In all honesty, I did not have a lot of time in San Francisco to explore the city in great detail. However, that was not going to stop me from making the most I can out of my short trip there. I have been wanting to visit the West Coast for a while now and finally decided to make the trip down! I only had 3 short days there so here is a summary of what I did:-
First up, to get to and fro the airport and the city, you can consider taking the SuperShuttle which is like a pooling system where you share rides with other passengers into the city. It alights you right at your address and is extremely convenient as well.
My friends stay along Washington Street and it is just a stone's throw away from Mymy which serves up some really wonderful brunch fare. Their chorizo hash is possibly one of the best hash I have ever had, with the crispy potatoes and the smoky chorizo. We ordered their crab cakes and fluffy pancakes as well which was also amazing. Go early to avoid the queue as the queue can get pretty long and skip the coffee! You will get better coffee elsewhere.
Another spot you can check out for Brunch is Brenda's French Soul Food. That place is bustling and full of old school charm. I went for the Fried Chicken that came with a biscuit 5 times the size of the one you will get at a regular Popeye's. It is definitely levelled up Fried Chicken!! There are also loads on the menu for you to choose from. This also has a line so go early to avoid the queues.
If you are driving, you can consider driving over the Golden Gate Bridge and across to Sausalito area and visit the Muir Woods. We drove past the forest and made our way to Hog Island Oyster Farm in Marshall, Tomales Bay. It is the perfect place to have a picnic in the sun and shuck some oysters with friends. Read my post about it: Here! (Just do note that there is strictly NO WIFI service there so you are not able to Uber/Lyft there if not you might get stranded whilst heading back). Hog Island Oyster also has an outlet at Ferry Building if you want to check them out in the city.
A few blocks down from Mymy, you can find Mr Holmes Bakehouse! They serve up fresh bakes on the fly and have different flavours of Cruffins every day. You can even check out their Instagram to see what flavours is coming up in the week. Their cookies are also pretty amazing if you fancy one yourself. The Cruffins are definitely a Must-order.
Ferry Building Marketplace is a great place to check out before making your way along the Embarcadero. It is full of local eateries and home-grown retailers offering items like chocolates and cheeses to ceramics and hand-blown glasses. I enjoyed my stroll through there and just taking in all the sights and sounds.
Pier 33 is where you go to to board your ferry to Alcatraz. Make sure to get your tickets in advance online! Some say that it makes the whole experience that more spooky if you purchase night tickets so get them early as they do sell out. I actually really enjoyed my time at Alcatraz. What I like most about my trip there was the interactive audio tour as they bring you around the main prison and tell you all the stories of the past. The audio tour comes in many languages so I thought that was pretty cool.
When you come back and walk further down along the Embarcadero, you will get to Pier 39 where the famous sealions reside. Watch them basking in the sun and being really playful or lazy. I also stopped for a good old Clam Chowder at Fog Harbor Fish House because I was craving for one. Most places along the pier will claim that they have the Best Clam Chowder in San Francisco so it was not surprising that they have claimed that title for themselves too! It was a pretty good Chowder not to say the least and I slurped it down super quickly.
By the time I got to Ghirardelli Square, it was night fall. I was hoping to actually make it to The Wave Organ or even Crissy Field to get a good view of the Golden Gate Bridge at sunset but alas! That's not going to happen. Another side note is that, I walk a lot when I'm traveling, but if you are not a fan of walking so much, you can consider renting bicycles or even PMDs using an app. They are littered everywhere along the pier just like how our Obikes are.
You can actually get quite a decent view of the Golden Gate Bridge at Ghirardelli Square and I really like that area and can see myself visiting there more often if I just want a good spot to chill or play with my dog on the grass. Ghirardelli Square also has some really cool shops and my favourite is Lola. They sell loads of pretty knick knacks and I left there with a handful of Birthday Cards that I can use for the future.
Another area that you would want to check out is Hayes. I love that area! It is filled with lots of stunning houses like the Painted Ladies and you can already imagine the aesthetics of that area. It is pretty hilly and I was super out of breath by the time I walked there but it was all worth it!
For great coffee, Ritual is your best bet. They have one located right in the middle of Hayes Valley in a container store. If you are near Polk, you may also want to step into Saint Frank for your cuppa joe. It is one that I keep walking across but never had the time to try. I rate a city by its coffee and so far, it is not disappointing.
Have a sweet tooth or am just an ice-cream lover like me? There is Smitten Ice Cream just around the corner. They churn their ice cream with liquid nitrogen and it whips up into a frenzy. There is also Salt and Straw around the corner that offers up a greater variety of flavours. The lady serving there allowed me to try a whole bunch of flavour and my fav is definitely the Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons. Yummm.
If you are looking for a restaurant that sells up Gluten-free or healthier options, you can consider dining at Little Gem. Tbh, we only came here because there was a really long line at a|Mano. However, I think it's worth a shot and the chicken was done so well. If you are up for really great seafood, check out Sottomare and order the Cioppino! It is highly raved out by my friends and will definitely be back to try it on my next trip to SF.
SF is also famous for the windy roads of Lombard Street. There are actual people living along the street and they have to drive that windy road down every day. (or get all these tourists visiting that area) The slopes along SF are so steep that I'm sure even parking is a feat!
Ended off my last night in SF with drinks at Saratoga. It is essentially a cocktail bar that serves up amazing drinks and food. So so delish! I believe I had The Fielding which comprises of Gin, Amaro, Cherry Herring, Lemon and Grapefruit. What a perfect way to end off my trip there.
Till the next time!
Xo,
Amelia
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