A week-long guide to San Francisco

My final week in the US was on the west coast, in sunny San Francisco (SF for short). It was my first time visiting California and SF - with my trip being a mixture of catching up with some old friends, whilst also seeing all that the city has to offer. This blog will give you a 6 day guide of what you can get up to in SF.

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Day 1

Arrive at SFO Airport

I flew from Houston to San Fran, which was a 3 and a half hour direct flight. Coming in to land, you get a great view of the Bay Area, with San Francisco International Airport right by it. Upon arrival, the airport was easy to navigate to collect my luggage, and make my way to the rideshare zone. There is also the option of taking the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit, essentially like a train line) from the airport into downtown SF, but I had a large suitcase with me that would be hard to move.

As in Houston and Vegas (which you can read more about in my other blogs), taxis and driving is the main way to get around the wider San Francisco area. In the center, there are plenty of public transport options however, with buses, trams, cable cars and trains at hand. However, depending on your route, public transport can be tedious or even dangerous if travelling late through certain areas. Hence while in SF, I used a mixture of public transport, ubers and walking to get around. It's one of the few US cities that you can actually walk around, which I enjoyed.

The easiest way for you to pay for the public transport is to load some funds onto a Clipper Card. You can either pick one up physically at metro stations, or add it to your digital wallet on your phone. I did the latter, and from there it's super easy to top up and use. Simply scan it each time you use public transport. If you are able to, do use the public transport in SF as it's significantly cheaper than Ubers. The Clipper Card also works on all modes of public transport, saving you from buying multiple types of tickets.

Check into your hotel

In terms of accommodation, hotels and Airbnbs are you best bet of finding somewhere to stay in SF. If it's your first time, I would recommend staying close to the downtown area. The following neighbourhoods are great for first-time visitors:

• Union Square - this was where I stayed. Well connected to the rest of SF, with many places of interest within walking distance.
• Pacific Heights
• Nob Hill
• Noe Valley
• North Beach

Accommodation in SF is expensive, so have a look on all platforms to find the best deal. From a safety point of view, I would avoid booking any accommodation in the Tenderloin neighbourhood (in red on the map below) and if possible to not travel through the area. Unfortunately, it is a hotspot for drug use and crime and can feel quite unsafe - so best to not try your luck with it. Other than this area, I felt safe and comfortable when exploring the rest of SF.

Visit the Cable Car Museum

The Cable Car Museum is part of San Francisco's heritage. Doubling down as a museum and powerhouse for the still-running system, it was fascinating to learn about the construction and engineering of the cable car, as well as how it has developed over the years. Later on in the week I got the chance to ride the cable car, the journey being far more memorable now that I knew about it's history. The Cable Car Museum is free to enter, and there is a small souvenir shop inside. On display are various mechanical devices, as well as three antique cable cars from the 1870s. I would allow ~2 hours to properly visit this place - and it's one I wouldn't miss.

Day 2

Escape the city and go for a hike

The nice thing about the city of San Francisco is that within a 30 minute drive, you can be in the middle of the woods surrounded by nature. There are lots of hiking, walking and running spots to explore, and days 2 and 5 of my visit saw me get some serious steps in.

The first was the Grabtown Gulch to Purisima Creek Loop, a 7.4km circular trail near Half Moon Bay, California. It was largely through wooded areas, with quite a lot of incline/decline. I did the hike in trainers (or sneakers for those across the pond), but if you have walking shoes I'd recommend using those. The ground was still muddy despite it not raining for a few days. I'd say it was a moderately difficult hike, and our legs were defo feeling it as we finished the last few km. Nonetheless, it was nice to escape the noise of the city for half a day and spend it amongst redwood trees & banana slugs (yes, those are yellow slugs!).

Day 3

San Francisco Walking Tour

As has become routine on my travels, a walking tour was in order. The San Francisco walking tour took me mainly through the downtown areas of the city, including:

• Union Square
• Chinatown
• Little Italy
• Transamerica Pyramid
• Salesforce Tower

Learning about the history and development of SF was interesting, in particular it's 'rags to riches' sort of story. Some of the facts that stuck in my head include:

• Back in the day SF was a pretty dodgy place, made up of mostly people on the run, criminals and outlaws!
• The Gold Rush in 1849 was what exploded SF's population from a few 1000 to 100's of thousands. Everyone flocked to the area to try and get rich.
  • With this influx of people, SF got safer and different types of communities moved in.
• It has the oldest Chinatown outside of China in the world.
• SF weather rarely gets really hot or really cold. Can change quite quickly too due to the fog (affectionately named Carl) from the Pacific
• SF 49ers (american football team) got their name from the year that SF found gold.
• People in SF generally oppose tall buildings, which is why they are usually 3-4 storey's high

Have lunch in the Ferry Building

The Ferry Building was where I went for lunch after the walking tour. Originally the literal gateway to the city for people arriving by Ferry, it is now a collection of independent shops and restaurants. There is also a great food scene, with my choice of lunch being vegan Jamaican cuisine.

Visit our aquatic friends by Pier 39

From the Ferry Building, if you take a 30 minute walk north following the shoreline, you will arrive to Pier 39. There's a bunch of food and entertainment there, but I went for one reason only - seal spotting! A colony of seals have taken over Pier 39 since 1990, controlling the pier and jetties where boats used to moor. I was lucky enough to see a bunch of them chilling on the pier, clearly enjoying their private space and the attention from tourists.

Ride the cable car

After visiting the Cable Car Museum, it was only right to try out the cable car for myself. From Pier 39, the Hyde cable car stop is not far at all. You can use your Clipper card to pay for the ride. I'd recommend to ride the entire Powell-Hyde line, as it finishes close to Union Square with plenty of transport options. It was a cool experience, seeing how the tram operator uses the lever to control the speed and movement of the car. Note: the queues to ride the cable car can get quite busy, so try to go on a weekday when it's quieter.

The map below shows the cable car routes on offer, with the red line being Powell-Hyde.

Day 4

Escape from Alcatraz!

I boarded the ferry in the morning, and as I made my way to the former prison the fog around it cleared, giving me a clear view of the infamous Alcatraz. This island was once a fort, military prison and maximum security federal penitentiary, and is a must-do when in SF. Ferry tickets (which include access to the island, which is a US National Park), can be bought here, with frequent shuttles to and from the pier. Once on Alcatraz, you can spend as much time as you'd like there. I ended up spending almost half a day, purely because there was so much to see. Things I'd say to do are:

• The guided ranger walk of the island
• The prison audio guide tour
• Visit "The Big Lockup" exhibit
• Learn about the American Indian occupation of Alcatraz in 1969.

The weather in the bay area can change quickly, so bring appropriate clothing when travelling to the island. Also note that no food is allowed to be consumed around the island apart from at the port, in order to preserve the natural habitats.

See the Warriors at the Chase Center

As someone who grew up playing basketball, seeing the likes of Steph Curry live was an opportunity I couldn't give up. The Golden State Warriors basketball team play at the Chase Center, and I managed to catch their game against the Charlotte Hornets. It was a win for the 'dub nation', and I had a great evening. Similar to the Houston Rockets game I attended a few weeks prior, American sport is all about keeping the crowd entertained for hours, and the Warriors delivered.

Day 5

Hike along the west coast and over the Golden Gate Bridge

Another hike closer to the city was from Lands End to the top of Battery Spencer via the Golden Gate Bridge. This was a really nice walk, taking over half a day to complete. Start at Lands End, which is on the west coast of San Francisco, neighbouring the Pacific Ocean. I followed part of the Lands End Trail, until I got to the Golden Gate Bridge. It was a fairly flat and easy walk, and definitely doable in trainers. The views were stunning, with the Pacific Ocean on one side and Californian woodland on the other. In the distance you could see the Golden Gate Bridge, and it got larger and larger as you approached it. The path is well signposted and popular amongst walkers, so it's hard to get lost.

The Golden Gate Bridge is open to pedestrians, so you can walk along the iconic bridge and get a true sense of it's scale. At the southern end there is a visitor center, cafe and toilets should you need to use them. Once over the bridge, start the Battery Spencer Trail, which will take you up a nearby hill to get that perfect shot of the bridge. I hiked during the day, but if you can get to the top of Battery Spencer for sunset - a few friends of mine have said that it is stunning!

Use a Waymo

As someone I met in San Francisco put it, "the future was delivered to San Francisco, but not everyone has access to it". It was an interesting statement, and an example of this is Waymo - autonomous ride hailing. Yup, that's right. In SF, you can get in a taxi with no driver, and it will take you to your destination! Using a Waymo was a very cool (and nervous) experience for me - getting in the passengers seat in a car that just starts moving didn't feel real. But, I must say I felt super safe at all times. The autonomous cars used by Waymo have a bunch of sensors on them, giving the vehicle 360 vision and awareness. Arguably, these self driving cars are safer than those with humans behind the wheel - at least they don't experience road rage! If you're looking to try one out, they are actually competitively priced against Ubers and Lyft (sometimes even cheaper). Just download the app and buckle up!

Day 6

Walk through the panhandle to Golden Gate Park

On my final day of sightseeing, I took a stroll through Golden Gate Park via the panhandle - appropriately named as the area of green space looks like a saucepan. Golden Gate Park is huge, 1,017 acres to be exact, and I could have spent way more time there, or come back for a run if I had more time. It's great as the park is pretty much car free, making cycling, walking and running safe. Bring a picnic here, sit by the lake or visit the various museums and centers in the park - this is somewhere I would visit again if I was back in SF.

Day 7

Return to SFO and get ready to go home

And with that, my week in SF had come to an end and it was time to pack up and make my way home to London. This also concluded my 5 weeks in the USA, and what a trip it has been. Grateful for being able to see so many places and have new experiences, I'd say I enjoyed my time here more than I thought I would. As always, thanks for reading and until next time!

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