San Francisco

After spending a few days in Las Vegas it was time to drive to our final destination in America: San Francisco. It took about 9 hours so it was quite a long drive, but we got to our hotel in one piece but we were all quite tired after sitting in a car all day. We stayed at the Larkspur Hotel, which is on 524 Sutter Street, in the heart of San Francisco’s shopping district: Union Square. Here you can find Macy's, Saks, Westfield and Levis store just to mention a few. Also close to this hotel you have the Financial District and the famous Powell Street cable car line.

I have always wanted to go to San Francisco and I have to say that my first visit to this spectacular city did not disappoint me. We got to see and experience so much that I actually feel like I have seen San Francisco. We bought tickets for a hop on hop off sightseeing bus where our ticket lasted for two days and I totally recommend doing this. It takes you everywhere worth visiting, and it also drives across the Golden Gate Bridge. A little tip: don’t wear a hat as it is extremely windy to drive over the bridge.

Chinatown is the largest Chinatown outside of Asia as well as the oldest in North America. I really liked it here and you could buy t-shirts for less than half the price of what you could find in typical tourist shops. Totally worth it. There were also several restaurants and of course we had to have Chinese food for dinner one night. And it was amazing and cheap. Next to this we also found out that one of the side streets in Chinatown have been used in several movies, such as Indiana Jones and the Karate Kid. It was nothing but a small street really, but it is fun to have been there because we know the history.

One sight to not miss when in SF is Lombard Street. It is one of America’s most crookedest streets surrounded by beautiful Victorian mansions. It was absolutely amazing to see this street and see how slowly the cars were driving down. I am so glad we didn’t try it. But the neighbourhood was beautiful and quite idyllic.

If you want to see some more Victorian mansions, then you should definitely visit the famous Painted Ladies in Alamo Square. They were absolutely beautiful and we got to see the famous postcard houses and take our own photos of them. These houses were in the intro to the TV show Full House.

Fisherman’s Wharf is also a must. It is known for its seafood restaurants, Pier 39 and Ghirardelli Square. We had lunch at Boudin Bakery who is known for its famous sourdough French bread. We bought an amazing bread soup, one of their specialities. I would recommend Boudin if you’re looking for the perfect place to eat lunch or a light dinner.

Like I said, there is a lot to see in this amazing city. Coit Tower is one of them and from this tower you’ll get a great view of San Francisco. It is a monument for the firefighters and is now a popular tourist attraction. Japan Town is also an interesting part of SF and if you’re interested in eating sushi then this is the place. There were sushi restaurants everywhere.

I loved San Francisco and I would love to go back someday. It had everything; shopping, great dining and many fabulous sights. This city has something for everyone and it truly was the perfect ending of our seven week journey around the world.

PS: I have only written about our three weeks in America, but I will soon start on the beginning of our journey. Stay tuned for an insight treat to China, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.

All of the pictures are my own.