San Francisco is such a fun and lively city. I decided to take the kids on a very quick two day trip in July to be the ultimate tourists!
We didn't rent a car, our hotel was within walking distance from the Wharf and the kids had a list of things they wanted to check off their bucket list!
Here is a recap of what we accomplished :)
Day 1:
Alcatraz Tour
This small island out in the SF Bay, is one of the largest attractions for tourists when they visit San Francisco. It houses facilities for a lighthouse, a military fortification a federal prison (where many famous mobsters were held at various times), and a military prison. The freezing cold water temps and very strong currents made it impossible for prisoners to escape. Although many tried.
We pre booked tickets which I highly recommend, especially during the busy summer months. Arrive about 30-40 min early so you can get in line for your boat. An amazing experience and highly recommended!
Many people think of Boudin Bakery or sourdough bread when they think of San Francisco. The HOME of Boudin Sourdough is located right on the Wharf. This building allows you to see the bakers at work making beautiful bread creations and you can dine in and shop as well.
If you love great fresh seafood and are willing to pay just a little bit more, you MUST try this historic restaurant. It was built in the late 1950's and has some amazing views of Alcatraz, the SF Bay and the Fisherman's Wharf. It was recently remodeled but still has the old world charm. Including all of the fun pictures of celebrities that have eaten at the Franciscan, along the wall as you walk up to the main eating area.
If you are looking for all sorts of sweet treats, whether it be chocolate, candy, salt water taffy, ice cream ......... This is the place for you!
Day 2:
We wanted to get out early on our last day, and Crepes sounded good! So we headed here. It turned out to be a great idea. Whether you like sweet or savory, you will find something you like.
This well known Pier has it all!
Musical Stairs, Fun Food Factory, Lefty's, Mulberry and Grand, Sea Lions, and MORE!
During WWII the USS Pampanito made six patrols in the Pacific. During this time, it sank six Imperial Japanese ships and damaged four others! It is operated by the Maritime Park Association, over 100,000 visitors a year come to see this historic vessel.
This is a very cool little fun find tucked away in the Wharf area. It is filled with interactive murals and great if you have teenagers that want fun photos to add to social media :)
We stopped by on our way to Ghirardelli Square.
I happen to LOVE Ghirardelli Square and never pass up a fudge sundae when I am visiting :)
I was shocked that my kids were not hungry enough to have a sundae, but oh well!? HAHA
We did run into our friends who were in town as well while they were getting some treats there. Such a fun part of SF!
Lombard street is a well known tourist spot in SF. It is known for its steep one block section with 8 very sharp turns. According to Wikipedia, it is "the crookedest street in the world, and has upwards of two million visitors per year and up to 17,000 per day on busy summer weekends. Cars are allowed down the street and pedestrians can walk along the sidewalk. My kids were the ones that actually wanted to make the trek uphill to Lombard Street then down :) We caught an Uber after that walk!
We ended our trip at Golden Gate Bridge! We took it all in, and even walked about to the midpoint of the bridge and back. It was very windy but the kids loved it!
We were exhausted by the time we caught our Uber back to the airport, but so happy we packed as much in as we did in only two days!
Can't wait to take the kids back to the Bay Area again!
Happy Traveling!
xoxo
Elisa