For years we’ve been documenting our travels diary style. We usually post these travel stories to our Facebook page with snippets appearing on our Instagram. It’s our way to keep the memories alive for years to come. It also serves as entertainment for you, dear reader. Our aim is to paint a picture for you as if you were there with us. These stories may not be for everyone. I encourage you to give it a chance anyway as it may just brighten your day.
If you haven’t already, read our San Francisco: The Most Amazing Things To Do In The City post for all things San Fran!
A married couple spent three days traveling San Francisco city in the summer of 2023. These are their stories.
Travel Stories from San Francisco: A Married Couple’s Memoir
Day 1 – Travel Day – We Almost Didn’t Make it There
If you’re going to San Francisco, be sure to miss the first train and have to wait half an hour at the station because you forgot to read direction signs. Doesn’t quite have the same ring to it, does it? As per usual, our journey to San Francisco began with a bit of a misadventure. We made it just on time to the Caltrain station, bought our tickets and heard the train coming. I look up and see a sign right in front of my face that says “To San Jose. For San Francisco, use other platform”. Great.
The train is coming and we are on the wrong platform. Neither of us see the stairs to the underground tunnel to take us over to the other side. We wait for the train to pass and the crossing arms to go back up. Then we make a mad dash to the other side. We arrive just in time to watch the train roll away from the station, leaving us in its dust. You’d think it being 2023 and our tenth year travelling together that we would know how to maneuver train stations. You’d be wrong.
Off To A Great Start
The train into San Francisco can only be described as a whiplash inducing experience resembling that of a rollercoaster. It wasn’t not comfortable. However, I wouldn’t be using the train to drink hot coffee or write a memoir. Nor would I do it to do anything at all that requires a steady hand and stiff body. We finally arrived in San Francisco, slightly battered and bruised, and again failed at navigating. We struggled to find our Uber driver. Being in San Mateo has made us soft and weak. We are no longer cut out for the cutthroat travel lifestyle. Maps and signs were of no use to us any longer.
The First Day Officially Begins
All travel mishaps aside, we had a wonderful first day in San Francisco. After dropping our bags off at the hotel we immediately ventured out on foot to explore the famous city. Our first stop was Union Square, a bustling center for commercial activity. There are several department stores, boutiques, restaurants, nightspots, galleries and more. During our visit in summer 2023, floral murals are set up in and around Union Square. “Union Square in Bloom” is meant to honor the area’s rich history and tradition of flowers adorning the area. Flowers are brightening up the streets with flower stands and decorative installations.
We continued on from there, doing what we do best, wandering by foot somewhat aimlessly. Getting lost in side streets and back alleys is the norm for us. San Francisco is very vast and hilly but much more walkable than we anticipated. We were able to cover ample ground in a relatively short amount of time during our trip.
All The Places
We quickly found ourselves venturing into Chinatown, one of the oldest and best established in North America. It is a bustling maze of streets and alleys brimmed with notable sights and smells. There are traditional eateries, herbalists, bakeries, souvenir shops, cocktail lounges, karaoke bars, ornate temples, street art and more. We were tempted by a lot of the treats we saw but sadly could not indulge. Many places only accepted cash which we did not have at that time. Word to the wise: even though it’s a plastic centered world bring cash while traveling if you can.
From Chinatown we seamlessly transition into Little Italy, again one of the best either of us have visited. The area, which locals call North Beach, is famous for its rich Italian heritage. There are countless trattorias, bakeries and cafes, a vibrant nightlife, and nearby city landmarks. We stopped to enjoy coffee and people watching at the aptly named Luke’s Local. One thing we always make a point of anywhere we travel is to drink the coffee. We love trying local coffee and the ritual of sitting down and watching the world go by as we sip that delicious happy go-faster bean juice, as we’ve taken to calling it. This is something that is non-negotiable for us no matter where we are or what our budget is.
The Only Way Up Is Down
After getting sufficiently caffeinated, we walked up the streets to visit the historic Coit Tower at the top of Telegraph Hill. Coit Tower is a 210-foot (64 m) tower overlooking San Francisco and the Bay. The interior of the art deco tower features murals in the American fresco mural painting style, painted by 25 different onsite artists.
Our journey leaving Coit Tower was much more enjoyable than the trek up it. We ventured down beautiful garden adorned steps, including the notable Filbert Street Steps on our way to the waterfront. The steps were steep and filled with traffic so as we were heading downhill, we had to pay close attention and take nimble steps, all the while trying to take in the lush surroundings. Once we found our way to the waterfront we began meandering from pier to pier.
In typical tourist fashion, we explored Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39. This historic waterfront district is one of the busiest tourist areas in San Francisco. It is central to the city’s fishing industry and is filled with souvenir shops and world-class restaurants. The Wharf dates back to the Gold Rush era, where Chinese immigrants fished just offshore, followed by the Italian fishermen. Stands are set up along the beach selling crab, oysters, shrimp, and more. It is here that the clouds part ways and we finally get our first glimpse of blue sky and sunshine since arriving.
Tourists for Days
We continued exploring the area, visiting the historic Ghirardelli Square, home to the local Ghirardelli Chocolate Company, founded in 1852. We had our first glimpses of the famous cable cars, the world’s last manually operated cable car system and an icon of the city. To top it off, we had soup in a classic Boudin sourdough bread bowl while sitting outside overlooking the water.
As it was still early in the day for us, we walked back to our hotel and see the famous Lombard Street, famous for its steep, one-block section with eight hairpin turns. The street is the most crooked street in the world and is crawling with tourists both on foot and driving down the street with their children hanging out the side windows taking videos. We made it back to our hotel sufficiently tired, but hopeful that we’d at least made some gains in the leg department from all the hills.
Day 2 – Travel Is Best When Highly Caffeinated
We started our second morning in San Francisco channeling our best George Clooney impersonations while drinking Nespresso in bed like the suave dapper beings we are. It may have been the pristine hotel bed setting, the caffeine cravings from an exhausting day prior, or the mystique of Mr. Clooney influencing our experience, but that Nespresso was the best Nespresso we’ve ever had.
Sufficiently caffeinated and undeniably sexy, we ventured out for the day. Luke led the charge this morning, navigating us to City Hall. We are quickly surrounded by sleek tall skyscrapers, clean streets, and fancy people everywhere. Enjoying the sights and sounds, we do check of Google Maps to realize we are going in the exact wrong direction of where we were supposed to. Another navigation fail.
A quick pivot leads us inwards, toward the city and away from the water to our intended destination. As we approach City Hall it feels more like the city halls I’m used to: run-down, a bit sketchy and smelly. All jokes aside, the actual City Hall itself is a grand domed Beaux-Arts building built in 1915. We even see two wedding parties celebrating, including one with a fire brigade.
A Full House of Dreams
From there we continue onto Alamo Park and the Painted Ladies. Luke questioned why the Painted Ladies were so famous and I looked him straight in the eyes and gave him the most logical and appropriate answer, one of which I think all elder millennials will agree on: Full House. We soon discovered they are famous landmarks for an entirely different reason, but that Full House brought more attention to them. If you are like me and only know of them from Full House, take a seat as I enlighten you. Painted ladies are Victorian and Edwardian houses and buildings that were repainted, starting in the 1960s, in three or more colors to embellish or enhance their architectural details. There are 7 famous ones at Alamo Park, but we saw several others that we found to be even more vibrant, beautiful and intricate scattered throughout the city.
Diverse Districts
Our next stop was the Castro District, one of the first gay neighborhoods in the United States and still one of the most prominent symbols of LGBTQ activism and events in the world. The area is easily identifiable with rainbows hanging from streetlights, displayed in store windows, painted on sidewalks and roads, etc. There are many businesses with cheeky double-entendre names, incredible people watching and amazing fashion. We visited a pink themed, Mexican inspired coffee shop called Sisters Coffee and watched the world go by.
Continuing from Castro we headed towards the Mission District. The only thing we knew of in Mission at the time was two alleys full of street art, and although the street art did not disappoint, Mission in general blew us away. Mission District, known as the Latinx Cultural District, immediately transports us back to South America. It’s a vibrant, dense, lively area with sights, sounds, smells and people everywhere. We explored the streets, saw amazing artwork (a separate post is coming), and took a nap in Dolores Park to ensure we had enough mojo to get through the rest of the day.
An Evening in Prison
Our last adventure for the day was a night tour of Alcatraz. I originally didn’t have much desire to visit the famous maximum security prison but am glad I was convinced to go and now would recommend it to others. Many parts of the island were blocked off and some areas were being restored, but the parts we did get to see and the self-guided audio tour was fascinating and heartbreaking. It was interesting to see and hear a fraction of the experience through people that actually lived it. Throughout the night there were additional informative talks scattered around various parts of the prison, telling stories of prisoners both past and present around the world.
I end the night squealing in an Uber. The roads both up and down were incredibly steep. We were going to fly out of our seatbelts and through the front or back windows, I was sure of it. If I had been able to, I would have taken a video but I was incapable. I was sure my phone was going to fly out of my hands and smash me in the head.
Day 3 – Fighting the Fog
Our last full day in San Francisco was a nature filled day that kept us guessing. It was different than either of us expected and took us on an emotional weather rollercoaster. The morning began with clear blue skies, George Clooney-vibe Nespresso, sustenance from Trader Joe’s, and all hopes and dreams intact. We figured if any day was a day to see the Golden Gate Bridge, this was it.
First on the sightseeing tour was Golden Gate Park, a huge park with 19 distinct ecosystems, over 2,000 plant and animal species, and countless attractions and cultural institutions such as the Japanese Tea Gardens. We only explored a fraction of the park’s vast trails and distinct areas.
Karl, Is That You?
It’s not long before we realize our hopes of good sightseeing weather may not be realized. The fog rolls in, the wind picks up, and the layers come on. San Francisco sunshine is short lived but appreciated. We left the park and visited the ocean where we were greeted by confusing temperature winds, sand in our faces, a menacing raven and English-sized seagulls. Not quite the ocean beachfront either of us envisioned.
We continued our journey inland exploring fancy neighborhoods and small beaches before reaching Presidio Park and the Presidio Coastal Trail. The trail meanders through native blooms and shrubs, windswept Monterey cypress and rocky coastal bluffs before ending at the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. We stopped for lunch at an old army lookout, one of many on the coast. It was here that we watched the fog in anticipation as it started to lift ever so slightly granting us a partial view of the Golden Gate Bridge. It wasn’t the iconic sight we had hoped for, but was better than nothing.
We spent our last night exhausted in our hotel room, feet and calves aching from our adventures but our hearts full and our wanderlust temporarily at bay. We accomplished almost everything we had set out to do and added many more reasons to our list of things we want to see, ensuring our eventual return to the San Francisco Bay Area.
Day 4 – Goodbye San Francisco
Our fourth and final day in the city was a short one as we flew out in the afternoon. We spent the morning relaxing and reminiscing in bed before grabbing a quick bite to eat at a local restaurant and begrudgingly hopping aboard the BART to San Francisco International Airport to depart home for Edmonton.
What do you think of our adventure? What did we miss that we have to add to our San Francisco future list? Let us know in the comments section below.
