When you think of a major city, what comes to mind? For me, I usually think about a small number of big things that define the tourist experience in the city. For example, when I go to Washington, D.C., I like to visit the National Mall (home to tons of museums and monuments) and Embassy Row. When I’m in New York City, I like Central Park and Battery Park (where the Statue of Liberty is). In Edinburgh we like the Royal Mile area.
I recently attended a conference in San Francisco and, not having been to this city before (which is weird, considering I spent nearly 6 years living in the state as a kid), I wanted to do a little exploring and to make sure I saw the major sites.
San Francisco Treats
The first thing I’ll say is San Francisco isn’t known for one thing. Or even for a few things. Instead, it’s known for a weirdly eclectic assortment of things.
Before I left, as with most of my travels, I did a quick TripAdvisor search to see what I should visit. As anticipated, the main results were the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, trolleys, and the wildly steep switchback streets that make up much of the city’s road system. Fortunately, much of this is in one broad area, so on my free afternoon, I hopped in an Uber and had them take me over to the famous Fisherman’s Wharf.
The Wharf is a long area that follows along the shore of the Bay, making for some excellent views. As I wandered along, there was such a variety of things to see and experience it was a bit much to take in.
The first thing I saw was what appeared to be a decommissioned battleship (SS Jeremiah O’Brien). The large ‘OPEN’ sign hanging off the back suggested it was open for tours, but I was on limited time, so kept moving. After this, I came across the Pier 39 area, which, at the time, was very busy, so I kept walking. A little further along I came across the world-famous Boudin Bakery, known for its sourdough breads. I wandered through their café and gift shop, and while the smells were amazing, the lines were out the door, so I kept wandering.
As I continued following the Wharf, I came across a small inner harbor area. Lots of brightly colored smaller boats were tied up for the day, and a few others were looking for their last few passengers to take on a cruise out to the Bridge area.
At the far end of the Wharf, you cross the street and find yourself staring at Ghirardelli Park, named for, you guessed it, Ghirardelli. Yes, the chocolate company. And, as luck would have it, there’s a Ghirardelli chocolate factory right in the center of the park. Obviously, I stopped in for a visit, looking for something exclusive to take home. Much of what I found was the same square chocolates I can find at home, so I settled for a mini sundae instead. It didn’t disappoint.
After my sugary snack, I walked around and found some of their famous vintage trolleys that continue to operate throughout the city. Turning my head, I was pleasantly surprised with a great view of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Not looking to head back to my hotel just yet, I reversed my steps and headed back to the Pier 39 area. Wandering around, I found a wide variety of shops in the Pier. Lots of food stands and restaurants, plenty of souvenir shops, and some amusement-type places, too. All the typical things I usually find along an oceanside boardwalk, but mercifully without the sand.
After exploring the shops and Pier, I decided it was time to head back, so I called another Uber and headed to the hotel. On the drive back I had an interesting chat with my driver about the driver-less taxis (Waymo) I’d seen all over the Downtown part of the city. Yes, driver-less. It turns out, there have been around only for about two years, but they’re becoming popular, thought not quite to the point of disrupting the taxi/Uber industry…yet. I can see the appeal (no tired drivers in the middle of the night or early morning, as an example) but it’s still so strange to see the cars driving themselves around with no one in the driver’s seat.
In the end, I probably didn’t see everything San Francisco is known for. But then, maybe San Francisco isn’t really known for any one thing, or even a few things. Instead, maybe San Francisco is known more for its sheer variety of things to see. All cities have lots of things to see and take in, but it felt different in the Bay Area.
All that’s to say, the next time you explore a city, do your homework and make sure you see the main things you’re going to see. But also, be open to taking a walk and really exploring the area. Oh, and please don’t stare at your phone. This is both for your own safety and so you’ll see some of what others overlook.
Happy travels!
