A Weekend in San Francisco
This trip was the best because so much of it was unplanned and spontaneous. In three weeks I had been from Omaha to Pennsylvania to Florida, back to Omaha, before heading to California. By this point, I was tired and just excited to have the trip unfold as it may. I researched the crap out of all the amazing food offerings in San Francisco (I recommend this Eater article) but otherwise relied on the expertise and recommendations of the various Uber drivers I used around the city. The city is spread out with so many unique, distinct districts and I wanted to make sure I saw as much as I could. They gave me the rundown on things to see (residential areas like Noe Valley, Twin Peaks, and Castro), things to skip (Pier 39, Ghirardelli Square) and made my trip 1000% times better than if I had done it all on my own. It just goes to show it never hurts to approach a new situation with a smile and a curious face! If San Francisco is on your travel list, here are my recommendations for where to stay, what to do, and where to eat. I hope you enjoy!
Where to Stay
For a hotel right in the heart of everything, you have got to stay at the Westin St. Francis. It's located in Union Square and is in the center of some of the best shopping in the city. (There is a Louis Vuitton two blocks away from the hotel. I sent Josh a photo of the store with a big smiley face. He texted back, "Should I be nervous?") What I loved about the Westin St. Francis is that it is part national upscale chain and part historic hotel. It has all the amenities I know and love from Westin, with the charm, history, and bones of a hotel from a time very long ago. (The St. Francis.)
So much has happened within these walls. Numerous Presidents and Foreign Dignitaries have stayed here. (The Queen!) It's luxury rooms were converted into a hospital during World War II. There was an assassination attempt on President Nixon's life while he stayed here. High Society would come from all over first for its balls and then eventually for its discos.
Shirley Temple posed with this clock!
I love learning the stories about a place and The Westin St. Francis has a lot. I love that a place like this has been preserved for future generations to come, stay, and take a temporary step back in time.
Until you get to the actual rooms, of course. The rooms are all the modern luxury you would want and expect with a Westin.
I love this photo of the Golden Gate Bridge.
The Westin St. Francis just completed a huge gym renovation.
I love the hotel's focus on health and wellness. These living green walls always reminded me to stop for a second and take a deep breath.
What to Do
There are so many fun things to do in San Francisco. My first recommendation is just to go outside wherever you are and start walking around. The city is so green and the architecture is so beautiful, it's eye candy on steroids.
(A side note for solo travelers: I felt totally safe in San Francisco during the day walking around by myself but there are a lot of homeless people (like more than you could imagine in some areas). I was aware of my surroundings, smart, and had no issues. That said, at night I walked around in a few areas where I probably shouldn't have been by myself. After my warning radar went off I started taking Ubers from place to place at night.)
San Francisco is the perfect mix of urban and residential. After exploring the downtown area for a while, I got out and explored the neighborhoods. There are so many beautiful ones. I went to Mission, to Lower Haight, to Noe Valley, to Castro, to Cole Valley and to others that I'm probably forgetting the names of. I just took an Uber there, walked around, took pictures, stopped in shops and local bars. It was the best and allowed me to get to know the city so much better in such a short amount of time.
There are so many hills in San Francisco! I walked up this one and it may not look like much here, but woof. I shared via Instagram Stories what my feet looked like walking up this hill. They were going straight up!
The hike was worth it though because it led me to this view and these beautiful woods. It's called Fairy Gates Trail and I would have loved to spend a day exploring it. It looked like it was out of a storybook!
Bringing a little ne-barre-ska to my workouts. ;)
I fell in love with Soul Cycle years ago in New York and have been missing it since moving to Omaha. My hotel was blocks away from the SOMA location so I bought a three pack of passes and went on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. It was a great way to ensure I was getting a good workout in with all the delicious food I was eating.
While I know Soul Cycle has its critics, and a really hefty price tag, for me it's more than a workout. It's a therapy session. I leave feeling refreshed and restored and ready to take on the day. Now if only Soul Cycle would come to Omaha!
I saw Hamilton!! Seeing this show has been a dream of mine so I'm writing a post just about the experience.
As a Full House fan growing up, I was ridiculously excited to visit The Painted Ladies. I took more pictures than one probably ever needs of a row of houses, but they were beautiful and I want to live there. I'm an East Coast girl all the way, but my goodness San Francisco speaks to me.
Another must-see is the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre. Originally a temporary exhibit for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition, this gorgeous creation is now a permanent fixture in San Francisco. Walking around the grounds feels like stepping back in time.
No visit to San Francisco is complete without a visit to the Golden Gate Bridge. I woke up early and headed to Crissy Fields to walk along the water and take some pictures of the most photographed bridge in the world.
Where to Eat
San Francisco is a foodie haven, so I was so excited to try and explore the city via all its flavors. While I'd love another few weeks to go to town on San Francisco food, I loved what I tried. Some stops were planned, some were spontaneous, all were delicious.
If you have one meal in San Francisco I would 100% recommend Cotagna. As a solo traveler, I lucked out and managed to grab a seat at the chef's prep bar. I got to watch her work as I ate the best pasta dish of my life.
Black Sands Brewery has such an awesome atmosphere and makes one hell of a twist on a mint julep.
You can't go to San Francisco without getting a burrito! After a bit of research, I settled on Little Chihuahua and it did not disappoint. It's focused on local, sustainable food. P.S. That margarita was bomb!
Peasant Pies was an unexpected find that looked so cool I had to stop in and try it. I got a chicken curry pie that was so, so yummy.
Another unexpected find was this flourless chocolate cookie from Noe Valley Bakery. Delish!!
I swear Whole Foods put out a homing signal for me. I walked by so many this weekend. I can't visit a place without exploring their Whole Foods, so I ducked into this one in Noe Valley to browse their local goods.
I discovered The Living Apothecary Kefir Water and was so intrigued I had to grab a bottle. I drank this bottle while resting and relaxing in the San Francisco sunshine (it exists!). It was such a great day and this stuff is good!
Zazie's is an incredible brunch spot in the San Francisco area that is as known for their food as it is for its long waits to get a table. What's a girl to do on a Sunday with no reservations?
Get an eggs benedict and side of breakfast potatoes to go, of course. My wait was ten minutes and this dish was heavenly. 1. I always scramble my eggs benedicts. and 2. Yes, those are hunks of grilled garlic mixed in with my breakfast potatoes. Good thing I wasn't kissing anyone that weekend!
A sidenote: Zazie is a no-tipping restaurant. Their prices are built to accommodate a living wage, insurance, sick time, and vacation time for all their staff. Right on! And at $14 for this breakfast, their prices are not outrageous! I wish more restaurants would do this.
My last meal in San Francisco was one recommended to me by an Uber driver and taken with me to the airport. Truly Mediterranean is a truly delicious Mediterranean restaurant. I was glad for the tip and loved savoring every last bite of San Francisco while I waited to catch my flight home.
[Tweet "A weekend in San Francisco @onlyinsf @visitca @westinstfr #sanfrancisco #visitcalifornia #letsrise"]
Questions of the Day: Have you been to San Francisco? What's your favorite way to explore a city? Do you workout on vacation? What part of my trip would you enjoy the most?
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