My favorite thing to do in the entire world is travel to new places and get a taste of what its like to be a local there!
I was born and raised in San Francisco’s East Bay and today I serve the entire Bay Area! The San Francisco Bay Area is a large geographic area divided out directionally between The City, The North Bay, The East Bay, The South Bay/Silicon Valley and The Peninsula. Each area is unique and special in its own way and what I love the most about the Bay Area, is that there is SO MUCH TO DO!!!!!!! Not only is the Bay Area thriving within, we are also coastal, less than twenty minutes from Wine Country, sixty minutes from the Central Valley, two hours from the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and drivable to everything you could possibly fall in love with; from Yosemite National Park, Big Sur, Redwood Forest, Pebble Beach, Monterey, and Lake Tahoe to the 840 miles of coastline and over 420 public beaches. We are located in the location of all locations!
In the spirit of there being SO MUCH TO DO in the Bay Area, I will break it out to my dream itinerary for ONE day in each area!
Let’s start with The City!
San Francisco itself is a relatively small city on the geographic size scale: it occupies 47 square miles with a large population of just under 900,000. It is rich with culture and is broken up in to thirty six different neighborhoods-each with its unique flare that could easily have its own itinerary! Condensing my to do list in my favorite city down to one day was no easy task, but here goes nothin’! I hope you’re hungry (and thirsty) and brought your walking shoes!
Rise and shine!
My perfect day in SF would start with a walk on The Embarcadero along the Bay, watching the sun rise! A great starting place would be The Ferry Building and if you’re there on Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday, it is worth the stop at the Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market!
Heading west toward Fisherman’s Wharf, passing the piers (and famous sea lions at Pier 39), is the direction you will want to head for breakfast!
This is likely the most touristy stop on my itinerary but it is time to wake up with an Irish Coffee at the Buena Vista at Ghirardelli Square. Ghirardelli Square is iconic and beautiful and definitely worth a walk around after your Irish Coffee!
Now that the day is off to an incredible start, its time to order a Lyft and make your way to The Mission! You’ll be spending a majority of the day here so we recommend packing a picnic via a few stops along the way to your final Mission destination…1. Mr. Liquor Here, you will head to the back left corner of the store to select your “bag hooch”. If you’re lucky, the owners will blast some club music while you shop! Trust me, you’ll only need one bag of hooch-they provide the cup and the ice and their portion knowledge is extremely precise! 2. That’s It Market Here you will be picking up lunch! The tiny grill in the middle is responsible for the most delicious Torta you will ever eat! Grab one to go and get ready for the best day of your life! Mission Dolores Park is where you will land with your “Mission picnic”! This place is a big party with a little something for everyone! We usually spend hours sitting here soaking in the sun, meeting new people, and petting strangers’ dogs! Sit back, relax, and enjoy the people watching! Good vibes, always! *while you’re there, if a man comes by with fresh coconuts and offers to sell you one with some rum, GO FOR IT! You only live once! 😉
Perhaps you napped at Dolores Park or perhaps you want to power through! This may also be a great time for a refresh and outfit change so we can get in to the next part of our evening!
North Beach (Italian neighborhood) and Chinatown are right next to each other and this is where you will be spending the rest of the night! Starting in North Beach, the sites are spectacular! For the sake of having somewhere to plug in as your drop off destination, 666 Filbert Street is where I recommend! This is the Saints Peter and Paul Church where Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio got married in the heart of North Beach! Oh, I also got married here, hehehe, my wedding photo is to the left! (our rehearsal dinner was at Original Joe’s across the street if old school Italian fare sounds delicious this evening!)
Another North Beach dinner rec is right there, too! Tony’s Pizza …on the fancier side, absolutely amazing food, and a VERY long wait!
Or, if its a REALLY special occasion, The North Beach Restaurant is very upscale and tasty!
Although I LOVE dinner in North Beach, I am highly recommending taking in the North Beach sites and then heading a few blocks over to Chinatown to eat! Award-winning, family owned House Of Nanking is the first place I take all of my out of town guests when they come to visit and they never stop talking about it! Every bite is incredible and it is such a unique dining experience! We love the sesame chicken and flowering tea!
An after dinner digestion walk would fit in great right here. The sites and shops along Grant Avenue and Stockton Street are so fun and cultural! Be sure to look up!
You still with me? It’s time to bar hop! Or as I like to call it here, its time to go Mai Tai Tasting!
First stop…Buddha Lounge the dive bar of all dive bars, smack dab in the center of Chinatown! Here, I’d order a Buddha beer and be surprised! Here, I would absolutely NOT use the restroom!
Next stop, just a few doors down…Li Po Cocktail Lounge ! It’s dark, it’s mysterious, the blender is grinding constantly, but these homemade Mai Tai’s are world famous and SO yummy! The bartender is a hoot and you will love your time here!
One more Mai Tai! It is imperative that you end this San Francisco dream day at Bow Bow Cocktails ! The owner bartends and the crowd karaokes! It is a match made in Heaven and SO!MUCH!FUN!
If I’m being honest, by this point, I’m usually ready for some late night munchies. Since our go to burger joint is just around the corner, I must mention Sam’s ! Here they get you in and out, are cash only, and 100% hits the spot every time!
I’m exhausted for you! But WORTH IT!!!!! What a day! I hope you enjoyed each stop and can still stand up! Please remember to always drink responsibly and stay safe out there! *Pro tip: we have always found Lyft to be cheaper and faster in the city than other ride share apps.
Did you enjoy this jam packed Day In The Bay Itinerary? There is so much more where this came from and I had a blast putting this together! Please be on the lookout for more Bay Area days to come; both rager style and more family-friendly itineraries!
Cheers!
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