This October, Rachel and I traveled to San Fransisco to meet up with each other, explore a city to new to both of us, and celebrate Halloween together like we used to in college. Little did I know ahead of time that I planned this trip during Terez and Andrew’s San Francisco honeymoon. I found out just a few weeks before the trip, so we were able to all met up several times throughout our time in the city. I got to see my two best girl friends in a San Francisco for the price of visiting one! 💕
Our view from the street of our Airbnb in Potrero Hill
Rachel and I stayed in a really cute neighborhood called Potrero Hill, where we had a clear view of the cityscape. The hills in the area were steep and unlike any place I’ve been before. We got a killer calf work out every time we went out for walks, and riding the bus up and down the hills made me feel like I was on a roller coaster from time to time.
In the entrance of the San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers
One of our first days in San Francisco, we visited the Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). As someone who has taken plenty of art history classes, there were tons of historically significant work throughout the museum to geek out about. Rachel and I just about died giggling with excitement when we ran across Duchamp’s Fountain.
On Halloween day, we dressed in matching unicorn outfits complete with white wigs and iridescent dresses. We spent the whole day going around the city in our costumes despite the chilly weather. It was too fun to resist savoring every minute of Halloween in our perfectly planned costumes.
That morning we went to Fisherman’s Wharf to look across the bay out at Alcatraz and the Golden Gate bridge. It was cool but bright and sunny outside that day. We laughed at the goofy, sunbathing sea lions who were rolling around on the pier, barking and bumping into each other. We walked along the shops at Pier 39 and warmed up with some hot coffee at Biscoff’s Coffee Corner. Looking out at the bay was serene, the pier full of shops was cute and kind of carnivalesque, but it also felt very touristy. We didn’t stay for long before hopping onto a trolleybus and riding down The Embarcadero to the Ferry Building.
a view of Fisherman’s Wharf out of a restaurant window
We arrived at the Ferry Building around the end of the outdoor Farmer’s Market. We walked inside and browsed all of the small shops, trying not to buy too many macaroons and other sweets.
After our shopping stint was over, we took an Lyft to the Golden Gate Bridge. We originally planned to get dropped off right before the bridge, but our driver made a mistake and drove us across the San Francisco Bay and dropped us off on the other side. We decided to walk back across the bridge to where we could catch a bus rather than call for another ride. It turned out to be a windy but beautiful 1.7 mile walk I will never forget.
our view from where we were dropped off
our view after our walk across the bridge
A few other favorite moments in San Francisco: escaping the cold to eat hot chicken ramen in Namu Stonepot, meeting up with Terez and Andrew for sushi and then drinks in the dark and chic bar Novela, thrift shopping and finding seemingly new Madewell clothes in Haight Ashbury, strolling through gift shops down Valencia St., eating Greek fries at Souvla, hearing “San Francisco” by Foxygen for the first time play in the bathroom of The Royal Exchange, walking up on party of dancing costumed roller skaters in Golden Gate Park, and surprisingly getting to flying back home with Terez and Andrew.
Halloween morning in Potrero Hill. Photo of me snapped by Rachel, directed and edited by me!
San Francisco turned out to have a different rhythm and style than I expected. I found out that it isn’t as pristine and idealized as I expected it to be before the trip, but in many ways it still exceeded my expectations. I’m left feeling like there is so much more that I’d like to do and see there. I do not expect this first visit to be my last! ✨