San Francisco Travel Guide

Girls Trip Plus Size Travel Guide Travel Guide

Chinatown Fisherman’s Wharf Mission District Embarcadero Sausalito Golden Gate Bridge Ferry Building

Biking the Golden Gate Bridge Farmers Market at the Ferry Building Pier 23 Drinks & Lunch Sausalito Tartine Bakery Top of the Mark at Sunset Women’s Building in the Mission District

Alcatraz Accessibility Biking the Golden Gate Bridge Golden Gate Park Struggles Muir Woods Accessibility The Streets of San Francisco

1. Biking the Golden Gate 6. Chinatown Bridge 7. Ghirardelli Ice Cream Sundae and Square 2. Farmer’s Market at the 8. Mission District Embarcadero 9. Muir Woods 10. Arcade Museum 3. Alcatraz Island 4. Sausalito 5. Golden Boy Pizza

WELCOME TO SAN FRANCISCO! Flying into San Francisco is fairly easy. We had no problems getting our luggage, scheduling Ubers, or with security lines. (United Airlines) We arrived late Friday night and left on a Wednesday afternoon around rush hour. We didn’t run into any traffic or delays. Ubers from the city (Financial District) to the airport ran about $35 USD at the busiest times.

Our Home Base - Union Square Hotel Cartwright Finding a good hotel rate was a bit tricky. We had to look pretty hard. Hotel rooms with two beds were what we ended up having trouble finding but we ended up paying a $192/night fare (in mid-March). I enjoyed staying in Union Square and felt right in the middle of everything. The hotel itself was a classic but with a modern look inside the room. Unfortunately, the bathrooms were way too small for my taste, but what space issues there were, the staff’s hospitality made up for.

The Streets of San Francisco The streets of San Francisco are NO JOKE! TIP: Make sure you pack your comfy shoes and athletic clothes for the days you plan to walk more. TIP: If you’re from flat land areas (like me and my Texas living) consider hitting a stair climber before your trip just to loosen the calf and thigh muscles.

After dining at Dottie’s we planned on visiting the infamous Chinatown. When we came around the corner we were looking to walk up Taylor to get to the Dragon’s Gate, the picturesque welcome to Chinatown. Walking that hill didn’t seem so bad, until our bellies reminded us we were still super full. We got PRETTY FAR until, that’s right, I called an Uber. Do you see that climb up there??

We found ourselves at a similar spot towards the end of our trip when we went to Top of the Mark for sunset cocktails. Walking down the hills puts you in touch with some different muscles for sure, as well as toes scrunching into the top of your shoes. So don’t have TOO many cocktails up there!

The Cable Cars of San Francisco Surprisingly, we took more Ubers than we took Cable Cars because they were SUPER busy, had confusing stops, and were a bit expensive. As of 2019, a single pass will cost you $7, a day pass is $12, and a 3-day pass is $29. The time we rode was later at night and was a lot of fun. We had to sit on the inside part of the car but made new friends with everyone in there. The outside crew was a bit more lively with a bachelorette party and other outgoing people. It can get quite chilly in the wind! It’s definitely worth a try, but consider downloading the Muni Mobile app before you go, so that you’re ready to pay with your app and not have to scramble for cash or ask a million questions on paying, like we did! Be prepared to stop every few blocks for passengers getting off and on. It’s a slower way to get from one area to another. Also, there are a lot of pulls, jerks, and loud noises. If that is bothersome, try sitting towards the front. The break is in the back.



Ferry Building This building is so picturesque! It’s great for photography, especially the tower. In the front of the building, there are streetcars that pass by regularly too. They’re a fun way to get around the wharfs for a fairly cheap price, $2.75 a ride. (Download the Muni Mobile to save & for ease.) In the back of the building, the beautiful bay and Bay Bridge provides fun photo opportunities and a chance to grab a breath of fresh air.



Farmer’s Market The Farmer’s Market was such an amazing place to start our journey of San Francisco! Meeting so many local businesses, and tasting their delicious foods! Open on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and especially Saturdays, it’s a great place to visit for meals, shopping, and souvenirs..

Dandelion Chocolate at the Ferry Building OH MY GOSH! What an amazing first food experience of San Francisco! The Mission Hot Chocolate was the perfect blend of smooth and spicy and that s’more, y’all, it’s even better than it looks in the picture! Don’t miss this place if you see one of their few places in San Francisco!

Acme Bread & Cowgirl Creamery The Farmers Market is NOT to be missed! The outside tents are great, but the established shops inside are also very impressive. I stopped at the infamous Acme Bread and Cowgirl Creamery where I picked up an amazing sourdough bread and some tasty swiss cheese. I went next door to the Sidekick grill where my friend had a grilled cheese and I just opened my wrapped swiss and pulled off some bread from the loaf. It was such a tasty meal stop! TIP: Consider your choices when shopping here, though. I bought portions that were too large to finish but we were traveling all day and had no refrigeration at the hotel.

Bay Bridge If you follow the ferry building all the way to the end you’ll find a fabulous outdoor area with lots of benches. It’s a great place to get family photos and Instagram selfies with the double-decker Bay Bridge.



Crowded Photo Opp The iconic sign of Fisherman’s Wharf is smack dab in the middle of the streets! There were musicians and street performers along with a ton of people! We tried forever to get a good shot, and finally just laughed and went on our way.

Aliota’s - Upstairs Bar With all the commotion on the street of Fisherman’s Wharf, we decided it was time to have a drink. We had done a ton of walking and dodging crowds. We wanted somewhere a little less busy, and found the perfect solution with Aliota’s. The bartenders were super friendly, and their upstairs bar overlooked the entire wharf! When visiting Fisherman’s Wharf, they say clam chowder is a MUST. I say otherwise! Clams aren’t my thing, but if they are yours, you’ll love Aliota’s!

Arcade Museum - Musee Mecanique My friend wanted to stop inside this “museum” so she gets all the credit for the AMAZINGLY FUN time we had! Inside, there are 100+ year old games that are barely working beside games from my childhood in the 80s. It’s bright, fun, and has something for everyone. TIP: What to bring - Cash, maybe even a $20 bill to get lots of quarters for play and some wipes or hand sanitizer for germs. HIGH SCORE on Centipede!

Pier 39 Boardwalk Pier 39 is the definition of “touristy.” But that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. We enjoyed souvenir shopping and there were some great deals to be had on shirts & hoodies. I even found my left-handed store! Lots of places to grab a bite to eat, too.

Sea Lions of Pier 39 The sea lions of Pier 39 were one of my favorite memories of the trip! We stayed here and watched the sea lions for at least 30 - 45 minutes. They’re often there catching sun, but do leave in June for mating season so beware if you’re traveling during early summer months.

Pictures don’t compare to the experience of viewing the famous San Francisco sea lions. They are LOUD, some are fighting and knocking each other off the barges. Some are sliding off and swimming, and man, do they get mad when another friend tries to bump up against them when napping! Make sure to bring your camera and/or video recorder. TIP: There were TONS of people viewing the seals when we first arrived. Be patient. You’ll get to the front eventually and get to enjoy your time.

Ghirardelli Square We hit Ghirardelli Square around sunset and got to see the plaza all lit up. There are some nice restaurants and shops here, as well as the big Ghirardelli store, where you get a freebie chocolate and can buy tons more! This is a great place for girls’ night out, date night, and for families. Make sure to bring your camera for some fun selfies too!



Ghirardelli Ice Cream Sundaes Inside the Ghirardelli Square entrance is the ice cream shop where you can sit and enjoy one of the many sundaes available. I am a sucker for “world famous” attached to anything, so I tried the classic. IT WAS AMAZING! The hot fudge chocolate was so good, but it wasn’t overly rich. The ice cream wasn’t overpowering and blends so well. The peanuts and cherry add a nice taste, and the whipped cream was a great addition. There’s no need for additions, like cookies or brownies. Check out their MENU! The ice cream shop gets very busy, so be prepared for a wait before ordering, and the struggle of finding a table, especially for bigger parties.

The Buena Vista Thanks to Google Trips, I was able to see that Buena Vista, home of the famous Irish Coffee, was close by when visiting Ghirardelli Square. It was a vibrant bar, though a bit touristy. The bartenders were great and the dark wood created an environment that reminded me of Cheers. A nice, casual bar to spend a night, or even an hour.



Alcatraz Island https://www.alcatrazcruises.com/ Adults Day Tour $39.90 If you’re going to San Adults Night Tour $47.30 Francisco for the first time, I would HIGHLY recommend putting this on your top 3 things to do. I would schedule at least half a day so that you aren’t rushed when on the island. *Schedule your tours in advance* We chose to use Alcatraz Cruises because it’s very convenient and hosted by the National Parks Service. We bought our tickets early, but the nice part is, you only have to pay ONCE and you get the entire experience for that cost, including everything I’m going to share with you!The park rangers are right where you load. There are indoor and outdoor spaces on the boat ride to get some sun and good views.



Alcatraz Island Tips https://www.alcatrazcruises.com/ Take the EARLIEST tour time! COMING IN: Notice the crowd waiting for the introduction from the boat. We took the first ride over in the morning. It was a good investment. It was busy when we arrived, but even busier as we were leaving around midday. LEAVING: This was our view after the boat was FULL. Still long lines waiting to get on a Alcatraz Federal Prisonboat back to the mainland.

Alcatraz Island Tips https://www.nationalparks.org/connect/blog /what-expect-when-landing-rock Don’t miss the welcome information from the park ranger before starting up the hill. Some people just kept walking but, for me, who didn’t come in with a lot of knowledge, I learned quite a bit about what I was going to see and what it all meant. After the park ranger spoke, Park Ranger he introduced a former inmate At first, the ranger was just telling jokes til everyone was off who tells his the boat. Then he gave some historical information about the story and you “Indians Welcome” sign, structures, and introduced a former can meet in the inmate who was there to talk about his experience and later, bookstore. sign books in the gift shop. Also, watch the orientation video in Building 64, a part of the park that was a Civil War Fortress that’s on the left as you head up the hill. The video helps you get your bearings a bit and lets the loud and crazy people run up to the cells. Alcatraz Federal Prison

Alcatraz Island Tips https://www.alcatrazcruises.com/ Adults Day Tour $39.90 Adults Night Tour $47.30 ACCESSIBILITY Prison When arriving on the island, you may think Drop Off you’re touring the first building you see. But, really, look UP! You’re headed up the hill to the building at the top. THAT is the prison. If physical accessibility is an issue, you can talk to the park rangers at the station by the entrance. There are golf cart vehicles that can get you up the steep walk up.

Alcatraz Island Prison Tour The Alcatraz Island audio tour is really great and is included in your ticket price. It’s interesting, easy to follow, and the device itself is easy to control. I found myself pausing to take pictures, chat with a friend, and just contemplate what really happened here. Walking around the prison listening to recorded prisoners and sound effects really makes it an incredible experience. You actually walk the first floor of the prison. The sound effects in the kitchen area were pretty gruesome, though! They talk about the use of knives and stabbings. It lost my interest quickly. Alcatraz Federal Prison

Alcatraz Island The Ruins The buildings here were destroyed by fire in 1970, during the Indian occupation of 1969 - 1971. The Indians claimed it was a ploy by white men to get them off the island. While outdoors taking tons of pictures, you’ll really love the ruins that are on the other side of the island, opposite of the Golden Gate Bridge. Make sure to head outside by the Admin building. Alcatraz Federal Prison

Alcatraz Island The Flora All over the island, you’ll see some beautiful spots. They’re great for picture opportunities and to just take a breath and take in the experience.

Alcatraz Island The Water Tower Peace and Freedom. Welcome. Home of the Free Indian Land Did you know?? The water tower was an Alcatraz island had no water supply of its amazing piece of history own. It had to import water from the that was new to me. The mainland by tug boat or barge. Native American takeover of the island from 1969 - 1971 was a powerful story, as well as the work behind the newly restored paint in 2012. Click below for more information. https://www.nps.gov/alca/learn/historyculture/alcatraz-water-tower.htm https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/25/us/alcatraz-american-indian-occupation-graffiti-preserved.html

Alcatraz Island The Guard Tower Something about this structure just made it such a focal point when walking around the island. I found myself continuing to capture it from different places. It definitely creates an atmosphere of being watched! Alcatraz Federal Prison

Book Lovers! GREAT SOUVENIRS! Parents & teachers, there is a middle PS: Do you see these amazing grade mystery series featuring Al photo backgrounds for family Capone and 3 out of 4 in the series are sold on the island. They are photos? HILARIOUS! I had to get them! Alcatraz Federal Prison

Pier 23 As we were riding back to the city from Alcatraz Island, we asked a local boat captain where he enjoys going for lunch. He recommended Pier 23, a spot featured on the Travel Channel for their fish tacos. We sat out on the porch and enjoyed great drinks, amazing truffle fries and great, fresh fish tacos! I would definitely recommend this fun restaurant on a warm day with friends!



The Dragon’s Gate WELCOME TO CHINATOWN!

The Dragon’s Gate Warning: Objects appear larger than they are in real life. The Dragon’s Gate is so fun but the first time I saw it I was shocked! I took a picture as we walked up to it on Day 2. From far away it’s masked by tall buildings on the sides. To get a dead-on picture of the gates, you’re going to have to get in the middle of a very busy intersection.

Chinese Red Lanterns In Chinese culture red lanterns symbolize prosperous business and makes a beautiful display when you walk through the streets.



Street Art The street art in Chinatown was so beautiful. What a great surprise! I loved, loved, loved the dragons, the odes to Bruce Lee, and even Tupac.

Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory Another Google Trips find! This fortune cookie shop had such a long line. but it was totally worth it. The chocolate covered, sprinkled cookies were so good. And watching the women work was really neat to see how the cookies are formed. Grab your souvenirs here!