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San Francisco is a destination whose diversity is its greatest asset. You’d be hard-pressed to find another city where self-driving cars pass soundlessly alongside Victorian-era trams, cloud-scraping high-rises soar over heritage houses, and natural wonders are as close by as big tech giants. From the iconic to the unexpected, a trip to San Francisco isn’t complete without giving these things a try.
1. Bike the Golden Gate Bridge
From Blazing Saddles San Francisco Bike Rentals & Tours, rent an e-bike for an adrenaline-filled ride over the Golden Gate Bridge. Power up to scale steep hills before journeying down Bay Street, with the Palace of Fine Arts in the Marina District waiting for you. Built in the early 1900s, its Greco-Roman grandeur is stunning and worth stopping for. From here, a flat ride past Victorian homes finds you at the beachfront Crissy Field national park, where you can stop for a picture-perfect moment at the Golden Gate View Point.
Via more movie-worthy streets, suddenly you’re atop the bridge. 67 metres above the water, strong winds might deter you, but that’s what makes a thrilling ride. The footpath is busy, but views of Alcatraz Island, the skyline and the Pacific Ocean provide a magical memory. Before you know it, you’re on the northern point and winding down streets into Sausalito.
2. Lunch in Sausalito
The picturesque, waterfront town north of the Golden Gate Bridge is Sausalito. With a Mediterranean small-town feel, it’s famous for colourful houseboats, art galleries and boutique shops. The perfect spots for lunch are found along Bridgeway Promenade, overlooking the bay.
Copita Tequileria y Comida offers gluten-free and organic Mexican fare that’s locally sourced. To start, the jicama and cucumber dish freshens the palate ahead of the spice. The tacos with achiote-marinated, spit-roasted pork or flank steak leave you craving more. Adventurous spirit is at the heart of Sausalito, where hiking, bay cruises, art walks, history tours, wine tastings, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding are the norm.
3. Watch the show Dear San Francisco
A cirque-style love letter to the city, Dear San Francisco’s cast of nine sing, dance and perform gravity-defying acrobatics. At Club Fugazi, it starts with the audience of locals writing letters beginning with ‘Dear San Francisco…’ that becomes intertwined into the performance. Each act captures moments in San Francisco’s history in an emotional telling of how the city shaped its people. The passionate tribute makes it clear this city is full of soul.
4. Dinner at Dalida
At Dalida, executive chefs Laura and Sayat Ozyilmaz elevate Eastern Mediterranean dining with fresh and creative flavours, sourced from nearby farms and purveyors. An extensive wine list is paired with homely food. Octopus carpaccio is perfection on a share plate, thinly sliced with olive-caper dressing and sujuk sauce.
The lamb is otherworldly; butter-roasted dumplings are served with Greek yogurt, and 12-hour lamb shoulder from the tandoor pull-apart tender, with hawaij-spiced keshkek and chickpeas at the base. The winter salad tastes festive, with barrel-aged feta and pumpkin seeds paired with candied walnuts.
5. Dinner and drinks at Bar Shoji
Bar Shoji is a new addition to the Financial District – and has quickly become a crowd favourite, with consistent lines out the door. A matcha café by day, and a Japanese-Thai bar by night, here chef Ingi Son (of the Michelin-starred sushi restaurant, Shota) celebrates the bay’s food scene, with edamame doused in delicious garlic and Marin Miyagi oysters (the biggest you’ll ever try) loaded with a beef chilli-jam topping. The Shoji burger puts on a show, with the chef pouring cheese fondue onto a sizzling plate at your table before lathering the Painted Hills beef brisket patty in it.
6. Ride a cable car
An icon of the city, San Francisco’s cable cars symbolise history and charm. Busy streets and steep hills make for an exciting US$9 ride, where you can sit inside the tram or dangle off the sides. Choose from three cable car lines; two start at Powell and Market and continue to the Fisherman’s Wharf area, another starts at California and Market and continues to Van Ness Avenue.
7. Sit out the front of the Painted Ladies
Along the eastern side of Alamo Square Park, on Steiner Street, is one of the most celebrated parts of San Francisco. Six pastel-coloured homes, known as the Painted Ladies, stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the city skyline behind them. It’s picture-perfect, and the park across the street fills with picnickers, the vintage Lady Falcon Coffee Club truck, and those who love a great city view.
8. Ride a Waymo self-driving car
San Francisco, home to Silicon Valley, is known for tech innovation. It’s no wonder then that Waymo robotaxis – self-driving white Jaguars with rotating cameras and sensors on top – are a common sight. Much like other ride-sharing services, you book your pickup via an app from your phone. While getting in a Waymo is unnerving at first as the wheel turns on its own, you quickly relax and realise the ride is safe and smooth. Self-driving cars begin to feel normal, as they are for locals.
Discover San Francisco
Feature image: Painted Ladies. Source: Shutterstock / anek.soowannaphoom.
