San Francisco

Exploring SF

San Francisco was also one of those cities that I had on my bucket list, but couldn’t exactly pinpoint why.  People often talk about how amazing it is, how delicious the food scene is, and how crazy the views are.  I had some Frontier Airline vouchers I needed to use before they expired, and had to go to Denver for work, so I finagled my way out there.  Three of my outgoing and adventurous friends met me, we had someone from DC, Seattle, Austin, and Indy.  Quite a crew!

We all flew into SFO, but depending on the flight prices, you can fly into Oakland or San Jose also.  One of the girls who came has connections at Marriott, so we got a great deal for a room at the Marriott Union Square, right in the center of everything.  The hotel was a 15-20 minute uber ride from most places, and we gave our legs a workout by attempting to walk a lot of places.

We went in December, and the weather was pretty dreary the whole time we were there.  Fortunately, that didn’t take away from my experience at all, and it was expected based on other people’s tales.  Here are the things I recommend to do in San Francisco:

Eat & Drink Your Way Around

As with all my lists, close to the top is food! All the girls on the trip know someone in San Francisco and had some incredible recommendations.  Check out Bar Crudo for an amazing seafood selection and raw bar, it’s right next to the Painted Ladies.  Chubby Noodle is a super popular brunch spot that is so much fun.  You get rubber duckies in your drinks, is there anything better?!  It’s less than $40 for unlimited food and drink, it’s almost as fun as brunch in DC 😉  Boudin’s is the perfect lunch spot with famous sour dough bread.

When the weather’s dreary, you tend to spend more time inside.  At least that’s my excuse for drinking my way through San Francisco!  Go get a famous Irish Coffee to warm yourself up at Ocean Vista Cafe, where the Irish Coffee was invented.  Grab a seat on the upper level at Rickhouse and cozy up with a drink.

See the Sites in and out of the City

You have to take in all the views while you’re in San Francisco.  One of the best views of the city is from Alcatraz, which is a must-do anyway – so win-win.  Tip: You need to make reservations for alcatraz a few weeks in advance.  Try to pick a sunny day of your trip to head to Crissy Field and Fort Point to get a stunning look at the Golden Gate Bridge.  One of the most iconic views is at the Painted Ladies, which has the Full House houses with the skyline in the background.

Hop on the street car at Market Street and prepare for a fun yet questionable (will we roll back or not?! was constantly on my mind) ride on the San Francisco hills.  Take a day trip out to the Redwoods, Sonoma, and Napa.  Visit the Ghiradelli Factory and share a sundae.