What To Do
48 hours isn’t much time to experience all that San Francisco has to offer, but I hope the following list helps give you an overview of what you can see if you’re really planning to maximize your time -which you should! For us visual folk, I created a map to mark the hotspots, photo ops, restaurants, and hidden gems that are mentioned below. Pin this post.
Tourist Hot Spots
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- Pier 39: Very touristy
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- Fisherman’s Wharf
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- Ghirardelli Square
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- Cable Car Ride
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- In-N-Out Burger: If you’re a fan of the iconic burger chain, stop by on the way to the airport – but be sure to leave plenty of time because lines are long. There is also one right by the piers.
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- Chinatown
- Alcatraz
Photo Ops
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- Civic Center Plaza
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- Coit Tower
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- Grace Cathedral
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- Cable Car Ride: We rode the California line
- Lombard Street: The world’s crookedest street is gorgeous in the spring and summer when flowers are in bloom. 8 hairpin turns paved with Victorian mansions and hydrangeas (visit in the spring!) will make for some great photos.
Hidden Gems
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- 16th Avenue Tiled Staircase: This is a beautiful staircase that has a tile mural on the steps.
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- Palace of Fine Arts Theatre
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- Lands End Labyrinth
- The 39th floor bar of the Marriott Marquis – great city view!
Parks
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- Alamo Square and the Painted Ladies: If you’re a Full House fan like me, make sure to stop by Alamo Square and see the Painted Ladies, the four beautiful Victorian houses featured in the opening credits and pictured above.
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- Golden Gate Park: Larger than Central Park, this oasis is filled with activities, including the de Young Museum, Legion on Honor, and the San Francisco Botanical Gardens.
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- Crissy Field – Right by Golden Gate (and where I took most of the pictures in this post.)
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- Union Square: Union Square is in the heart of downtown and it gives you a great sense of the city, and probably the best area to shop in.
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- Mission Dolores Park
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- Yerba Buena Gardens:
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- Last time I went to Yerba Buena Gardens, I stopped at awesome tea house called
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- and had the BEST iced tea.
- Muir Woods and Beach
Where To Eat
Brunch
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- Bar Tartine
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- Park Tavern
- Farmerbrown
Coffee and Specialty Shops
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- Mr. Holmes Bakehouse – Have you seen pictures of that neon sign that reads “I got baked in San Francisco”? They were taken here. Come in early because these baked goods sell out quickly.
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- Arizmendi
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- Liguria Bakery – for 8+ flavors of focaccia bread
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- Salt &S Straw – Ice Cream
- Sightglass – Coffee
Lunch
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- Little Gem (Gluten-, dairy-, refined sugar-free)
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- Lavash
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- Tacos Cala
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- Gracias Madre (Mexican – Vegan)
- : I have not been here, but found it when writing this post and it looks stunning. It overlooks the ocean and has great reviews. Definitely going next time I’m there!
Dinner
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- Wayfair Tavern (American)
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- Cadence (plenty of Vegetarian options)
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- Panhandle (Mexican)
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- Del Popolo (Neapolitan pizza)
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- NOLA – in Menlo Park. If you’re going to Mountain View during your trip, check out a place called NOLA. I had such a great meal there.
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- Here’s a
- of hot restaurants.
What To Pack
The weather tends to be mild, but with fog and wind from the Bay, you may want to bring a few pieces to layer. A casual dress + leather jacket + sunnies = a great combo that’s easy to pack. Keep a scarf in your bag for chillier parts of the day.
Where To Stay
If you’re only there for 48 hours, I would suggest staying downtown and being within walking distance from the most notable attractions. You can’t go wrong with Marriott and there’s a great Marriott Marquis in SOMA. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous and want to find a last-minute stay, you can use Hotel Tonight to book a steal of a deal. How that works is if a hotel doesn’t fill their rooms, Hotel Tonight features them for a fraction of the regular room rate. From what I’ve found, the rates are often unbeatable and all of the hotels are top quality brands and boutiques.
Travel Tips
Bring a scarf: Since it’s by the water, it can get windy and bay fog comes and goes. Keep a scarf in your bag to deal with temperature changes.
Bike when possible: San Francisco is such a fun city to see by biking – particularly in the flat areas of downtown and by the piers. Last time I was there, it was $9 to rent a city bike and you could use it as many times as you’d like within 24 hours, with each use being no longer than 30 minutes at a time – which is plenty of time to get from point A to B downtown. That sure beats an Uber!
Bring cash: The cable cars and many other attractions require cash. A cable car ride costs $6 and it’s totally worth it.
Wait for the fog to roll through before visiting Golden Gate.
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