San Francisco in 12 Hours

Last year, I had a long layover in San Francisco and since I’d never been to the city before, I decided to make the most of it! Below you can find my bucket list items and I was on a mission to get through all of it. But because this stop was technically not “part” of the trip I was already on, I was determined to stay on a budget… so there was a lot of walking.

The first order of business was figuring out the public transportation system. The train (aka my friend, BART) is very useful, and although more expensive than the trains in other major metropolitan cities, much cheaper than any ride-share option available. The way it works is by loading a specific dollar amount onto your ticket at the airport station. For the layover, I loaded $10 to start and took the yellow line to Powell St. station.

When you hop off the BART at Powell St., you will find yourself near Union Square. Union Square is a hub for shopping and theatre. Around here, you will find an array of stores, boutiques, and galleries. Another notable thing about Union Square is the famous “heartwork.” At Union Square, you will find the latest in heartwork, which are auctioned off and new pieces by other artists are then installed annually to support the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation. You can find more information here.

After taking my compulsory heart photos, I walked on towards Grace Cathedral. The cathedral is known for its beautiful art, including mosaics, stained glass windows, Ghiberti doors, Labyrinths, and more. For me, there is just something so special about the way story-telling stained glass windows fill a church with the Holy Spirit. You can find more information here.

From here, I wanted to see the infamous Chinatown. The only other Chinatown I’d been to is in Chicago, so I didn’t know too much about the one in San Francisco, except that it was the first one in North America. I decided just to walk around and in a couple shops to explore and see what caught my eye. Had I not brought food for myself on this trip, this would have been a great stop to get some dim sum.

Next, I wanted to get a picture of Lombard Street. This street is famous for its steep, zig-zaggy, one-block experience of a road. I’m thankful I was walking down the stairs with the rest of the tourists because there was a lot of road traffic. Although the road is so unique and also so busy with cars and tourists, the landscaping in and of itself was gorgeous. Once I reached the bottom, I turned around to see just how crazy the street looks.

As I got closer to sea-level, I made my way to Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39. It was wonderful taking in the sea breeze, walking along the piers, watching some street-performances, etc. The main attraction for me here was the group of sea lions that sing loud and proud. If you didn’t pack food, this would also be a great place to grab a bite, especially if you like fresh fish! Another nearby attraction is the Ghirardelli Square.

After hitting it off with the sea lions, I headed toward the Palace of Fine Arts. On my walk over, I happened by a beautiful area along the Aquatic Cove called the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park. This was a nice little hike, and popular among the array of San Franciscans having some fun and the sun. Once I arrived, I was greeted with gorgeous tall columns, a lagoon and walkways with lots of greenery, and a large rotunda in the centre. The Palace of Fine Arts was originally built for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exhibition. You can find more information here.

Where I went next was towards Fort Point to see the Golden Gate Bridge. It was a slightly cloudy day, however, so I couldn’t see the whole thing. Another option as the last stop on this tour could be Dolores Park. If you can make it to Dolores Park, then you will be near another BART station (24^th St Mission). Otherwise, it may be easiest to ride-share from here.

Let me know if you found any of the tips above helpful, and if you use them on your visit San Francisco, then share your photos with me on Instagram with #coleBhappy.

Happy Adventuring!