{"id":1883,"date":"2016-05-23T12:30:36","date_gmt":"2016-05-23T12:30:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/demo.slicejack.com\/karta\/?p=1883"},"modified":"2016-05-23T12:34:58","modified_gmt":"2016-05-23T12:34:58","slug":"how-to-spend-three-days-touring-san-francisco","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/demo.slicejack.com\/karta\/2016\/05\/23\/how-to-spend-three-days-touring-san-francisco\/","title":{"rendered":"How to spend three days touring San Francisco"},"content":{"rendered":"

San Francisco is one of the most eclectic cities in the United States. It\u2019s home to liberals, hippies, hipsters, techies, immigrants, yuppies, one of the oldest gay scenes in the States, that big red bridge, Alcatraz, delicious Chinese food, seafood, and, well, food in general (this is a great city to be hungry in). To me, it\u2019s a magical place. While it lacks that certain je ne sais quoi<\/em> that would convince me to pack my bags and live there, I look forward to each visit with excitement (and hunger). There\u2019s always something new and exciting going on.<\/p>\n

The first time I was in the city, I found myself racing around and barely getting anything in.I only had three full days to see everything, and that just wasn\u2019t enough<\/a>. San Francisco\u2019s attractions are spread out and aren\u2019t always convenient to reach \u2014\u00a0there\u2019s a lot of travel time involved. But last month, I went back and saw more sites, ate a lot more food, and figured out the best way to get an overview of the city\u2019s highlights during a brief visit. Here\u2019s what I came up with:<\/p>\n

Day 1<\/h3>\n

Walk the Golden Gate Bridge<\/strong>
\nThe Golden Gate Bridge is one of San Francisco\u2019s most famous landmarks as well as a piece of engineering art. You can walk across the bridge if you want (recommended), drop in at\u00a0the visitor\u2019s center to be briefed on the history of the park, or just stare at it from every angle and take a stupid amount of pictures like I did. Don\u2019t forget to make your way to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which offers a waterfront promenade, views of the bridge, and a number of hiking trails. There\u2019s a Walt Disney museum in the park too.<\/p>\n

Visit Crissy Field<\/strong>
\nAlso near the bridge as you walk along the harbor toward the center of town is this park, which features a beautiful beach, restaurants, piers for fishing, and parks for Frisbee. You\u2019ll find a lot of locals running, walking their dogs, or lying on the beach. It offers sweeping views of the entire harbor.<\/p>\n

Visit The Palace of Fine Arts<\/strong>
\nThe Palace of Fine Arts is a Roman-style remnant of the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition. The outdoor rotunda and its lagoon are one of the city\u2019s most photographed sights. Take a leisurely stroll around the lagoon, relax under the rotunda, or enjoy a picnic on the grass.<\/p>\n

Tour Alcatraz<\/strong>
\nThis former federal prison on Alcatraz Island was home to some of the worst criminals in the US. It was shut down in the 1970s and has since become a national landmark people can explore. There\u2019s no charge to visit the island, but you\u2019ll have to pay for the boat there. I\u2019d suggest taking a tour during your visit so the rangers can provide you with some historical context. Be sure to book the ferry to the island<\/a> early if you\u2019re going in the summer, as it gets very full!<\/p>\n

Visit Fisherman\u2019s Wharf, Pier 39, and Ghirardelli Square<\/strong>
\nThis area covers numerous blocks along the waterfront and is one of the most popular (touristy) things to do in the city. There are street performers, souvenir shops, and tons of spendy\u00a0restaurants. This is a good place to wander and explore for people watching, but don\u2019t eat here. The food is overpriced and, to be honest, not that good. If you want to try some of the mouthwatering seafood that San Francisco is famous for, I really likedWaterbar<\/a> and the Anchor Oyster Bar<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Hang out in the Mission<\/strong>
\nThe Mission District is a fabulous place to spend your night. After your busy day, go relax in Dolores Park for great views of the city, and then check out the Mission\u2019s amazing Mexican food\u00a0(and overall food scene), bars, and clubs. Watch out for hipsters!<\/p>\n

Day 2<\/h3>\n

Ride the Cable Cars<\/strong>
\nRiding the cable cars is an excellent way to tour the city and experience various neighborhoods in San Francisco. Catch the cable cars from Market Street. They\u2019re fun to ride and will save you lots of time walking up and down those hills.<\/p>\n

Visit Lombard Street<\/strong>
\nWhile riding the cable cars, make sure to get off at Lombard Street and see one of the world\u2019s windiest streets. Watch the cars and bikers navigate the sharp turns as tourists gawk at them.<\/p>\n

Head up Coit Tower<\/strong>
\nAnother major city landmark is Coit Tower, perched atop Telegraph Hill. It was built in 1933 to help beautify the city and features 27 fresco murals by different artists. From the top, you\u2019ll get panoramic views of the city (it\u2019s $7 to go to the top). Otherwise, you can explore the monument and murals at ground level.<\/p>\n

Head to Chinatown<\/strong>
\nNext to NYC, this is the most famous Chinatown in the United States (it\u2019s also the biggest). Chinese immigrants first came to the West Coast and set up shop in San Francisco. Due to racial segregation, this neighborhood became predominantly Chinese and has remained so, though the segregation is over. Chinatown here has some of the best places to eat Chinese food (dim sum) in the country, teahouses, bars, souvenir stalls, and fortune cookie makers. Eat your heart out here. I do.<\/p>\n

Go on a Harbor Tour<\/strong>
\nTake an afternoon cruise of San Francisco\u00a0Bay to see the city from the water. You\u2019ll get some good photos, learn about the bay, see some wildlife, and enjoy life on the water. There are many tour companies, but a cheap way to see the bay\u00a0is to take the public ferries for $6.25. Same views, cheaper price. You can find prices and routes on the ferry\u2019s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Hang out in the Castro<\/strong>
\nThe Castro is San Francisco\u2019s gay neighborhood and features a number of ethnic and modern restaurants, as well as a bunch that serve the locally sourced organic food the Bay Area is known for. Moreover, there\u2019s a plethora of wild and fun clubs that cater to both gay and straight people. It\u2019s an awesome place to go out at night.<\/p>\n

Explore Haight-Ashbury<\/strong>
\nThe birthplace of America\u2019s counterculture, the Haight was ground zero during the summer of 1967, a.k.a. The Summer of Love. Hippies used to live here, but yuppies have since moved in, buying up all the colorful Victorian homes throughout Haight-Ashbury and replacing head shops with high-end boutiques, chic restaurants, and hip caf\u00e9s. It\u2019s still a fun place to visit, and Flower Power Walking Tours<\/a> runs in-depth and informative tours through the neighborhood.<\/p>\n

Day 3<\/h3>\n

Take a walking tour<\/strong>
\nSan Francisco has a number of interesting walking tours that can teach you about the history of the eclectic neighborhoods or show you all the scrumptious food the city has to offer. Two of the best companies to use are:<\/p>\n

Local Taste of the City Food Tours<\/a>
\nSF City Guides<\/a><\/p>\n

Eat at the ferry building<\/strong>
\nMy top place to eat in San Francisco, this place is a foodie dream. Outside the building on weekdays are a lot of food stands and on the weekends, there\u2019s also a big farmers market. Inside, you\u2019ll find restaurants and food vendors selling specialty food items as well as butchers, cheesemongers, wine bars, and more.<\/p>\n

Visit the city\u2019s many museums<\/strong>
\nSan Francisco has numerous museums that are worth seeing. Here are my favorites:<\/p>\n

The Beat Museum<\/a>
\nCable Car Museum<\/a>
\nExploratorium<\/a>
\nDe Young Art Museum<\/a><\/p>\n

Explore\u00a0Golden Gate Park<\/strong>
\nThis gigantic park features a Japanese garden (skip it), a museum, an arboretum, and tons of hiking and walking trails. Three miles long and stretching about 30 blocks to the sea, it\u2019s 20 percent bigger than New York\u2019s Central Park. Walking from end to end will take half a day. If that\u2019s too much for you, spend at least a few hours here exploring the park, especially if it\u2019s an unusually warm and beautiful day in the city.<\/p>\n

Relax with a drink<\/strong>
\nAfter all that traveling, you should probably explore some of the city\u2019s amazing brewhouses. The Mission and Castro are two of the best spots for nightlife, but you\u2019ll find amazing bars and clubs throughout the city. Here\u2019s a quick video that features five:<\/p>\n

Special thanks to Stuart for taking me around! Be sure to check out his website too<\/a>, as it\u2019s filled with some amazing travel tips.<\/em><\/p>\n

Got more time? Here are other things to do:<\/h3>\n