San Francisco #1 - A City Guide
For many of us, there are those places that we talk about visiting incessantly, San Fran being one such place. When the opportunity actually arose to fly out for a conference, a few of us were left feeling overwhelmed as to how on earth to squeeze such a famous city into a few days of touristic affairs!
Flying out for business purposes to a city you've always wanted to spend a week or two exploring, meant being thrifty with our limited free time - but think we did a fairly well & I'm sure you'd agree if you've been following along on instagram ;)
So here goes, a little whistle-stop tour of San Francisco for the wanderlusting individual just wanting to 'pack it all in' - Stay tuned for #2 soon!
#1- The Golden Gate Bridge - i.e. The Obligatory San Fran Kodak Moment
Let's just start at the obvious, shall we. I think it's fair to say anyone would feel somewhat cheated if they didn't manage to make it to the Golden Gate on the trip to San Francisco. Once the longest suspension bridge in the world, it's really no surprise why it's probably one of the most photographed & is also thought to be one of the 'Wonders of The Modern World'.
It truly is worth a visit (& not to mention a fair few selfies if you're that way inclined ;))
The Golden Gate Bridge Park - this place is huge & easy to get lost in. If you have the time, a few highlights would be to track down the Rose Garden and Japanese Gardens. It's a welcome change from the hustle and bustle from the city centre.
#2 - Twin Peaks -
If you're after stunning views of San Francisco, then you should definitely visit Los pechos de la Chola (The breasts of the Indian Maiden). The two peaks make up the highest points of San Francisco, aside from Mount Davidson, so even if you're a little apprehensive finding a decent footpath to the top, the panoramic view is well worth any fear or reservation you may have. (& Will be a great story to tell for later)
Though we were there late afternoon, I'd love to go back to experience the sunset or even at night...next time!
#3 Cable Car Ride - The World's Last Manually Operated Cable Car System
Along with its steep streets, the cable car is iconic of San Francisco.
- Cheeky tip -
Now, unless you are either a very keen early bird or suffering from major jet lag and therefore have managed to get to the front, you may find yourself at the back of a very disheartening queue at the first pick up point near Market Street (landmarks: Gap & Urban Outfitters)
A cheeky tip we'd recommend, is walking up to the next few stops towards Union Square. You'll only need to wait for about 10 minutes on a good day and manage to bypass the larger queues at the bottom.
- Life Saver - Buy a weekly MUNI pass ($35) since all bus journeys are roughly $2.25 - exact change only. Not only did having the MUNI pass prevent us from having to root around trying to find change but it worked out substantially cheaper as well. They worked for buses all across town, the cable car (otherwise around $6) and also the POWELL.
All you need to do is scratch off the month and the days you'll be using it & you're good to go explore!
Just Hold On Tight!
Hold Tight! from A on Vimeo.
#5 Fisherman's Wharf & Pier 39
Think seaside attractions, amusement arcades & an abundance of seafood.
If you're travelling with children, there's plenty to keep kids, big & small occupied. From the viewing decks you can watch the sea lions laze around basking in the sun (you'll probably hear them before you catch sight of them)!
Aside from making friends with sea lions and seagulls, you may also decide you want to find yourself some freshwater pearls. I have to admit, it was pretty fun to watch the process of cracking open oysters, particularly the ones from Hawaii; the jewellers would ring a bell, encourage everyone to shout 'ALOHA' meaning hello & welcome and then crack open the shell, more often than not, revealing one beautiful shiny pearl.
#6 Alcatraz -
Pier 39 also gives a great view of Alcatraz Island and the iconic Alcatraz prison. Unfortunately tickets were all sold out for a visit - best to book ahead! So we could only admire the mystery from afar this time...
#7 Union Square - Even if large department stores don't tempt you or you're not swayed by the Pound-Dollar Exchange rate, I would recommend walking up and through Union Square.
Always bustling, it makes a great mid-way point through the iconic steep streets of San Francisco. Another recommendation is to see Union Square from Macy's, particularly the Cheese Cake Factory's outdoor terrace.
The perfect spot to enjoy a spot of people watching...
People Watching in San Francisco from A on Vimeo.
& basking in the afternoon sun.
#8 Little Italy & Lombard Street
With an Italian amongst us, it was inevitable we'd take a trip through to Little Italy. Flags painted on lampposts, Italian signs, a sudden influx of Italian eateries; it's encouraging to see how quickly different cultures can become immersed into society.
But there was another purpose for this excursion. We were on a mission to find the most crooked street in the world, Lombard Street.
Disclaimer: If you're not a big walker or if even thinking about walking up, essentially vertical streets has set off your vertigo, I would definitely recommend hopping into a cab at this point. The walk up is very steep (not to mention the return journey; we weren't brave enough to run down it like some others!) and you may find yourself needing to stop a few times.
In order to get a decent aerial shot of the wiggildy road (technical term) you'd need to either be 7ft tall or live in one of the houses along this famous street.
Not being blessed with height, I did the best I could...and then pretended to live in one of said houses. Well, we can all dream, can't we?!
And there you have it. A few of San Francisco's sights, squeezed into a few jigsawed-together half days!
Until the next time,
Namaste | from Ananya