Morning Stroll via Painted Ladies, Golden Gate Park, Golden Gate Bridge, and Pier 39
Ah, the first morning in San Francisco. Having slept like a king, I had breakfast on the top floor of my hotel, was forced to leave a tip, and headed out to explore. From my friends I heard only one thing about exploring San Francisco – “Avoid Tenderloin at all cost”, which of course I ignored and ended up in the infamous are by mistake. Nothing too crazy early in the morning, just a few homeless people, drug addicts, garbage, and general feeling of despair.
I was actually heading towards The Painted Ladies, which was supposed to be quite beautiful. They are essentially a bunch of Victorian and Edwardian houses, which have been painted and are preserved quite well. As someone who appreciates architecture I wanted to see them. They are in a nice area, the weather was great, so I had a great time exploring.
After stopping for a quick coffee I continued west towards Golden Gate Park. I am someone who enjoys long walks so I had a lot of fun. I walked along The Panhadle park, dodging runners and cyclists, but it was a lovely day and I was loving the fresh crisp air. At the Golden Gate Park I really wanted to see the Japanese Tea Garden. It is not free, but as someone who loves Asian art and style, I just had to go. The plan was to enjoy the park, the Tea Garden, and make my way towards Golden Gate Bridge.
Having checked how long it would take me to walk to Golden Gate Bridge, I hesitated and decided to use the local bus. I still had my Clipper Card that I installed and topped up upon arrival to the airport, so it was quite easy. You don’t even need to unlock your phone to pay for local transportation, very convenient. I must say, my second attempt at seeing it in its glory failed. Once again it covered by thick fog and clouds, but hey, you have to try to succeed.
I was starting to get quite peckish and tired form the wind and fog, so decided to get some food at the wharf, so hopped on another bus and went east towards Pier 39, that is famous for its Sea Lions that just chill there. I was also recommended to try out some local food, namely the Sourdough bread bowl of clam chowder at Boudin Bakery Cafe. It was not bad, but not great. For the money I paid, I left hungry, but that may be just me. Taste wise, I would say 7/10 – did not blow me away, as I had better clam chowder in Boston. Regardless, I had some fuel in me and continued the exploration. I needed to see the Sea Lions. Those creatures can be found at the end of Pier 39, on the west side. You can’t miss that spot, as there is always a crowd of people. That part was fun. I love animals, especially when they are free to do what they want, in the wild.
Alcatraz – “The Rock” and Coit Tower
Yes, my route was not random, I had tickets to visit Alcatraz, “The Rock” at 2PM. Don’t be tricked into spending more than you need to by the way. Tickets can be bought from the official website and they include the ferry transfer as well. All you need to do after booking is to show up near Pier 33. You will again see a lot of people queuing – just join them, get on a boat and have the best time ever.
Getting around San Francisco feel surreal sometimes, all because of the fog and clouds. On moment you are in the scorching sun, next you are shivering due to wind and fog. It was awesome. After catching the boat, it took about 20 minutes to get to Alcatraz island. Upon getting there you get a briefing from the ranger about where to go, what to see, how to get back. Getting back is fairly easy, just check boat schedule that is there and pick the boat time that suits you. You can explore the island as well as the main prison. Main prison is where you can get the audio guide where you can follow the story, narrated by security guards about the life in that place back in the day. Island has many other structures that look amazing. It is also filled with a lot of wildlife, seagulls, and other birds. They are left tot heir own devices so they breed like there is no tomorrow.
Having seen and heard a lot of information I was getting hungry again, but first I had to make a stop at the Coit Tower. I made my way up the hill, as I wanted another great viewpoint. I was tired but not disappointed. The climb was hard and long, but I got there.
By this time I was very tired, so made a tactical pit stop for two pizza slices and went back to my hotel room. It was a lot walking for day one. I knew that I will be spending a lot of time in the near future driving, so had no regrets. Tomorrow is a new day. Once again I was determined to see the Golden Gate Bridge in its glory.
