San Francisco has always been one of my favourite cities in the U.S. Between the hills, architecture and beautiful parks, it's a great place to spend a few days wandering around. Four times & counting, a visit there never disappoints!
Best Parks in San Francisco
San Francisco is blessed with beautiful parks, many with fantastic views of the city.
In my opinion, one of the best places to lay around for a few hours is Fort Mason Green. It's located on the north end of the city near the coastline with great views of the Golden Gate Bridge. It's also super close to the coastline trails, perfect for a bike ride or stroll along the water.
My second favourite park is Alamo Square. While half the park is flooded with tourists taking pictures of the Painted Ladies (ever watch Full House?), the other half is an amazing hill with great views for both humans & dogs!
Best San Francisco Tourist Spots
While everyone usually likes to visit things like Alcatraz Island, Fisherman's Wharf & Pier 39, I have a different set of favourite tourist sites to see.
The first is the Palace of Fine Arts. It's such a beautiful place to just wander around and relax in.
The second is my newest favourite - the Museum of Modern Art. This museum was incredibly interesting and is a great place to hide when the weather is raining!
Union Square is also a nice spot to take a break and take a breath amongst the hustle & bustle of the city.
Best Viewpoints of Golden Gate Bridge
Of course, one thing you won't want to miss in the city is getting that view of the Golden Gate Bridge. I recently found a fantastic dog park right at the coast near Crissy Field - highly recommended if you love furry friends!
You can also walk along the trails, go on the west side of the bridge, or rent a bike and head over the bridge towards Sausolito.
Favourite San Francisco Neighbourhoods
There are so many diverse neighbourhoods of San Francisco, it's hard to pick my favourites. I usually pay a visit to the Mission, Telegraph Hill, Pacific Heights & Hayes Valley - all great in day and night.
This past trip, I spent a good amount of time around Nob Hill. The only problem is no matter where you go, to come home you MUST climb a massive hill in every direction!
Day Trips Outside the City
1. Visit Apple Park & Googleplex
For the tech-lovers, you could pay a visit to nearby Silicon Valley giants Apple & Google. Both campuses have a visitor centre, but you will immediately see the differences between them!
1. Go to Palo Alto & Santana Row
Silicon Valley is mostly suburban and pretty difficult to get around, but if you get a chance to park yourself somewhere for a few hours, this Blue Bottle coffee shop in Palo Alto is most definitely the place you want to be. It's in the most magical little spot, and connected to a shared co-working space.
I also enjoyed walking around Santana Row in San Jose. It's more built up of chain stores and restaurants, but it's still a good break from the nearby suburban sprawl. Note: Blue Bottle launching soon :)
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