September 2020
Perfect 4 Day Itinerary for San Francisco
Ahh, San Francisco. There is something about this city that makes it a great vacation destination. For a major city, it is on the smaller size and is very tangible – sights are close in proximity and everything is walkable (if you are cool with the hills) or a short ride away. The food scene has always blown us away and there is always something new. There are also some great destinations in close proximity to San Francisco that can make a great day trip option or even trip extension.
We were fortunate to visit my brother several times when he lived in San Francisco, giving us the ability to see many of the sights as well as travel to surroundings areas as well. When we could, we added a night to visit Napa or Somona wine country which is always a treat!
What is there to do?
- Golden Gate Bridge – the icon of SF! Check out all the different places to see the golden gate bridge and do not miss the Botanical Gardens at Golden Gate Park
- Alcatraz – off in the distance, take a boat to visit the most famous prison
- Budget time to walk the perimeter of the Bay and explore each of the piers, including Pier 39 and Fisherman’s Wharf
- Visit the many parks throughout the city – it is amazing to see so much green in a metro city
- Wander through the different neighborhoods- Chinatown, the Mission, Castro district, the Dogpatch, and many more – each has their own personality
- See a baseball game at AT&T Park
- Stop by the famous Pink Ladies, Alamo Square and Lombard Street
- Take a long walk through the Presidio and find the Yoda Fountain and the Palace of Fine Arts
- There are some of the best museums in SF! There are the traditional set like natural science and modern art but there are some unique ones as well:
- Musee Macanique – operational coin arcade
- Walt Disney Family Museum is exceptional
- Exploratorium is the science museum – such fun for all ages
- Days trips – there are endless day trip options that are a great way to round out your SF trip
- Hiking at Point Reyes and visit an oyster farm
- Drive to Napa, Sonoma or Russian River Valley
- Half Moon Bay
- Visit the Muir Woods
Where to eat?
The food scene is definitely one of the things that keeps us coming back – there is so much amazing food in SF! I do not consider myself an expert but these are some of our favorites that we can certainly recommend.
- Sit down meals: Brenda’s French Soul Food, Trestle, Aina, YakiniQ BBQ
- Breakfast/Brunch spots: Jane (adore this cafe!), Elite Cafe, Sweet Maple
- El Techo rooftop Mexican spot… make sure you have a few hours free as you will not want to leave – excellent happy hour and gorgeous view of the skyline!
- Grab Salt and Straw Ice Cream
- Tonga Room and Hurricane Bar – a Bourdain special, a fabulous night!
Here is complete itinerary for visiting San Francisco!
| Day 0 | Arrive in San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge Golden Gate Park and Botanical Gardens |
| Day 1 | Fisherman’s Wharf Pier 39 Lombard Street Coit Tower Chinatown Marina |
| Day 2 | Museum of choice / Alcatraz / Sporting Event |
| Day 3 | Day trip of choice |
| Day 4 | Depart |