A Weekend in San Francisco

I spent a weekend in San Francisco and it was so much fun rushing to the airport after work on a Thursday evening and flying out for a weekend. It was just over a 2 hour flight from YYC to SFO, so I felt it was worth seeing how much I could explore in this short time there. Winston and I visited near the end of August, and the weather was quite nice. During the day time it was warm, averaging around 20 C. The weather definitely cooled off into the evening, so I’d suggest bringing some extra layers! There was something so cool about this city. San Francisco is a big city, yet there was a really laid-back feel to it. From the steep hills, the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, victorian styled houses and of course, riding a cable car were some of the highlights of the weekend!

Spend a Morning at the Ferry Building and Piers

We spent our first morning exploring the Ferry Building and walking along the piers, which was the perfect way to start the day. The Ferry Building is a vibrant marketplace filled with many cute shops and restaurants. This was a great place to take it slow to grab some lunch and coffee, while sitting out by the waters watching the boats go by. Nearby were Piers 14 and 7, which were a couple of my favourite view points.

Fisherman’s Wharf

Fisherman’s Wharf is about a 30 minute walk from the Ferry Building. There are also several transportation options to get to Fisherman’s Wharf including transit or renting a bike. We decided to go on foot to be able to explore all the nooks and crannies of this area. I read that this was once an industrial waterfront, where fisherman made a living by going out by boat and catching fish in the San Francisco Bay. Now there are many things to see and do here, including eating at a seafood restaurant, taking a cruise out to Alcatraz or under the Golden Gate Bridge for sunset. I’ll have to come back next time to go out for a boat ride! Also depending on the timing in the year, you might even see wild Sea Lions out lounging on Pier 39.

Ride a San Francisco Cable Car

I was amazed at how this cable car could climb the hills of San Francisco! You should also watch the driver of the car. It’s honestly incredible how they operate the old fashioned pulleys and brakes to get this car up and down the hills! This was definitely the highlight of my trip. After a day spent along the pier, we took a ride near the Powell & Hyde Cable Car Turnabout (the end point or starting point, whichever you want to look at it) all the way back to Downtown ending at Powell & Market Street. The thing is, you’ll notice consistently massive lines at the cable car turnabouts. I’m sure it had to be a 30 minute – 1 hour wait to board the cable cars if we had waited in that line. So to be able to get on right away, I’d suggest downloading the MuniMobile app and purchase a single ride cable car ticket for 8 USD. Then instead of standing in line at the turnabouts, follow the cable car tracks up 1-2 stops ahead. You’ll see purple cable car signs along the way where people can get on and off. There are not usually many people waiting along the middle of the track, so this is where you should get on instead! We only waited about 10 minutes for the next cable car to come. Simply just waive the car down and hop on showing the driver your Muni ticket.

Union Square

Union Square is located in downtown San Francisco and is a lively shopping district with many department stores, here you’ll find a massive Macy’s and the San Francisco Centre Westfield, which is an indoor shopping mall. There are luxury boutique shops like Dior and Gucci. And you’ll also find many outdoor cafes along the streets.

Golden Gate Bridge

I’ve only seen this bridge in movies and photos, so naturally I couldn’t visit San Francisco without seeing the iconic golden gate bridge. You can walk, bike or drive across this mighty bridge that separates the San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean. If I had more time, I would have definitely gone to see the bridge from either Marshall’s Beach or Hawk Hill. This means I’ll definitely have come back!

Lombard Street

Lombard Street is known for its steep crooked road, consisting of a 8 winding hairpin turns. This street was so picturesque with the pretty florals along the street, elegant homes and had a romantic feel at the top. I’d suggest coming here earlier to beat the crowds, as by mid-afternoon the streets were busy and filled with people and cars at each turn.

Chinatown

The San Francisco Chinatown was so fun to explore! We spent a couple hours just enjoying walking up and down each street. Each alley and street kept leading us to more and more shops, bakeries and restaurants. A must visit if you’re here!