Top 3 ( Touristy) Things To Do In The Golden City of San Francisco With Your Bestie
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San Francisco
& Mountain View, California.
California is my favorite state, hands down. So when I graduated, I told my mom that I wanted to go "look for jobs" in California for two weeks in June, but really I just wanted to visit my cousins and lay on the beach.
God's grace enabled me to secure a job before the trip, so I just knew that I was going to be living THE good life for a little bit before coming back to the monotonous groove of the 9 to 5 in Northern Virginia.
Anyways, my best friend, Tiffani and I planned an impromptu trip to San Fran during my time in Los Angeles. You all will get to know her on this blog because she is definitely my rock. We are just the right amount of different for us to really get along and provide what each other may lack. We also have pretty much the same fondness for travel and adventure. I swear we were both vagabonds in our last life.
We visited her brother in Mountain View, California which is just a short drive from San Francisco. Unfortunately, beaches weren't part of the itinerary, as it was way too cold to do such a thing, but I absolutely loved every minute of it.
While in San Francisco, we took a Salsa class , visited the Japanese Tea Garden where I had the greatest cup of Jasmine Tea, went to Alamo Square (The Painted Ladies of Full House) & saw the breathtaking Golden Gate Bridge.
Although I did not get to visit every place on my list, I, at least, was able to visit some of the main attractions in the city. Below are some photos and a brief description of the activities we did during our time there.
1. Japanese Tea Garden
In the heart of San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, there is a tranquil and harmonious Japanese-style garden that provides visitors from around the world a glimpse of Japanese culture, architecture and landscape. In 1894, Makoto Hagiwara, the architect and superintendent John McLearen reached an agreement for the creation of this garden as a gift for posterity. Makoto poured all of his personal wealth and passion into this 5 acre peace of land where he and his family lived. In 1942, they, along with 120,000 Japanese Americans were forced to evacuate their homes and move into internment camps. When the war was over, Mr. Hagiwara's family was not allowed to return. The family's treasures were removed and new additions were made.
Despite the dismal narrative, the garden continues to be a popular spot for zen and beautiful landscapes.
This is a really great place for a pure shot of fresh air, as they also have great reading spots. I highly recommend visiting.
Admission ( As stated on their website) :
Hours
Open Daily, no holiday closures.
Summer (3/1 through 10/31): 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
Winter (11/1 through 2/28): 9:00 am to 4:45 pm
Admission
Mon, Wed, Fri: FREE admission if entered by 10:00 am
Adult: $6.00 (Residents), $9.00 (Non-Residents)
Senior (65+) and Youth (12-17):
$4.00 (Residents), $6.00 (Non-Residents)
Child (5-11): $3.00 (Residents), $3.00 (Non-Residents) Child (4 and under): Free
2. Alamo Square & The Painted Ladies
You might have seen The Painted Ladies in the TV hit "Full House". These houses are the most photographed locations in San Francisco. I feel bad for the people who live in these houses. Can you imagine people staring at your home ALL DAY and NIGHT. Goodness, the cost of fame is high, huh? But you should know that the Tanner House was actually on Broderick. Nevertheless, these houses are by far the most famous in the city.
The Painted Ladies
3. Golden Gate Bridge
Fun fact: Once called " The bridge that couldn't be built" , the bridge opened in 1937 after a four-year struggle against relentless winds, fog, rock and treacherous tides.
Of course, I couldn't visit San Francisco without visiting one of the seven wonders of the world. The Golden Gate spans from San Francisco to the Marin headlands.
This is a free attraction, but to get the full experience you can begin on one side of the bridge and pay to cross it. When we went, it was a holiday so crossing the bridge was free, so I am not sure of the cost.
I will definitely be visiting San Fran again. There is so much more to this city besides the touristy spots.
Have you been to San Fran? What are your favorite spots? Please comment below so I can have a legit itinerary next time.
