It was necessary to make a second trip back to San Francisco since I missed so many important things on the first trip. However, not so solo this time.
After settling into the hotel room, China Town was the first stop since it was so nearby. In all honesty, I’ve been to only two China Towns (NYC and now, San Fran), but I feel comfortable saying there are three things you can expect: uniformed similarity from city to city, amazing chinese food and an abundance of knock off designer items.
Next up was an early morning tour of Alcatraz Island. It was rainy and cold, which made the island look all the more gloomy and added to the effect. It was an interesting tour through history that can be experienced at your own pace or navigated by a tour guide.
Alcatraz
After Alcatraz, I decided that conquering the city via bicycle would be interesting. There were many different bike shops throughout the city, but Blazing Saddles appeared to be the only company with a 24 hour drop off location and, therefore, the best option.
We skipped the recommended path in order to complete our own “To See” list. From the bike shop, we headed to Lombard Street: “The Crookedest Street in the World” then headed into Fisherman’s Wharf for Lunch at Alioto’s. It was a random find, but definitely a good choice. The Dungeness Crab Bisque is worth a trip back!
Lombard Winding Street
Dungeness crab bisque from Alioto's
After lunch, began the scenic bike ride to the Golden Gate and the 1 mile ride across it. What we didn’t keep in mind was the fact that the ride home is always longer… Despite the wind, rain and cold; I was on a mission to conquer the bridge and conquer we did!
Bike Trail to the Bridge
Golden Gate Bridge
Too tired to ride back, we learned how to lock bikes on the rack of a Public bus…
After two eventful trips to ‘Frisco,’ there are still places that I didn’t get to see! If I ever make it back, I’ll be sure to visit the Japanese Tea Garden and Bison Paddock in the Golden Gate Park.
Eclectic Lemonade Stand 