A Weekend In {San Francisco}
The Golden City
Rolling hills, vibrant city lights, mouth-watering food, a cool breeze, and a generally blissed out attitude make San Fransisco exciting for all ages and lifestyles.
Words by Mary Bryce
Friday
Begin your stay at the quaint Metro Hotel. Located near busy Haight Street, the Metro Hotel has soft beds, high ceilings and fabulous, large brass keys to unlock each door.
In the morning, walk to the Mission neighborhood, a beautifully eclectic area, home to San Francisco’s Latino community. Stop by the world-renown Tartine Bakery. Tartine’s Banana Cream Tart (which has a thin layer of crisp caramel on the bottom) is absolutely not to be missed. Get the tart to go and have a picnic in Dolores Park, where you can lounge in the grass and admire the city’s skyline. If you’re still hungry, head to hole-in-the-wall Yamo for delicious and fast Burmese food. A must try is the spicy, slippery Yamo House Noodles with beef.
Saturday
San Francisco takes coffee seriously, and Repose Coffee Bar is no exception. The marble countertops, beautiful flower arrangements and thoughtful baristas make for a soothing morning. From there, meander over to Haight Street, one of the city’s bustling shopping hubs. On museum-like stores with unbelievable vintage clothing; in particular Decades of Fashion and Wasteland have remarkable selections. Stop at Magnolia Gastropub and Brewery for a craft beer and excellent French fries.
Sunday
A cozy Sunday brunch is best at Mama’s, located in the North Beach area. Afterwards, wander over to famous Pier 39, where you can shop and watch sea lions play and sunbathe. Afterwards, head to massive Golden Gate Park. (Be sure to consult a map, as the park is over 1000 acres.) Take your time walking through the gorgeous Japanese Tea Garden, the oldest public Japanese Garden in the United States. If you’re not too tired, tour the modern DeYoung Museum. Admission for the galleries is $10; however, the Harmon Education Tower Observation Level, which has a 360 view of the city, is free and the ideal place to watch the sunset. Finish the night with drinks at The Independent, and catch some live music to celebrate your weekend.
If You Go…
Getting Around: The city has a variety of transportation including bikes for rent, ridesharing services like Lyft and Uber, buses, lightrail, and the famous cable cars. That said, everything is easily accessible on foot.
Events: San Francisco Renegade Craft Fair (July 16-17) Makers of handmade goods assemble for the Renegade Craft Fair to show and sell their wares.
Forecast: Expect temperatures in the 70s with lows in the upper 50s. (Bring a sweater for chilly evenings.)
