A few months ago Jeff and I took a quick trip up to San Francisco. I had been wanting to visit for soooo long as it’s been about 10 years since I was there and I love the city! There is amazing shopping, restaurants, architecture, history, and cable cars (so cool!). This was actually the first time I’ve left our youngest over night so I didn’t want to be gone too long. We packed in as much as we could in about 36 hours! There is still a ton that I want to go back and experience but I think we did pretty good with the time we had.
Where We Stayed
Before I even started looking at hotels I knew I wanted to stay in Union Square, the heart of San Francisco. I felt like this was a very centralized location for everything we wanted to do. We chose the Grand Hyatt for their updated, stylish rooms and great views. Although we didn’t spend much time in the hotel itself, I definitely would stay here again. Highly recommend!
Getting Around:
Parking can be very expensive in the city, so I suggest walking or Ubering. Once we landed at the airport, we took an Uber to our hotel and it was super easy! We also took an Uber from our hotel to the Golden Gate Bridge. Other then that we walked so much! We walked from Union Square to The Painted Ladies to Haight-Ashbury (about 3 miles total). I actually prefer walking because I feel like I see more and can stop in boutiques or bars that we may have passed if driving by. Just keep in mind this is a big city with some interesting people, so if you aren’t used to that then stick to Uber.
Cable Cars – I suggest taking the cable car BACK to your hotel if you stay in Union Square like we did. We got on at Fisherman’s Warf, which is the end of the track, and only had to wait in a short line. When we got off at the Union Square station (Powell and Market) the line was sooo long, I couldn’t believe that many people were waiting. If you absolutely have to take it from Union Square, take a short walk over to California St. where the line is shorter. They are really fun though, it was a must-do on my list!
What We Did:
The very first thing we did was head straight for the Golden Gate Bridge. I’ve heard that the earlier you go, the less crowded it is. I really enjoyed the visitor’s center and we snapped a few photos. We ended up walking about half way across the bridge. It was so windy and freeeezing, but worth it!
We went straight from there over to Fisherman’s Wharf. There were so many delicious spots to eat (including street vendors) and we saw the giant Ghirardelli chocolate factory. We had a bowl of clam chowder which was delicious, and I don’t even eat sea food!
From there we took the Cable Car back to Union Square. Like I said above, the line is way shorter heading back to Union Square. Luckily that was the direction we needed to go. The cable car went right by Lombard Street which was fun to see!
After a short break in the hotel, we started walking towards the Painted Ladies. Once we arrived there we hung out on the grass for a little to take in the view and then continued walking to Haight and Ashbury. This was the part Jeff was most excited about as he is a huge record collector and Grateful Dead fan. We looked in a few record shops before stopping in a random bar to people watch from the window.
After Ubering back to the hotel, we set out for dinner. We ended up at the Stinking Rose, a restaurant known for garlic in every one of its’ dishes. You guys, I really freakin’ love garlic. From there we walked through Chinatown, watched the street performers, and stopped in a few random bars/lounges.
We ended the night back in Union Square. Since this was in December, we got to see all the Christmas decor and watch people on the ice skating rink. It was so festive!
Next Time:
We did almost everything on our wish list, but there is still a ton more things I want to go back and do. Including…
- Alcatraz
- Sutro Baths
- Ride the ferry
- Mr. Holmes Bakehouse (home of the famous “I got baked in San Fransisco” sign)
We had the best time and it was so much fun exploring the city just the two of us. Let me know if there is anything you love to do in San Francisco so I can add it to my list for our next trip!