24 hours in San Francisco!
Why so short, I hear you ask? One of my brothers works as cabin crew and I tagged along with him so whilst he worked the 10 hours and 25-minute flight, I worked my way through 3 movies and had a nap (for anyone with a hectic lifestyle, I am sure you can appreciate what a luxury this was).
I am a self-confessed ‘planner’ so before we even departed I knew what we would be doing. Our first stop was our Hop on/ Hop off bus tour. Such a great way to get your bearings when visiting a new city. I tapped into the commentary at various points on the trip and we jumped off as and when the mood took us. I had also thought about the food I wanted to eat- clam chowder out of a bread bowl was at the top of this list but alas, I hadn’t considered that it would be a baking hot day and that the last thing I would want to eat was a bowl of hot soup! Instead I opted for a cocktail… tough call.
The Golden Gate Bridge is an absolute must. In the end, I went back and forth 4 times (not planned that way, but loved it all the same). You can get some great pictures on either side of the bridge as well, so definitely worth getting off the bus and walking around.
I had a small glimpse of Haight and Ashbury and when I go back, this is my first stop. I would have loved to have had more time mooching around this gorgeous area with its hippy vibe and thrift shops. Perfect place to people watch!
Castro is also a must! Decked out in the rainbow flag it has a really fun party atmosphere. Public nudity is legal in this district and it is embraced! I caught the ‘Harvey Milk Car’ to Castro from Pier 39. A slow ride but a great way to watch street performers on the journey. If you can, time your visit to Castro with Happy Hour as there are many fun cocktail bars!
We ended our trip with a massive dinner in Chinatown. Renowned for its Dim Sum, it would have been rude not to fill our plates and it did not disappoint! It was at this point, with a full tummy, sore feet and a very happy heart that we left and went back to our hotel in San Jose.
It is safe to say that I fell a little bit in love with San Francisco and I am looking forward to my next visit already!