A Symphony Called San Francisco
If you are alive, you can’t be bored in San Francisco. If you are not alive, San Francisco will bring you to life.
William Saroyan
I, for one, completely agree with William Saroyan. My visit to the city was for a span of 4 days and I thoroughly loved it. I enjoyed being there, sinking in the whole West coast vibe, with corporate, corporate and more corporate amidst the hills by the bay.
One thing that does not go into planning a trip to San Francisco is the weather. The weather is pretty unpredictable and changes by the hour. Summers are cool, with minimal heat and breeze all through the day. Fog visits every night. If you plan on visiting in the summer, which is ideal, take pictures of the skyline in the daytime, because, come the night, the visibility is just mist all over the city, making it ‘Fog City’. So just go with it.
Pier 39
San Francisco, often called the ‘The City By The Bay’, has tourist activities centered around it’s bay area. Pier 39 is one of the happening places. When in Pier 39, one can never be full. There is so much to try and so many varieties to taste. Good food and great wine is everywhere. With street artists stealing the show, this pier is a must visit. If you don’t have an itenary for the day, just go to the pier. There is plenty of activities there, from watching sea-lions do yoga to creating your own love-lock, at the yard.
Fisherman’s Wharf
Adjacent to the pier, is the Fisherman’s Wharf, which gets it’s name from the early days when Italian immigrant fishermen settled here. The wharf used to be the port for arrivals and departures of warships and has a WW2 submarine at it’s dock for public viewing. As the soldiers arrived home, there were welcomed with mini recreation, which is now called Musee Mechanique, which is a super fun place. It is an old game center, housing still active vending machine games. The entry is free and each machine asks you about a quarter to get going. Here, you get to see all kinds of machines, which are probably older than most of us. A wharf, needless to say, implies great food and good beer. Beer from local breweries is a must try.
Ghirardelli Square
In ‘The City That Knows How’, they sure know how to keep one busy. Right next to the wharf, within a quarter mile is the famous Ghirardelli Square. Headquarters of the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company, the square is a confectionery in itself, with fresh batches of chocolates melting out hot, by the hour. They house a variety of flavors in combination with dark chocolate and create amazing sundae swirls. Make sure you grab the sundae of the month, along with a ton of their flavored chocolates, especially, the sea salt caramel.
Golden Gate Bridge
Of course, when you are in the ‘Golden Gate City’, you must cross this bridge. This iconic mountain orange bridge, stands tall in all it’s glory and is a great photo spot. Grab a sandwich and settled down to feel the bridge on a leisure afternoon or night time works even better. The best places to view the bridge are the Golden Gate Bridge national park, Baker Beach or Hawk Hill. The park is usually crowded, so if you are a mountain person, go to the Hawk Hill, for an amazing view along with sightings of giant hawks and eagles. Or if you are a beach person, Baker beach is the place to go, which is open as long as the sun is there.
Alcatraz and Angel Islands
These islands are huge tourist spots and are filled with large crowds. They also need a pre-booking, 90 days ahead. Make sure you are well prepared with the tickets. Alcatraz Island is a Z security prison, where the evilest of criminals are jailed. Angel Island is the largest island on the bay and offers great views of San Francisco’s skyline. There are cruise tours, that start from one end of the bay, where the Golden Gate bridge is, all the way to the other, to the Oakland Bay bridge. I suggest, taking this tour, as this covers all iconic places, while explaining the history and glory of the city.
Cable Car
When in San Francisco, you must experience the iconic cable car. The cable cars were initially the only mode of transport to get around the city. These cars driven by man power, give you the best tour of the city, with unbeatable views through the ups and downs of the hills. There are three lines running across the city, the Powell Mason line, the Powell Hyde line and the California line. Hopefully, get on the Powell Hyde line, which is a longer route and covers many spots.
Where To Stay
The best place will be close to the financial center, which is kind of like downtown. From here, every place is walkable pretty much. It is easier to rely on public transport or Uber, rather than your own car, since parking is a big hassle. Also, right beside the beach street are colonies of cute studio apartments, which are mostly available on Airbnb. Otherwise too, there are a lot of hotels in and around the bay area.
San Francisco has only one drawback. It’s hard to leave.
-Rudyard Kipling
This is true, I felt like the 4 days passed away too quickly. Apart from the tourist places, definitely walk the streets of the financial center and get inspired by the busy beautiful lives. Also, if you have time left, check out the Museum of Ice-cream, visit Chinatown and stargaze in the Muir woods on a clear-sky night.
That’s all folks. I hope you have lot of fun and make the most of San Francisco. Let me know if I missed out something or about your San Francisco adventures in the likes and comments sections. Travel safe. Happy Touring!