The City by the Bay
15.47 miles.
35,664 steps.
62 flights climbed.
That’s San Francisco in a nutshell—all in one day, all on foot! And to think I only covered a portion of “The Golden City.” I don’t necessarily always ascribe to the “Go big or go home” theory, but if I’m only going to have a short time to explore something new, I’m going to see as much as possible! And for all the effort it took to just get to this city by the bay, I thought it best to maximize our time there.
Staying in an RV Park in Petaluma (about 40 miles north), it seemed our best option for traveling to and from the city was via train and ferry. Maisie was a champ! While she had been on a ferry a few times before, the train was a new experience. She’s not the biggest fan of being on what is to her a moving floor, she nonetheless held it together and was loved on by other passengers (of course). Cool and foggy that morning (shocker, I know!), the ferry ride offered fantastic views of the two main bridges, Alcatraz and Angel Islands, and the San Francisco skyline. I ended up deep in conversation with an older woman from the area, so didn’t see as much as I might otherwise! Typical me.
Our first goal was to explore the wharf, traveling along The Embarcadero down the eastern waterfront of the Port of San Francisco from the ferry terminal all the way to the Golden Gate Bridge. There were quite a few interesting statues and art installations along the way. Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39 were also … hmmm … interesting. Told by many that it is a must-see stop in San Fran, I have to admit it’s not really my cup of tea. A little too commercial for me, but lively and a little busy even for a cool Tuesday early afternoon in the spring. I imagine it to be streaming with tourists in the summer, so counted my blessings once again that I’m here at a slower time. I had to take in some local fare, stopping by Boudin’s for clam chowder in their famous sourdough bowl. Boudin’s still bakes their sourdough fresh every day using the same mother dough cultivated from a gold miner’s sourdough starter, and are San Francisco’s oldest continuously operating business. It was scrumptious!
Before heading out from Pier 39, we had to check out the sea lions. It was such a bizarre scene—hundreds of sea lions, just hanging out on some floating docks. I wondered, were they living their best life? Apparently, these famous sea lions moved in shortly after a devastating earthquake in 1989. Drawn by the newly refurbished, empty boat docks, abundant herring, and safe haven from predators, their population swelled. To some, they serve as a symbol of recovery. So while they aren’t basking on giant boulders along the bay or ocean shoreline, I suppose they are living their own version of the best life. Maybe?
Setting our sights on the beach near the Golden Gate Bridge (still a couple of miles down the edge of the bay), I decided to take a little detour to investigate some of the interior of the city. Not only was Ghiradelli Square calling, but so was Lombard Street! We headed up—and up, and up, and up—Hyde Street, with the destination of the famous Lombard Street in mind. Y’all. Have you ever walked the hilly streets of San Francisco? Oh, my goodness! I’m glad I had recently gone on some arduous hikes in a few national forests and parks, to get my legs ready. The rise in elevation from the bay to Russian Hill is about 350 feet, and just over a few blocks. It felt like it was straight up! Seriously, the street had to be at least a 45 degree angle. We stumbled on a dog park and hung out for a bit to catch our breath with a whole bunch of four-legged friends, one of whom was Maisie’s twin. Then once we got to Lombard, we got to walk down one of the most well-known one-block streets in the country, famous for its steep descent with eight hairpin turns. Walking down the steps alongside it was a little more direct than driving it, but still super steep!
We then went back down to the bay and explored a lovely park called Marina Green, along with the St. Francis Yacht Club, The Marina District Lighthouse, and Crissy Field Beach. The lighthouse was built in 1931 using cobblestones salvaged from the city streets. Crissy Field is one of the closest beach areas to the Golden Gate Bridge, and even though I would have loved to walk across the bridge, dogs were not allowed, and I had more I wanted to see anyway. But we did stop long enough to admire the parasailors; what a sight, with the sandy beach in the foreground, the rough waters of the bay, and the Golden Gate Bridge in the background. Quintessential San Francisco.
Although I was starting to get a little tired, I knew I still had a couple of hours before the last ferry left for the day, and it was what I thought was a three-mile walk back to the ferry terminal. (Just discovered when writing this that it was actually 4.6 miles, and that was if I walked directly back. Which, of course, I didn’t.) We looked over and saw a beautiful dome-like structure, and just HAD to go check it out. Man, am I glad we did! It was the Palace of Fine Arts, and was just so mesmerizing. It turns out it is the only remainder of the most opulent world’s fair ever held in the United States (1915). Conceived to evoke a decaying ruin of ancient Rome, the Palace of Fine Arts became one of San Francisco's most recognizable landmarks. The most prominent building of the complex—a 162-foot-high open rotunda—is enclosed by a lagoon on one side and adjoins a large, curved exhibition center on the other side, separated from the lagoon by colonnades. As of 2019, the exhibition center (one of San Francisco's largest single-story buildings) was in use as a venue for events such as weddings or trade fairs. There actually was a couple there taking professional wedding photos; I cannot imagine a more scenic venue for that! It’s just too hard for me to describe it all in words, so here are some photos I took instead.
Realizing now that we needed to start heading back to the ferry terminal, I decided I didn’t want to take the same path, and figured what could it hurt to walk through the city instead? Clearly—and I’m assuming you already surmised this yourself—I did not have the opportunity to do much research before this particular tour. I had been here a couple of times before, but not in more than 20 years. San Francisco is one of the steepest and most densely populated hilly cities in the country, claiming around 53 named hills. I could see Coit Memorial Tower from where we were, and thought, “Why not?” Afterall, it is a famous, 210-foot tower in Telegraph Hill, so there’s that. And just another 300 feet in elevation change over the course of just a few blocks! As we struggled up Telegraph Hill Blvd with burning quads, we pushed on until we reached the base. Well, ALMOST the base. I checked my watch and we only had a little more than an hour until the FINAL ferry left for the day. Did I want to take a chance on missing it just to go the rest of the way to the tower? Well, yes. But, no. Refueling with a granola bar and downing more water, we headed down more than 500 steps back toward the terminal.
What a day! We finally made it to the ferry terminal, with 30 minutes or so to spare. I really had not intended on walking more than 15 miles but was so glad to have done it. We were rewarded with a beautiful sunset on the ferry ride across the San Francisco Bay.
Bay Area, Day 2
A rest day. That is all. Haha.
Bay Area, Day 3
As I’ve mentioned probably a million times, one thing I love to do when traveling is to visit colleges and universities. Though I’ve been to probably a hundred—I’m not really prone to exaggeration, am I?—I had never been to Cal Berkeley. Maisie and I enjoyed walking all over their beautiful campus just two days before graduation, of course taking in the football stadium but also the main part of the academic campus, including an elevator ride to the top of the Campanile—at 307 feet tall, it is the second-tallest freestanding clock and bell tower in the world.
There were a few things I had wanted to see on my walkabout in the city the other day, but just didn’t have the time, so I thought I’d drive through it after leaving Cal. The Painted Ladies were our first stop; how lovely it was to see lots of folks out picnicking in the park across the street on this glorious Thursday afternoon. According to sources, the term "Painted Ladies" refers to the row of iconic, candy-colored Victorian and Edwardian homes, widely known as "Postcard Row". They are special for their dramatic juxtaposition of ornate 19th-century architecture against the modern downtown skyline, and their starring role in pop culture. The trees in front of the famous houses have grown enough now to obstruct some of the view, but this iconic San Fran location was too awesome to miss. Bonus? I found a parking spot on the street a block away (a LEGAL spot), and didn’t even get my truck broken into! (Apparently, that’s a major problem in San Fran.)
Of course I HAD to drive down Lombard Street next! Tackling that narrow road and all its tight hairpin turns in a giant Toyota Tundra was hilarious. So iconic and something I’m not likely to forget. No pictures, though. After all, I was driving!! After a quick drive through China Town (disappointing, to be honest; I suppose it’s best experienced on foot), we headed for a trek over the fantastic Golden Gate Bridge. Not so fantastic? The $10 it cost to drive across. Oh, well, it is California where everything is expensive! We stopped at an overlook on the other end of the bridge and hung out for a while just admiring the view of the bridge and the skyline from the other side of the bay.
Maisie and I then ventured into Sausalito. What a treasure! Sausalito is a super picturesque coastal enclave, noted for its Mediterranean-style hillside homes, sweeping bay views, and relaxed artsy culture. There seemed to be a somewhat unique blend of small-town charm, rich maritime history, and iconic scenery—along with luxe accommodations, acclaimed chefs at farm-to-table restaurants, and art galleries. According to the Sausalito Chamber of Commerce (consider the source), visitors and residents agree with Coastal Living’s ranking of Sausalito as the third-happiest seaside town in the country. Again, I’m grateful to have gone in the off-season as it seemed to be mostly locals who were out and about, enjoying the bay-side parks, walking their dogs, and exercising. Best sign of the day (from a shop selling cheese and wine): The more you weigh, the harder you are to kidnap… Stay safe… EAT CHEESE.
That about wrapped up our three days on the City by the Bay. We sure did a lot in a short amount of time. I have to say, though, that it was quite shocking to the system to go from the alpine forests, stunning lakes and gorgeous landscapes we experienced over the previous two weeks to a bustling, progressive, urban environment. I had sensory overload of a whole different sort. Well, welcome to my life these days, I guess!
Until next time …