Best known for the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco in California is also known for its cool summers, fog and steep streets.
Golden Gate Bridge – On most mornings and evenings the bridge is covered by clouds or fog, so wait for afternoon to get a clear picture. Fun fact: Though it looks red in colour, the actual colour is ‘international orange’. Pedestrians can walk one mile across the bridge, and you can even rent a bicycle to ride across.
Union square and Powell street – This is the best place to shop, there are many shopping outlets and eating places here. This area is packed with tourists and always buzzing. Powell street is one of the locations from where you can ride on the ancient cable car (tram).
Fisherman’s Wharf – Located along the coast, this waterfront neighbourhood has countless eateries, as well as some attractions like Madame Tussaud’s, Ripley’s museum and Aquarium by the bay. Visit Pier 39 to see some wild sea lions basking on the pier. Pier 39 is the most lively part of Fisherman’s Wharf. There are many ferries and cruises that depart from here. You can take a tour of the infamous jail Alcatraz.
Chinatown – This is the oldest Chinatown in America. Come here for dim sum, fortune cookies, tea tasting, quaint Chinese temples and souvenirs. Take a selfie at the Dragon gateway at the south entrance.
Palace of Fine Arts garden – One of SF’s architectural landmarks, the palace is a theatre that holds concerts, weddings and events. It is surrounded by gardens and a lake with ducks and swans. A peaceful and scenic area, it is a great place to relax or have a picnic.
Golden Gate Park – Bigger than central park in New York, you could easily spend a full day here. If you only have a couple of hours, visit Stow lake where you can walk around the island, see a small waterfall, rent a paddleboat to go around the lake. Nearby the lake is the Japanese tea garden and Botanical garden (both have entry fees of $9 each).
Lombard street – Known as the crookedest street in SF, this short stretch has eight hairpin bends and has been showcased in many movies. The sides of the street are lined with flowers, making it very pretty looking. Many tourists come to drive down the twisty turns and take videos and photos along the way.
Muir woods – California is famous for its redwood trees. The tallest trees in the world, these redwoods are thousands of years old, and have been around since the time of the dinosaurs. Across the Golden Gate bridge you will find Muir Woods – a protected national park, with picturesque winding paths and bridges over streams through the dense forest. A good way to spend an afternoon. Entry fee is $15.
Sausalito – This locality is the area on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge. Mostly home to an affluent community, check out the houseboats near the jetty. Rising real estate prices forced people to make their homes on barges on the river, and today the thriving houseboat community owns homes of all shapes and sizes.
Sunnyvale – A small town near Palo Alto, check out the Historic Murphy Avenue. This pedestrian-only street is lined with restaurants, and it has a very cute ambience. During the summer, every Wednesday evening local bands perform on a small stage. Residents bring their chairs to sit and watch, eventually get up to dance and enjoy the evening.
Lake Tahoe – 3 to 4 hours drive from San Francisco, this is a popular weekend getaway. People swim and hike here in the summer, and ski in the winter. There are many cute wooden chalets by the lakeside, forget the hotels and book an Airbnb to get the full experience of living like a local. Drive to Emerald bay to get a stunning view of the pristine water from the top of the mountains. South Lake Tahoe has a more crowded and buzzing vibe, but we found the lake water cleaner in the north. P.S. – Beware of bears in the forest at night!
Getting around – San Francisco streets can get quite steep in some places. Flat areas are walkable, but going uphill will get you tired very fast. If you don’t feel like figuring out bus schedules, call an uber to get around. Alternatively you can take the hop-on hop-off big bus tour that will get you around the city.
Homeless people – San Francisco has a lot of homeless people, who are not easy to ignore as they wander the streets yelling/screaming or talking to themselves. A lot of them are mad or are on drugs. Avoid areas like the tenderloin district, especially at night.
Weather – In the summer, San Francisco is warm in the afternoons but chilly in the mornings and evenings. It is a very windy city, so carry a warm jacket to protect against the windchill.
Gypsea Trip 