Union Square
Anthony and I got the chance to fly out and spend a week in San Francisco last December, before driving back across the country to our home in Indiana. I am still going through my photos from that trip. Our last day in full photo documentation can be seen here.
After spending that week exploring the city, it has become my favorite city in the US. And is now my top recommendation for must see city. (though I haven't been to NY or Seattle, those are next on my list)
I have so many favorite pictures That I haven't posted, and I could devout whole entries to each day I spent there. But to save time (because I don't think I would ever get around to a post for each day) I found some of my favorite photos, to go with my favorite things about the city.
My favorite things about San Francisco (in no order):
The hills
We kept going on long walks and finding ourselves going up some huge hills. This section of the street got so steep that the sidewalk became stairs.
When people say the roads are hilly they are not joking around. We did not realize how high we were climbing until we turned around. The Golden Gate bridge is just out of frame to the left.
Because of all the hills the houses sit at different levels.
Its hard to have straight horizon lines in a city that's all angles. But it makes every photo so layered and interesting.
The weather
Some days are stuck in permanent sunny fall weather. My favorite season, and quite a lot different than Indiana's version of late December.
The other days have fog. Sadly the day we drove up to Muir Woods and Sausalito the sky was completely covered in fog all day. Sausalito is supposed to have amazing views of San Francisco from the North, but we couldn't see anything through the thick curtain of fog.
The shops
Independant shops in yarn, fabric, whatever. The lack of Wal-mart was relieving and the diverse food was delicious.
Local bakery where we got internet one day, a change from the usually Starbucks stop.
The Sourdough!!
All the things to do and see in all the vast neighborhoods. Each of these could be a whole different post.
Behind Whole Foods on Haight Street before Golden Gate Park.
Haight and Ashbury is a popular intersection for its place in the Hippie subculture of the 70's. The streets are lined with graffiti and unique shops based on the subculture.
Chinatown is quite massive, colorful, and varied in it's shop's selection.
The Exploratorium in The Marina District, full of sciency museum type things.
Ghirardelli Square, known for it's chocolate.
Free samples!
Japan town has a quite massive Japanese mall. Nori sheets, chopsticks, and Bento making supplies galore. Even a Sanrio store.
Fisherman's Wharf seems to be the #1 tourist destination (along with GG Bridge, Alcatraz, and Lombard street.) There was a penny press machine on each corner paired with a gift shop. Just about every tourist chain store/restaurant you can think of has set up shop here (Rainforest Cafe, Ripley's Believe it or not, etc) along with Men who have painted themselves to look like their made of metal and people who do some kind of unique spray paint spin art for money. It was not a scene of raw fish for sale on ice lining the streets like I had previously imagined, like that scene in Howl's Moving Castle. Still interesting to see, none-the-less.
The ocean
This is the first time I really spent any amount of time with the Pacific. A++ would visit again when warmer so maybe I can stick my feet in. Not much more though, too many living oceanic things.
The sights- There was so much to photograph around every corner.
Muni trasnsportation to any corner you may need to go, no car needed.
So many dogs being walked/ parked outside while their owners shop inside the store. The cutest thing was a chihuahua following on the heels of it's owner, them wearing matching jerseys, fast through the busy shoppers near Union Square. They looked like they do that everyday.
Near Stinson Beach, a beach we heard was beautiful, but we couldn't even see it through the fog.
3rd floor view.
Instead of shoes like in my city.
Muir woods, gigantic Red Woods. I am definitely devoting a post to this. I don't get to walk in the woods often.
After spending that week exploring the city, it has become my favorite city in the US. And is now my top recommendation for must see city. (though I haven't been to NY or Seattle, those are next on my list)
I have so many favorite pictures That I haven't posted, and I could devout whole entries to each day I spent there. But to save time (because I don't think I would ever get around to a post for each day) I found some of my favorite photos, to go with my favorite things about the city.
My favorite things about San Francisco (in no order):
The hills
We kept going on long walks and finding ourselves going up some huge hills. This section of the street got so steep that the sidewalk became stairs.
When people say the roads are hilly they are not joking around. We did not realize how high we were climbing until we turned around. The Golden Gate bridge is just out of frame to the left.
Because of all the hills the houses sit at different levels.
Its hard to have straight horizon lines in a city that's all angles. But it makes every photo so layered and interesting.
The weather
Some days are stuck in permanent sunny fall weather. My favorite season, and quite a lot different than Indiana's version of late December.
The other days have fog. Sadly the day we drove up to Muir Woods and Sausalito the sky was completely covered in fog all day. Sausalito is supposed to have amazing views of San Francisco from the North, but we couldn't see anything through the thick curtain of fog.
The shops
Independant shops in yarn, fabric, whatever. The lack of Wal-mart was relieving and the diverse food was delicious.
Local bakery where we got internet one day, a change from the usually Starbucks stop.
The Sourdough!!
All the things to do and see in all the vast neighborhoods. Each of these could be a whole different post.
Behind Whole Foods on Haight Street before Golden Gate Park.
Haight and Ashbury is a popular intersection for its place in the Hippie subculture of the 70's. The streets are lined with graffiti and unique shops based on the subculture.
Chinatown is quite massive, colorful, and varied in it's shop's selection.
The Exploratorium in The Marina District, full of sciency museum type things.
Ghirardelli Square, known for it's chocolate.
Free samples!
Japan town has a quite massive Japanese mall. Nori sheets, chopsticks, and Bento making supplies galore. Even a Sanrio store.
Fisherman's Wharf seems to be the #1 tourist destination (along with GG Bridge, Alcatraz, and Lombard street.) There was a penny press machine on each corner paired with a gift shop. Just about every tourist chain store/restaurant you can think of has set up shop here (Rainforest Cafe, Ripley's Believe it or not, etc) along with Men who have painted themselves to look like their made of metal and people who do some kind of unique spray paint spin art for money. It was not a scene of raw fish for sale on ice lining the streets like I had previously imagined, like that scene in Howl's Moving Castle. Still interesting to see, none-the-less.
The ocean
This is the first time I really spent any amount of time with the Pacific. A++ would visit again when warmer so maybe I can stick my feet in. Not much more though, too many living oceanic things.
The sights- There was so much to photograph around every corner.
Muni trasnsportation to any corner you may need to go, no car needed.
So many dogs being walked/ parked outside while their owners shop inside the store. The cutest thing was a chihuahua following on the heels of it's owner, them wearing matching jerseys, fast through the busy shoppers near Union Square. They looked like they do that everyday.
Near Stinson Beach, a beach we heard was beautiful, but we couldn't even see it through the fog.
3rd floor view.
Instead of shoes like in my city.
Muir woods, gigantic Red Woods. I am definitely devoting a post to this. I don't get to walk in the woods often.
great post. we are trying to plan a california trip for next spring and I think i want to start in san francisco. i can't wait to see your post on the redwoods. that is something i am dying to see!
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