...City of Gold...

 

Golden Gate Bridge, trolleys, and cable cars fill this small hill with the buzz of a true California coastal city. There is SO much to see and do packed into this small bay. Full of green parks with great views, trails, seafood fresh off the boat, and many different neighborhoods full of their very own gems and jewels--San Francisco is a great destination to discover what a coastal town has to offer... 

 

 

 
 
Driving can be difficult in the city because the extra hazard of watching for cable cars is added to the mix. An easy way would be to jump on one of the many tour buses. I'm a huge fan of the "hop on and off" type trolley tour. They give lots of great information and stop at several great places so you can get off to explore as long as you want. There are also many places to rent bikes or you can set off on foot and walk the streets and use the famous cable cars to get around. A great starting place is Fisherman's Wharf. There are several parking structures in the area and the Wharf is full of food and shops making it a great start to a day of exploration!

 Along the Wharf the number one thing is to go get a bowl of crab chowder!! There are many small floating "restaurants" that serve the famous crab chowder in sourdough bread bowls...It is the best thing in the world!!! Of course, if you didn't know, San Francisco is THE place for sourdough bread...Boudin  is a bakery at the Wharf that features a huge window for passerbys to watch the bakers mix, knead and roll the dough into many shapes ready to bake. After watching, go inside and follow the fresh baked bread ride a basket from the ovens through the 5000 square foot building to the café and store to get stocked on the shelves ready for you to buy and take back to the hotel (if it lasts that long) !

When you stroll past the food stands, street performers, cliché gift shops and craft stores-you will reach Pier 39. From here you will be able to watch seals and otters sun on several docks, feed the fish and birds and maybe catch a sailboat race set between you and the best view of Alcatraz  you will get from land! Make sure you have a jacket because even when the sun is out, the wind will be enough to chill your bones...so you may have to go get another bowl of chowder to warm up!

 

 

 

 

 

You could spend a week in San Fran and still not cover all this town has to offer. It has beaches, clubs, food to satisfy all different tastes, and artists of all types that are grounded by a beautiful salty scenery.