The west coast of America is heavenly. With it’s beautiful beaches and buzzing cities, there’s something for everyone. But what if you only have 24 hours in one state? I’d spend it in the most golden place of all: San Francisco, California.
Start your 24 hours in san francisco by waking up, it’s time to walk the golden gate bridge
With a coffee and pastry pit-stop at The Bridge café, located on the city-side of The Golden Gate Bridge, it’s the perfect way to start the day. With a brisk walk along one of history’s greatest icons, you can take in the views of San Francisco bay. It usually takes 30-45 mins each way to walk the bridge (not including photo stops!).
Take a trip to alcatraz
Save time with a quick Uber trip to Pier 33, where you’ll catch a cruise to the infamous Alcatraz island. Here you can walk amongst the cells of Al Capone and America’s biggest criminals whilst listening to a free audio tour. Who doesn’t love a freebie? I’d recommend booking tickets to Alcatraz – You can even do night tours. Spooky.
Play on pier 39
Stretch your legs or grab a drink on Pier 39. There’s so many amazingly tacky sweet shops and surf-themed boutiques, or fancier bars if that’s your style. The reason it brings so much attention is due to the herd of sea lions that splash about and entertain the crowds from the pier, which you won’t want to miss.
Grab a bite at In’N’Out
You can’t expect to travel to the West Coast and not sink your teeth into a deliciously greasy In’N’Out burger. My god, it’s good grub. Your go-to is the ‘double-double’ burger with a heap of fries. Wash it down with a strawberry shake. So fit.
Snap a picture of your 24 hours in San Francisco on Lombard Street
Known for its vertigo and eight hair-pin turns (yeah, you read that right), Lombard Street is a work of art. Of course there’s a stunning view from the top, so it makes walking up all those steps totally worth it.
Hang out at Ghirardelli Square
If you’re a born-and-raised Brit, you probably haven’t heard of Ghirardelli at all. It’s time to educate yourself, as San Fran is home to the mouth-watering Ghirardelli chocolate and their original ice-cream shop.
In Ghirardelli Square there’s shops, a cheese school, wine-tasting, and bars where they serve super strong spirit measurements. It’s the perfect place to round off a very busy 24 hours in San Francisco, and relax your feet after all that walking.
Your 24 hours in San Francisco may be short, but the culture will stay with you for life. The city is a unique, breath-of-fresh-air. Here’s a few more ways to spend your time in the city:
- The Walt Disney Family Museum
- Golden Gate park
- Fisherman’s Wharf
- The Museum of Ice-Cream
Lauren is a Wirral-born dreamer. With a passion for travel and Disney, she shares her inspirational pieces on her blog: Lauren’s Floating Lights. She’s also a keen Instagrammer, posting pictures of positivity and lots of colour at @laurens_floating_lights.
