Fun fact about me: I have an older sister that is about to get MARRIED in less than a month!! To celebrate this exciting time in her life, my sister, her fabulous bridal party, and I traveled to San Francisco for a Bachelorette weekend. With only a few days to explore one of the country's most visited cities, our schedules were jammed pack with as much San Fran sightseeing as possible. Needless to say, it was everything I had imagined, and I'm already planning my next trip! Sausalito Picture a bustling beach town right off of the Pacific Ocean with rows of docked boats and streets lined with restaurants, shops, and boutiques. You just pictured Sausalito! From ice cream shops, to Michelin Star restaurants, to quaint cafes, there is so much Sausalito has to offer. Our first stop was of course the ice cream parlor, duh! Sausalito Sweets had an amazing milk and honey flavor and a rich raspberry sorbet. Next we did a couple of wine tastings at Real Nappa WInery and Bacchus and Venus Winery. The bartenders were super knowledgeable and were awesome! Next, we popped into Copita for chips and salsa and some bomb margaritas! After, we explored the streets of Sausalito and stopped at Bar Bocce. This spot practically screams Sunday Funday! It had an amazing vibe. It had an open patio area that opened up onto the bar's private beach. The spot is perfect for any size group to go out and chill on the private beach sipping one of their delicious cocktails. After exploring Sausalito for the entire day, we were exhausted and knew exactly what we could do to relax. What sounds more relaxing than a sunset cruise on the Bay?! Nothing! We booked tickets with SF Bay Adventures. Their boat fit about 30 people and had an amazing crew. There was also a cash bar on-board for anyone who wanted to sip wine while watching the sun go down. The star of the cruise was, of course, the views. We set sail at about 7:30 while the sun still had about an hour left to give. We sailed past the Golden Gate Bride, Alcatraz, and beautiful islands. To say the views were breathtaking is an understatement. If you end up in Sausalito, this sunset cruise is the first thing I recommend you do! However... WARNING: bring a parka with a hood! Y'all...I've never been so cold or felt so assaulted by wind before. My group and I thought we looked so cute in our jean jackets until the temperature dropped twenty degrees out on the water. Everyone else got the memo that areas on or around the Bay can be as much as 20 degrees colder than areas just a few miles away. So everyone else was just watching us suffer in their puffer jackets...smh. So we sat there quietly, shivering, and getting two-pieced by the wind. No big deal! Regardless of the weather, the sunset cruise was the highlight of our day trip to Sausalito. With streets chalk full of stores and world renowned restaurants, this beach town deserves an entire day of exploration. I can't wait to go back! Land's End There's so many natural beauties surrounding the Bay area. From Redwoods to Twin Peaks, you could spend days exploring all that Mother Nature has to offer. Since we were only in town for the weekend, we could only visit one. We decided to visit Lands End Trail. Lands End Trail is a moderate hiking trail that has great views of the Pacific Ocean and The Golden Gate Bridge. There were so many different paths that took you to various lookout areas or lead you down to the ocean. We spent about three hours exploring the beach, building wish columns on the shore, and chilling at lookouts gazing at the Golden Gate Bridge. There are a few things to keep in mind. As previously mentioned, areas around and on the Bay can get pretty chilly and windy. The parts of the trail that led down to the ocean were gorgeous, but definitely made my nose run. Also, I would definitely recommend closed toed shoes. Even though the hike isn't extremely hard, the loose gravel and sand can make the paths difficult to ascend and descend at times. Most importantly, be wary of the Stairs! I mean, I enjoyed the fact that I hit my move goal on my Apple Watch, but I was sweating and my glutes were on fire! Be prepared to climb at least 6 flights of stairs to get to the good spots on the trail. From amazing wildflowers, to picturesque beaches, Lands End Trail is nothing less than stunning. Bring a jacket, pack some water, and get ready for the most beautiful butt workout of your life! Chinatown The Chinatown in San Francisco is the biggest one in the world outside of Asia. The streets are decorated with vibrant Chinese decorations and are home to dozens of restaurants and souvenir shops. There are street musicians playing traditional Chinese songs, and their melodies help add to the vibe of Chinatown. We spent so much time looking through the different stores. They varied from Chinese home goods to handmade jewelry. It was a cool experience, but also a tad bit disappointing. There were only a handful of authentic Chinese shops. Everything else was pushing I Heart SF gear, key chains, or cheesy inauthentic Chinese souvenirs. For my anime lovers out there, you MUST stop by the Anime Pop store. It was actually heaven and I didn't want to leave! They had apparel that I had never sen anywhere else. I also recommend checking out Z & Y Restaurant. Their soup dumplings and chicken fried rice were amazing and I literally licked my plate clean. No shame. Overall, Chinatown was beautifully decorated and had a few nice spots, but felt super touristy and inauthentic. As recommended by the locals, next time I will try Little Italy and Japantown. Alcatraz As a self-proclaimed history buff, there is one thing I HAD to do in the Bay area: visit Alcatraz. The Alcatraz Prison is a correctional facility that has held some of history's most notorious criminals and is the topic of many myths and mysteries. It did not disappoint! We used Alcatraz Cruises. We were taken out to the island on a three-story cruise ship. Although there is seating on the inside of the boat, the outside seating is the place to be. Not only do you have a view of Alcatraz at the front of the boat, but also views of the Bay Bridge at the rear. When you finally get to the island, Alcatraz looks like an ordinary prison. The facade of the building does a great job of concealing the beauty that actually lies on the grounds of the prison. Before we headed into the building, we had to stop to marvel at the gorgeous plant life that the island is home to. Bright pinks and lush reds dot the island, and it really makes you forget that you are visiting a prison! There are a number of different tours you can do like the Gardens of Alcatraz tour or a Myths of Alcatraz discussion. The longest part of the trip is the audio tour. It is chalk full of fun facts, narrated stories, and insight from past inmates and guards. It was so interesting to hear about different escape attempts and what life was like for everyone on the island. Afterwards, you are led into the gift shop which hold dozens of Alcatraz-centered book, house decor, and knick knacks. Don't miss out on the chance to meet one of Alcatraz's former inmates, Bill Baker, and have him sign his book, Alcatraz 1259. He's adorable and obviously is super knowledgeable about the prison. Alcatraz is mandatory for anyone visiting San Fran. It's rich in history and mystery. It's more than just an old prison. The grounds have some of the best views in the Bay area and is home to some beautiful plant life. Alcatraz is a place that takes its visitors back in time and puts them in the middle of dangerous and captivating stories! San Francisco was truly amazing. It's a place that is full of natural beauty, rich in culture, and overflowing with entertainment options. It is deserving of more than just one weekend, and I can't wait to go back and explore more of this amazing metropolitan city! Below are some other amazing places to check out in the Bay area.
Thanks for reading!! Feel free to leave me comments or suggestions to add to the page!
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March 2020
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