I love that feeling of traveling to a new destination! Last week I experienced that excitement again as I was about to visit San Francisco and Napa Valley for the first time. My sister, sister-law, and I surprised my mom with a birthday trip! Our first girls trip and I can tell you it will not be the last.
Overall, we enjoyed our time in San Francisco and it was a fun city to visit. However, we were ready to head to Napa for so
me wine and relaxation. I often am asked about fun long weekend destinations. With an easy non-stop flight, great California weather (most of the year), and so much to do for just about anyone, this makes for a great weekend getaway.
We stayed just one night in San Francisco and we didn’t waste any time. We walked and walked some more. One thing we didn’t realize prior to our arrival was how intense all those hills are. I enjoy being active and looked at it as a workout. We walked around with a map like typical tourists and knew the sites we wanted to see. We checked ou
t Nob Hill, China Town, Lombard Street, Fisherman’s Wharf, and Ghirardelli Chocolate. This was all on our first day. My absolute favorite was Lombard Street, it is a one-block section with eight hairpin turns. Also during our entire walk we were in awe of all the row houses. Each one so different!
On our secon
d day we rented bikes and headed to the Golden Gate Bridge. This is something I will always remember! There was a lot of fog over the bridge but I did not care, it was amazing. Such a great experience! We planned to bike thru the Golden Gate Park and to the Painted Ladies. However, this was before we knew about all the hills. Lets just say 11 miles on a bike here in Minnesota is completely different than downtown San Francisco!
A few takeaways from this city are to wear comfortable shoes, be ready for some hills, and be flexible in your plans and schedule. You are going to walk a lot but there are many UBER drivers to help you out when you are tired. Bring water with you, a camera, and a city map with all the highlights. Enjoy the sites and just have fun!