San Francisco: 5 Attractions In 5 Hours

                                         
Good Morning Friends,

It's Travel Tuesday again! Today I am sharing one of my favorite all time spots to visit, the city by the Bay- San Francisco. It is a great place for a day trip or an extended vacation. I was there for just a few hours this time, so this post will cover the 5 places I visited in 5 hours.  These are the most popular attractions. I know these are not new to most people. Some day I hope to take time to find some of the hidden treasure of the city.

I suggest you go on a weekday if it is a one day trip, and wait until 9:30 am to hit the road. Starting north of the city and working our way south, seemed to work well with the traffic flow. Amazingly,  we didn't get stuck sitting in gridlock!

1) The Golden Gate Bridge:

I have been fortunate to visit this bridge several times. However I have never had the chance to walk across it.  We walked half way and turned around- the wind OH MY!  My alma mater is only a 90 minute drive from SFO. I spent 4 years of college in Stockton, and we would often take weekend trips to the bay area.  It is a very special place to me, and there is always something new to discover.

 There is just something about this view, it pretty much takes your breath away. Euphoria is the only way to describe what you feel when you first see  it.  When you visit, be sure to dress warm. Don't be silly girl like me and wear a skirt, the  July sun had me fooled! Even though it can be warm down in the city, it's always cool by the bridge.

What makes the view so unique is the bridge always appears to be suspended in mid air, among the clouds. I suppose it can be seen on a clear day too, but it's never happened for me. The Golden Gate Bridge opened on May 19th 1937.  I was reading up on history of it  a few years ago , and discovered it opened on the very day my dad was born, a special place indeed.

The big rock sitting on the side, is so unique. Not sure if anyone has attempted to climb it, I had a fleeting thought about getting a boat and riding out to it...ha! Oh wow, the photo shoot you could get standing on top of that thing!

If you do walk or bike ride across the bridge, hold on tight to all your belongings. My camera almost ended up in the bay, the wind about ripped it out of my hand!

2) Lombard Street:

Your visit is not complete with out a trip to Lombard street. Walking or driving, it's a beautiful view from the most crooked street in the world ! This famous one block section had 8 hairpin turns, and is located along the eastern part of a neighborhood called Russian Hill.  I always take the easy way( or should I say "lazy" way) and get out of the car at the top , then walk down. Next time I will have to hike It upward, good exercise.

The houses are something to behold, oh my living here would be the ultimate! Well for some chunk change in the amount of 4 million ,one of these gorgeous homes can be yours.

3) Pier 39-Fisherman's Wharf:

This is probably my favorite place in San Fransisco. So much to do and see, and the food choices are amazing! Whatever type of cuisine you are craving, it's here!  The people watching is entertaining as  well as the zany street performers.

Pier 39  also has a ton of unique shops, a video arcade, virtual 3D rides, an aquarium, and boat tours galore.  On most days you can see the huge sea lions being lazy and getting their suntan on. The view of Alcatraz from the pier is quite amazing.  As I mentioned earlier I have been to SFO a number of times, but have never taken the tour of the jail bird island. I hear its quite interesting!

A big hit with the kiddos is the two-story carousel( and big kids like me!). It's always fun to be like a child again, if only for a few minutes!

Both of my kids are left handed, so we always stop at the lefty store on.  I was left handed when I started writing, but my dad forced me to be right handed. He said in the 60's it was considered to be a deficit( or disability). That sounds so crazy-  left handed people are usually very creative.

4) The Painted Ladies:

This was my first time to visit the world famous Victorian homes sitting high on the hill. The city skyline view in the background was absolutely gorgeous.  The houses didn't really seem like anything special  in comparison to all the others in the area.  I know the popular sitcom "Full House" was filmed here, so I'm sure that is  part of the popularity factor. 

The largest of the painted ladies was the most recent one to sell in 2010. It sits on the corner of Steiner and Grove streets and has ornate Italian touches.

That's it of my 5 hour tour. For a comprehensive list of things to do in San Fransisco visit SFGate, a great resource for planning your trip.

5) Cable Car Ride:

The cable car ride is the ultimate San Francisco experience!  It is manually operated and the last one in the world to be operated this way. Wow- it's kind of scary when you are teetering at the top of a big hill, ready to go down...adrenaline rush big time!  Only 3 of the original routes from the 1800's remain. 

The Union Square route is tops in my book, as there is a ton of stuff to see there . The shopping is wonderful. There is  a huge mall with several stories at the end of the cable car line.  The cable cars are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The cable car station is located in close proximity to the Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory. Go grab some chocolate to munch on before you get in line, it usually a long wait for the ride.

That's it for my 5 hour tour. For a comprehensive list of things to do in San Francisco visit SFGate, a great resource for planning your trip.