Local’s guide to San Francisco
I may be biased here since I’m lucky enough to call SF my home for a few years now, but I really do believe this city is one of most special in the United States. It ticks a lot of the boxes people may look for when picking a place to visit - architecture, diverse food and people, walkability, and history.
Since I’ve lived in SF for a few years now, here are some of favorite things about the city that can inspire your itinerary.
Day 1: Golden Gate Park, Inner Sunset, Haight-Ashbury
If it’s one thing that SF does well, it’s the parks. Golden Gate park is the third most visited park in the country - and for good reason. You’ll see runners, performers, live music, tennis players, bikers, and so on. There’s lots to see in the park and you can honestly spend the whole day exploring it. However, the absolute must see on your visit are the Botanical Gardens, Conservatory of flowers, Academy of Sciences. A ticket package can be purchased here. After a busy day of exploring, I recommend grabbing a bite to eat somewhere on Irving street - situated in the historical Inner Sunset neighborhood.
Day 2: Crissy Field, Golden Gate Bridge, North Beach
A visit to San Francisco is not complete without a visit to iconic Bridge. I recommend walking from Crissy Field to the Golden Gate Bridge viewpoint to get the full experience of this iconic site. I love doing picnics at Crissy Field during sunset. After exploring the area, you can head down to many of the restaurants in the Marina/Cow Hollow area. A personal favorite of mine is Alegrias - a Spanish tapas place.
Day 3: Dolores Park, The Mission, Burritos
Dolores Park also provides a look into what an average San Franciscan does on their lazy Sunday. If the sun is our, you’ll see locals tanning, throwing a frisbee or having a picnic. The park is also filled with local vendors selling ice cream and coconut rum. For an ideal Dolores day, I reccomend grabbing a burrito from El Farolito or Panco Villa Taqueria. Then, head over to Dolores around afternoon and watch the sunset over an iconic view. The Mission is also home to amazing nightlife. Visitors can head over to some bars in the area - my favorites are Beehive and ABV for nice cocktails and Blondie’s for dancing.
SF Pro Tips:
The city is HILLY and that’s why locals are almost always in tennis shoes. Definitely pack a pair of comfortable walking shoes.
Never leave anything visible in your car - car theft is a major issue in the city so practice caution
Layers, layers, layers. On an April day, the weather will start off as winter, then change to spring by 11AM, then to summer by 3pm, and then to winter by 6pm. So be sure to bring a jacket.
SF has some of the best food I’ve ever had and it can sometimes be a challenge avoiding the tourist trap $25 sandwich spots. Read my SF dining recs here.