San Francisco has long been the bucket list destination for travelers the world over. It is home to the engineering marvel that is the Golden Gate Bridge and the equally remarkable Lombard Street; one of the crookedest streets in the world. Ferry rides and cable cars, murals and museums, Michelin star dining and casual cuisine, cultural hotspots and outdoor activities, San Francisco has you covered.
WHERE TO STAY
Centrally located in Union Square, the city’s hotspot for everything, the 8-storied, 300+ room The Barnes Hotel is a historic landmark dating back to 1908 with urban elegance and modern art; it ensures you’re just a stone’s throw away from all the action. Union Square, Chinatown, The Embarcadero, The Museum of Modern Art, and the Moscone Convention Center are all within an easy walking distance. The cable car runs literally right outside its front door. It offers a daily happy hour and live music on Thursdays.
WHAT TO DO
Less than a block from The Barnes Hotel, Union Square has had a love affair with flowers since time immemorial; from the Macy’s Flower Show (origin circa 1964) to the recent American Tulip Day where tens of thousands of people gather to get tulips in a blanketed-in-tulips Union Square Park. Between May and October, be sure to make the Westin St. Francis a stop on your tour, so you can take in the exquisite floral design in the entrance and lobby. If you’re a shop-till-you-drop kind of person, Union Square is home to all your favorite brands.
A short 25-minute walk from The Barnes will bring you to the San Francisco Ferry Building and its Ferry Building Marketplace which is a great place to dine, shop for craft or fair-trade goods or simply take in the Bay with a walk along the Embarcadero. Take the ferry to Alcatraz Island which once was a high-security prison for the most notorious criminals in the country. Now a tourist attraction, it is recognized as a National Historic Landmark.
If you need a break from the concrete jungle, consider a visit to the Sales Force Transit Center Park. This free park, built atop the 4-block long transit center is home to over 600 trees and 15,000 different plants. It includes a sensor activated ‘bus foundation’ and even a place to grab a beer! Their natural amphitheater is a great place to catch some live music.
For a completely different vibe, consider a quick ferry trip to Tiburon for its small-town feel, and stunning San Francisco views from just about any spot on the peninsula. You’ll find great restaurants, quiet nature walks, great shopping or just simply an opportunity to slow down and listen to the sound of your own heartbeat as you revel in the quiet serenity and beauty of this quaint bayside town.
WHERE TO EAT
San Francisco is home to virtually every ethnic cuisine you could crave. For a flavor-filled ramen experience check out Hinodeya Ramen. Get started with an order of Takoyaki – Octopus fritters. Perfectly crispy on the outside, creamy ocean-flavored bombs on the inside. If you get the shishito peppers, they warn you that 1 in 10 shishito could be extra spicy so be mindful if you are capsaicin sensitive. The pièce de resistance is of course the ramen. The namesake ramen comes in a flavorful umami-happy dashi broth and is served with al dente wheat noodles and the usual ramen accoutrements. The flavor is spot on. Since you order (and pay) on your phone using their QR code, you are free to just get up and leave once you’re done eating; a slightly odd, yet liberating experience.
A short hop away from The Barnes is Kin Khao, the only Michelin star Thai restaurant in the United States. It goes without saying that reservations are mandatory and the earlier you book the better. They have a great selection of cocktails. Mezcal fans, give the A Spicy Penicillin a try, well balanced, smoky, and delicious. If gin is your jam, then give the Tom Yum 2.0 a try – as the menu says, not the soup with shrimp – think Thai Lemon Drop. Kick the meal off with something that doesn’t usually show up on menus in the United States, the Mushroom Hor Mok (curry mousse in-a-jar with mushrooms, coconut cream served with crispy rice cakes) the crispy rice cake makes a nice implement to eat the mousse. The crisp neutral rice cake counterbalances the creamy texture and the salt-forward curry flavor. If you like hot wings, then getting the Pretty Hot Wings is a must. These finger-licking chicken wings are served with a side of hot towels. The tamarind-siracha glaze has a strong lime element that will have you licking your fingers and mopping the bowl clean. If you’re a Pad Thai or Pad Se Ew kind of person, then the Pad Kee Mao is an absolute must. This is on the menu for only a short period of the year, lining up with the season during with Thai holy basil is available. The flavors and textures of this dish will have your palate singing.
If you made it out to Tiburon, then look no further than Petite Left Bank for a slice of Paris in California. Sitting inside the bright interior with the tin roof ceiling and modern floors, with French music playing, you get a feeling that you’re sitting in a café in France. They have an extensive wine list featuring both local and French wines. For a quintessential start to the meal, consider the escargot en croute – single bite-sized escargot sitting in a dollop of garlic Pernod butter capped with a flawless, buttery, crisp morsel of puff pastry. If you’re in the mood for seafood, try the Moules Frites Marinière which is a generous serving of mussels in a white wine, lemon, butter, shallots, garlic parsley broth. Go ahead, dunk your fries (frites) in the delicious broth, or you might find yourself eating it with a spoon. If you’re craving red meat, then try the signature-takes-24-hours-to-cook-dish Boeuf Bourguignon, with red wine braised boneless short ribs, baby carrots, button mushrooms and pearl onions. Be warned, you will be tempted to lick the bowl clean. The pride of ownership is evident in this Parisian-inspired bistro with an ‘all hands-on deck’ approach that emanates from the top down. Petite Left Bank opened in September 2022, and is well on its way to earning its place in Bay Area gastronomic excellence, earning Best New Restaurant status by the Pacific Sun and Honorable mention Best New Restaurant from the Marin Independent Journal.
There are as many layers to San Francisco as the clothes you’ll need to pack for the unpredictable weather. You can spend a day, a week or a month and still not uncover all its nooks and niches. Old world cable cars hearken to an era long gone and tech industry skyscrapers poke their heads above the fog. Whether you’re an art lover, an outdoor enthusiast, or a foodie San Francisco will work its charm on you.
