One thing I found especially challenging was figuring out what to do in the city. I felt simply at the loss for picking out the perfect things to do. So many guides felt to touristy or family oriented. I wanted to strike that balance between relaxing and adventurous - it was hard to plan, but I think I found just the right mix. My goal is to share what I did to help you if you are ever visiting San Francisco. By no means is this all you could do or even the best - but it's what I did and I hope you find that helpful.
We flew in to San Francisco on a Thursday and got in around 9am, so we had the day to explore. I'd almost say we got there too early because we hit that awkward time of arriving in the city (taking the BART from SFO) around 10am. We didn't want breakfast, but nothing was open for lunch. Our Airbnb let us drop off our stuff, but check-in couldn't happen for a few more hours. Luckily, we found a nice coffee shop just around the block from our Airbnb and had some chai and pastry while we waited.
We stayed in the Mission District at an amazing Airbnb. We were close to all the action but on a cozier street. So the first day, we decided to just explore the neighborhood. I asked for a few recommendations from our Airbnb host prior to arriving and she was super helpful. We set off to walk down Mission Street and then head back up Valencia.
First stop: Clarion Alley. The Mission is full of amazing street art and this Alley is covered all over with beautiful murals. It really gives you sense of the neighborhood and what people believe in. I love how the art allows you to feel apart of the conversation around community issues.
Afterwards, we headed down Mission Street for some famous Mission Burritos. There are so many choose from, you could just pick which ever one you want. We went to Taqueria Cancun. So good! Yum. It's a pretty simple menu. Pick your dish, your meat, a few other things and you are set to go.
Full from lunch, we decided to turn up Valencia street. Mission and Valencia are two streets that run parallel to each other. And boy they are like different worlds. The Mission street was lively and authentic. Valencia was more trendy and upscale.
On Valencia is where you'll find lots more little boutique stores, coffee shops, and fancy restaurants. We popped into a lot of the shops and explored. It was good fun - but it definitely has to be your thing. For those who love shopping or just looking, this is the place to explore.
We also stopped by Dolares Park, which most of was under construction, and hit up Bi-Rite Creamery. It was perfect!
After exploring, we went back and settled into our home for the next few days. We unpacked, got situated, and decided what was next. We looked at my copious notes I made on One Note and decided to tackle Alamo Square and then hit a grocery store on the way back.
I was just a little bit nervous, because I knew we'd have to tackle some hills to get there. The Mission is quite flat and easy to navigate, but crossing over to Alamo Square meant hills. Luckily, it really wasn't that bad. It was good practice and kind of fun to walk up the hills. And once we got there, it was just beautiful. The sun was starting to set and it was just perfect.
Not gonna lie, once you get there - there isn't much to do. I mean, these are real houses that people live in. It had just rained, so we couldn't really picnic (like on Full House, obvi). But it was just so beautiful that once we took our photos, we sat on a bench and took it all in. It felt amazing.
Afterwards, we headed back toward our place. Stopped a Whole Foods (so stereotypical) to pick up some snacks. We ate at a random burger restaurant - nothing fancy - and then just fell asleep. It was a perfect first day.
