San Francisco - Posted 9.19.23
San Francisco Stay: June 25, 2023 - July 30, 2023
Our Story
| Long story short, we sold almost all of our possessions including our home, dropped our youngest off at college, and are now traveling the country. We're staying at Airbnbs about a month at a time while working remotely. Turns out, there is a significant discount if you book an Airbnb for a month or more! See our first post "How the heck did we pull this off?" for more details about how we got started. If you have any questions, post them in the comments or contact us directly. We'll be happy to answer them! |
 Mirror Lake- Duchesne County, Utah |
Disclaimer
| While we are definitely having an amazing experience, life comes along with us. We don't want to give the impression that this journey is always great and stress free. Most of the time it is, but we still have the ups and downs of everyday life. |
 |
Please Comment!
We love to read your comments and answer your questions. You can also comment on individual photos in the linked photo albums as well. |
 |
Where are we now?
| We're in Boise, Idaho through October 21st and are here to see our beloved UCF Knights beat down the Boise State Broncos, which they did! Go Knights! Charge On! We'd love to see you before we leave if you're in the area! |
Albertson's Stadium - Boise State Univeristy
Why San Francisco?
It's freaking San Francisco!  Golden Gate Bridge from Marin Headlands - Hawk Hill |
The Airbnb
Our Airbnb Non-Negotiables | |
 | |
|
|
| San Francisco Airbnb A smaller basement apartment, this Airbnb was great for San Francisco. Airbnbs are quite pricey in San Fran so we sacrificed more room for lower cost. It worked out great and we had everything we needed.  |
San Francisco Top 10-ish
Tyler & Corelise Santostefano's Wedding
| Lucky for us, our time in San Francisco coincided with Tyler and Corelise Santostefano's wedding. Tyler is a former student at Windermere Prep. And he and his beautiful bride were kind enough to invite us! It was a beautiful wedding and fabulous reception. The added bonus was getting to also see former friends, students, and colleagues: Deb Santostefano and Rocky, Chris Santostefano, Andrew Santostefano, and Gary and Dana Conroy! |
The City and its Bridges
The city of San Francisco is one of the most beautiful in the world because of its signature architecture, hilly terrain, Oracle Park, McCovey Cove, the Bay Bridge, and of course the iconic Golden Gate Bridge.
The City and the Golden Gate Bridge
"San Francisco" by Scott McKenzie
Oracle Park & The Bay Bridge
"California Dreamin'" by The The Beach Boys
The Golden Gate Bridge
More Videos & Pics
It's the crown jewel of San Francisco. Of course, you must see the Golden Gate Bridge if you’re in San Francisco. It took several visits to get a clear day for pictures. Karl the Fog (a nickname for the ubiquitous fog, with its own social media account) likes to hang out around the bridge.
Our first glimpse of the bridge was on a cloudy day with a fair amount of fog. On our second visit, it was completely covered in fog; we couldn’t even see if from the Visitor Center located at one end. Third try was a charm. A beautiful blue sky with one narrow patch of fog.
Piedras Blancas Elephant Seals Beach
More Videos & Pics
During our trip from L.A. to San Francisco along the Pacific Coast Highway, we stopped at Piedras Blancas Elephant Seals Beach. Highly recommended.
"This is the only place along the California coast where you can get so close to the seals. There are many other elephant seal rookeries along the western coast of the USA, but most of them are on offshore islands. There are information boards to read, and docents are usually on hand to answer questions and talk about the seals."
Yosemite
More Videos & Pics
We took a trip to Yosemite with Caroline. It was a bit of a long drive, so we stayed overnight in a tiny house — our first try staying in one of these.
Of course, Yosemite is spectacularly beautiful. We lucked out again with the weather and visited on a day with clear blue skies. Summertime means lots of crowds, so we didn’t get to see the Visitor Center. But we did get to see the breathtaking views: Yosemite Valley, El Capitan, Half Dome, Bridal Falls, and Tunnel View.
Morro Rock in Morro Bay
| More Videos & Pics Another stop along the PCH from L.A. to San Francisco was to see Morro Rock in the city of Morro Bay. This is another place in a long line of "must sees" along the PCH. "Our most distinctive and recognizable landmark, Morro Rock stands 576 feet tall and is perched on the edge of the Pacific Ocean at the mouth of our harbor. It is home to nesting Peregrine Falcons and is part of a chain of nine volcanic peaks that extend from San Luis Obispo to Morro Bay known as the Nine Sisters. Morro Rock, now a CA state Historic Landmark, was formed about 23 million years ago from the plug of a long-extinct volcano. You can drive to the base of Morro Rock by way of Embarcadero Road heading north. Please note: climbing is prohibited by law." |
Muir Woods
We were told that we must see Muir Woods. Agreed! What a beautiful national monument. We loved the walkthrough this amazing Redwood Forest.  |
  |
Golden Gate Park
More Videos & Pics
We enjoyed a few of the many attractions available in Golden Gate Park: The Japanese Tea Garden, the California Academy of Sciences, and the de Young Museum. We also heard various music performances going on in the Music Concourse. The park is huge, so there was a lot we didn’t get to see. It’s a must-visit if you ever find yourself in San Francisco.
Oracle Park and the Giants Game
More Videos & Pics
Oracle Park is easily the most beautiful baseball park we've ever seen. The views of the city and the bay are indescribable. There are so many food choices, the park feels intimate, and the field itself is impeccable. A must see, even if you're not a baseball fan.
Chinatown
More Videos & Pics
Gotta see it, right? Had a great time during our afternoon in Chinatown enjoying great food and ambience.
Trolley Ride
| Another must do. Nothing beats going uphill and then having the view of the bay open up in front of you when you get to the top. So beautiful and so much fun. |
   |
The City Itself
As we're sure you know, San Francisco is a beautiful city. Steep hills, unique and colorful homes, spectacular skyline, the bridges and the bay, etc. We loved driving around and also taking local transportation to be able to see as much of San Fran as we could.
Solvang
| More Videos & Pics During our drive along the PCH from L.A. to San Francisco, we made another stop in Solvang, a town about 20 minutes off the PCH. It was well-worth the detour and we could have easily spent a day or two there. "Stroll down Copenhagen Drive tasting Aebleskivers and other Danish pastries, or sampling wine in the shade of windmills. Solvang is a sun-soaked slice of Danish culture, where California wine cellars mix with European bakeries and shops. It’s where you can drink, dine and shop like a Dane without ever leaving the California sunshine. Explore over 120 wineries, boutique shops, or ride the Solvang Trolley for a full tour of the town." |
   |
The Wharf
| More Videos & Pics The Wharf is very touristy, so we did our best to avoid the crowds and enjoy the views of theBay, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Alcatraz. Unfortunately, we just missed seeing all the sea lions at Pier 39. Further down the road, we got to experience the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market at the Ferry Building. We enjoyed browsing the various offerings from over 100 vendors and sampling some of the foods. |
    |
Thanks for reading!
Our next post will be about our time in Ogden/Salt Lake City Utah.
Hope to see you on the road!
-D&K