Travels: Hitting Up San Francisco

I recently came back from a weeklong trip to San Francisco with my close friend Chris Benedict. Here are the highlights!

—

The Plan

Our trip had 2 missions. During the day, we’d walk around and explore the popular and hidden sights of San Francisco. At night, we’d catch up with our old friends over dinner and drinks in town.

Day 1: Cycling through Golden Gate to Sausalito

On day 1, we did the traditional cycling trip along the Embarcadero waterfront. You get to see a ton of the hallmark spots while enjoying a beautiful breeze and view ofSan Francisco Bay. The trek takes you along the beautiful Palace of Fine Arts, a classical themed outdoor garden in the middle of the city. For dinner we had Turkish food at Pera, up on Potrero Hill.

Highlight of the Day: Cycling across the Golden Gate Bridge

Sights of the day:

Twin Peaks
Ferry Building
Pier 39 & Alcatraz Island
Fisherman’s Wharf
Palace of Fine Arts
Golden Gate Bridge
Sausalito Village
Pera (Turkish Restaurant)

Day 2: Urban Art at the Mission District

On day 2, we took a self-guided walking tour around the Mission District, the hispanic-rooted community south of SOMA. This area has the best Mexican food in all of San Francisco and some of the coolest street art you’ll find. We finished the day off with a hike up Bernal Heights and enjoyed the view of the city.

Highlight of the Day: Golden State Warriors playoff game against the Houston Rockets.

Sights of the day:

Day 3: Inner City Walking

On day 3, we took an inner city adventure into the heart of Chinatown, up the steep hills of Russian Hill, and down the winding gardens of Lombard Street. Chinatown features a ton of baked goods, gift shops and street art worth checking out.

Highlight of the Day: Hitting up the 2 most popular burger joints in SF.

Sights of the day:

ChinaTown
Russian Hill
A horde of tourists taking photos of Lombard Street
Super Duper Burger
In-N-Out Burger
DeAfghanan Kabob House

Day 4: Beach Bum & a Hike Day

On day 4, we decided to beach bum it out and worked our way out to the Upper West side of San Francisco. We walked up Ocean Beach, down into the ruins of Sutro Baths, and took a labyrinth hike along Lands End.

Highlight of the Day: Dinner and sake bombs at Ryoko Sushi Bar; a japanese sushi bar featuring an in-house DJ blasting loud EDM tunes.

Sights of the day:

Day 5: America’s pastime, a Baseball Day

On day 5, we kicked off the day with some morning ciders and then made it to the San Francisco Giants baseball game. The energy in the stands was wild and the views of the Bay from AT&T Park are incredible. This is a great way to spend a slow day outside. For dinner, we had a reunion at Thai Farmhouse in the Mission District and then walked over for drinks at Trick Dog Bar.

Highlight of the Day: Spending the day at the ballgame!

Sights of the Day:

Day 6: Indoor Games for a Rainy Day

On day 6, we decided to take it easy on the walking and spend a day indoors. We kicked off the day with a morning bouldering session at Dogpatch Boulders. After mastering all the entry-level walls, we went back to Kazem’s house and spent the rest of the day playing pool and ping pong. For dinner, we had Indian and Pakistani food at Aslam Roi. We finished the night off with cheap beers at Latin American Club and rooftop patio drinks at El Techo.

Highlight of the Day: Winning the 5 Game Pool Tournament.

Sights of the Day:

Day 7: Chilling at Dolores Park Day

Our last and final day was the perfect stroll around and park day. Kazem, Winston, Chris and I kicked off with dumplings at Kingdom of Dumplings. We then walked around Golden Gate Park, ventured into Haight-Ashbury, and finished the day off with an afternoon at Dolores Park.

Highlight of the Day: Dancing Robot at Dolores Park.

Sights of the Day:

—

Highlight of the trip: Catching up with old Friends

I just want to thank and appreciate all of my old friends who were able to come out, catch up, and show me a good time. I miss these guys a ton, but am also incredibly happy to see them all moving forward in their lives and pursuing what they love to do most.