TRAVEL | AN INSIDER'S GUIDE TO SAN FRANCISCO
I always used to laugh a bit at the song "I left my heart in San Francisco". I mean, I'd loved places I had lived up to that point - Long Beach, Seal Beach, Newport Beach (sensing a theme?), but was ready and excited for each new experience as I left them behind. So, when G and I had the opportunity to start our married life in San Francisco, I went into the city excited but neutral. And, to be honest, for a while I hated it. It was loud. It was busy. It was dirty. Then I started to get under it's skin, and it made it's way under mine, and, slowly, we fell in love. We've moved twice since our time in SF, but I can honestly say I left my heart there, and there isn't a day I don't miss her.
Having the chance to live there got us out of the tourist traps and into the spaces and places only the locals know. So, if you're looking for riding the cable cars, ice cream at Ghirardelli, and a trip to Alcatraz, you've come to the wrong post. What I'm sharing here are the few places that became staples for us, as locals, during our time in the city. (I've got a full post on coffee shops tagged in the side bar, too!)
BREAKFAST
Posh Bagel (742 Irving St, San Francisco, CA 94122) we love the everything cheese toasted with lox spread. I would eat this bagel every day if I could.
Sweet Maple (2101 Sutter St, San Francisco, CA 94115) I still dream about their breakfast pizza and millionaire bacon.
Devil's Teeth Bakery (3876 Noriega St, San Francisco, CA 94122) the B.E.S.T. breakfast sandwich
DINNER
Salt House (545 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94105) everything. Just everything. But especially the desserts! It's my favorite SF restaurant.
Tonga Room (Fairmont San Francisco, 950 Mason St, San Francisco, CA 94108) Good food, amazing ambience, tasty drinks.
DRINKS
Bourbon & Branch (501 Jones St, San Francisco, CA 94102) Go to the Library. It's the smaller, no rezzies needed part. The password to get in is "BOOKS". There's a drink menu, but my fav is an unlisted drink: The Citizen Kane. Pro tip: Chat with your bartender a LOT. You never know who might be back there... that's all I'm sayin'...
SIGHTS
The Ferry Building - munch your way through it. My favs are Cowgirl Creamery and Hog Island Oyster Co
Golden Gate Park - It's beautiful, and if you head up to the Observation Tower in the De Young, you get a great 360 of the city. Also spend some time (aka few hours!) in the Academy of Sciences. It's one of my all time favorites (I mean, it has a three story rainforest. Need I say more?)
Land's End - Beautiful walking trails, a great view of the Golden Gate Bridge, and great food at the Cliff House after.
STAY
The Argonaut Hotel (495 Jefferson St, San Francisco, CA 94109) G and I loved doing staycataions in the city, and this was one of our two favorite places to stay. Easy walking access to Fisherman's Warf, some amazing local galleries, and a quick cable car ride to just about anywhere.
The Westin St. Francis (335 Powell St, San Francisco, CA 94102) The whole city is at your fingertips here. Union Square has amazing people watching and shopping, it's a short walk to the Ferry Building, you can walk out your door and hop on the muni to get anywhere, and there are so many good restaurants right there (including being walking distance to my favorite, Salt House!)
That's it! Enough to keep you busy, full, and happy during a 48 hr trip. Feel free to email me with any questions - I love to talk about my city, and chat with all of you!
#SanFrancisco #Travel #California #UnitedStates #NorthAmerica
