get the avocado and bacon, you won’t be disappointed!
The Creme Brûlée Cart– This was a terrific find. There are ice cream shops all over town, so walking by you would think this was just another one. But if you take the time to read the signs, you will find out that it is a shop that specifically specializes in Creme Brûlée in a few different flavor options. They have each flavor prepared in a mini tin, ready to be caramelized and toped with your choice of items. I had a salted caramel, and my friends added cookie crumbles, which they said were the best they have ever had.
Fishermans Wharf. This is a tourist staple, but worth the trip. There are a lot of things to do, and it has a boardwalk feel. There are seals that gather on the docks, and it’s adorable to watch them try and knock each other off. This always draws in a crowd, but it is fun to see for a bit. The views from the end of the pier are great, grab some snacks and go take it all in and relax.
Golden Gate Park. I learned the hard way that the park is not as close as it seems. I walked almost all the way there, then hopped in a taxi for the last 3 miles. The view of the Golden Gate Bridge is amazing, especially on a clear day. Photos will look like paintings, and everyone seemed so happy. It’s nice to walk around, watch the surfers, and experience your surroundings. I recommend walking the beach back towards the city after you have hung out.
Haight and Ashbury. This area is known for the hippie culture, and while it has plenty of that, it also has an amazing vintage store, breathtaking houses, and delicious food. We walked around this area for a while, and just experienced the sights. It is quite a distance, but another thing that is worth the time.
Coit Tower. We had a very long walk up to this tower from Embarcadero, but it was a great workout and there was a awesome reward. The view from the base of the tower is stunning, the bay bridge is in the background and looking at the houses below is very cool. I can’t imagine what it is like living in such a beautiful area.
Do you have any favorite areas of San Francisco?
