Trip Snapshot

The magic of San Francisco unfolds slowly and gently, much like the fog rolling in each morning and lingering lazily throughout the day. The city is both glamorous and gritty, lush and urban, and certainly sprawling - to really see beyond the tip of the iceberg, I would recommend renting a car or ordering an Uber without hesitation. If I could do it over again, I would stay for an extra day or two and drive out of the city for a hike; I find that stepping outside of the bounds gives you a stronger sense of a city’s personality, in contrast to the surrounding context. Plus, the topography in California is beautiful, and San Francisco has an exceptional way of engulfing the land with her urban fabric.

Eat & Drink

Though it might not be on the same level as LA, San Francisco is certainly up there for calibur of cuisine - with all of the miles to log exploring the city, you’ll be hard pressed to ever go hungry. Start your day with a coffee and pastry from Sightglass or Le Marais, enjoy lunch at Tartine Manufactory or Noosh, and end the evening at State Birds Provisions, where innovative takes on American dishes are served off of a dim sum cart.

Shop

When visiting SF, save room in your suitcase and come prepared to spend. There are many stores here that you would otherwise only see in NYC and LA, and it is so exciting to experience brands like The Sill, Parachute, and Heath Ceramics in person. Between national names and local boutiques, I guarantee you will find a few things to call your own.

See

There is so much to see in SF that it will be impossible to cover it all in a day or two. Start your morning at the Golden Gate Bridge and see where the breeze wants to take you - you could spend the day exploring downtown, stopping for a bite at the Ferry Building, and ending at the Mission District, or you could keep to the neighborhoods on the Western edge of the city, weaving your way in and out of Golden Gate Park.

Salesforce Park
Golden Gate Bridge
Twitter HQ - Market and public space on first floor
Ferry Building
The Painted Ladies
The Proper Hotel, designed by Kelly Wearstler
California Academy of Sciences, designed by Renzo Piano
Golden Gate Park

Walk & Wander

SF is certainly much, much hillier and larger than I even expected - as someone who prefers to walk absolutely everywhere when travelling as a defense mechanism against retail FOMO, this strategy did present a few logistical complications. I recommend bringing a backpack and great walking shoes if you are looking to get those steps in, and don’t be afraid to take an Uber uphill for a mile just to save time and energy.