A Day in San Francisco

This is bound to be just one of many posts I make about the great city of San Francisco 🌁

The history and culture of this place can have you exploring its many nooks and crannies for years and never see all it has to offer. I had been there a few times as a kid but I feel that SF is much more appreciated as an adult. Don’t get me wrong, there are enough activities for kids to keep their minds occupied for days, but there’s something magical that happens in the deep rumblings of your soul when you experience it as an 18+ year old.

The reason for my most recent visit was the same as the reason for my last 4 visits- a concert. To say that I love going to concerts would be like saying Romeo had a small crush on Juliet, which is grossly understated. My best friend, my partner in crime, soul mate and appreciator of many similar things aka Amanda, is usually with me and is always up for an adventure (insert Bilbo Baggins meme here) and is usually with me on my many escapades. We follow around a band called Walk The Moon any time they play in California to get our fix of their music for the year. In February they played 3 shows- San Diego, Los Angeles, and Oakland. I know you’re thinking, “wait a minute, there’s no San Francisco listed there!” And you’d be absolutely right.

The Bay Area is riddled with freeways and easily accessible public transit, making a trip across the bay very feasible. We were going to take an über to the BART (SF’s version of the subway) so we could walk around as parking is usually the cost of your first born child. However, Amanda and her incredible Google skills found a parking a garage cheap enough to sway our transit decision and so we decided to drive across the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge instead.

Our first stop of the day was to the traditional Pier 39. It’s cheesy and oozing with tourists, but it’s still a nice casual stroll to see of all the shops that line it from front to back. Plus bonus- there a gorgeous view of Alcatraz Island as a reward for walking the entire length. It’s the perfect Instagram worthy place, save for the wind off the water, to take that envy-inducing shot of yourself with the infamous prison behind you.

We continued down Jefferson St. and made our way towards Fisherman’s Wharf. This is where I highly suggest grabbing a shrimp cocktail or a bowl of the Bay’s super popular creamy clam chowder. There’s the world-famous Boudin as a prominent choice, however, there are also several owners that will try to convince you to pick their dock-side restaurant to eat at instead. To go inside, you must first pass the fresh seafood stands that are in front of them. Any of them are delicious and I have never been disappointed with any of the savory crustaceans they offer.

Amanda and I are huge fans of the outdoors and all things related to the National Park Service. So imagine our joy when we stumbled upon a museum of San Francisco’s wharf history that I had no idea even existed. It was drenched in the city’s rich history and made the unexpected detour from Ghirardelli’s well worth it, especially since we are history buffs.

From there we went straight to another of our favorite spots in SF to return to on every visit: Ghirardelli Square. The store itself has to-die-for ice cream sundaes and typically there is an employee at the door to greet you with a free sample of their chocolate, which I have yet to see someone reject. The square has a handful of cute, hipster type shops and is a great place to rest after trekking across the city.

Now it was time to head over to the Embarcadero, which is a farmer’s market dream. There are artisan shops, specialty coffee, and lovely views of the bay from the inland side. It’s a good place to go if you’re looking to wander aimlessly with plenty to look at.

Next stop on our list was a first for us both which was the Coit Tower aka The Fireman’s Tower. It was built in the 1930s and is known for 360 views and the housing of flocks of parrots. There is a large roundabout in the front of the tower and a set of stairs to the front entrance. The lobby is a complete circle around the base of the tower which houses an elevator that you can ride to the top. The cost of the elevator is $8, however, when we went the line was wrapped through the entire lobby so we decided to skip it. The views from the roundabout are above the city and absolutely breathtaking. You can see everything between where you are and the Golden Gate Bridge if it is a clear day.

After Coit Tower, we headed over to a place that is a tradition for every visit that Amanda and I make to SF, The Irish Bank. It is a quaint bar nestled in an alley next to the Hotel des Arts. Now don’t be worried, I wouldn’t suggest anything as sketchy as that sounds without first being able to guarantee it’s not actually sketchy. The alley is loaded with tables and chairs to enjoy authentic Irish beer alongside their delicious traditional food. The people that frequent this place have always been as friendly as the staff that works there and we have never been disappointed. If you’re a fan of Irish beers, I highly suggest trying a Smitwicks (pronounced Smith-icks, the “w” is silent). It’s a smooth amber Irish ale and definitely worth a try.

After a full day in the city, we filled our gas tank and headed home. After 12 hours in this gorgeous historic town, we felt tired yet also rejuvenated having the chance to bask in her splendor. I hope that after reading this post you’ll be jumping at any opportunity to visit the home of such majesty.