The Ultimate San Francisco Travel Guide.

Nov 15

Written By

we've lived in San Francisco for a while now, and i'm super excited to finally share my SF Travel Guide with you! this is easily one of the most asked questions i get emails/DMs about: what to do, where to eat, what to see, and everything in between. i've had a list on my phone since the day we moved here but there were certain things i wanted to actually do and experience myself before sharing with all of you! everything on my travel guide robbie and i have done, eaten, etc. i wanted this to be a very real & authentic guide. i have included some of the typical tourist activities that are definitely worth your time, but this will mostly be from a local's point of view so you know you're getting the hidden gems!i've broken down this guide into three categories: where to eat {the tastiest food spots for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert}, what to do {fun activities/cool sights to see}, and where to stay {the best hotels}. be sure to check out my top ten most instagrammable spots in San Francisco here as well for the best photo opps while you're in the city! all these spots are not listed on this guide, so be sure to click on over and add them to your trip's itinerary!so without further ado, enjoy my ultimate guide to San Francisco! if you're ever visiting here in the City by the Bay, be sure to let me know! xxps: i will consistently be adding to this guide as we continue to explore our city!

where to eat

breakfast/brunch:-Le Marais Bakery: without a doubt one of our favorite spots in SF. the food is phenomenal, the bakery is gorgeous, and the owners are some of the nicest people we've ever met. definitely make a stop at one of their two locations. {we always go to the Castro location on Sanchez Street!}-Plow: if you're feeling hungry, order "The Plow." either way, you must try their famous Lemon Ricotta pancakes! try to go on a weekday because the weekend wait is 2 hours+.-Sidewalk Juice: hands own the best acai bowl you will ever have {we order acai bowls wherever we travel and this place in SF is still the absolute best!}-Mission Rock Resort: highly recommend sitting outside on the deck with a gorgeous view of the San Francisco shipyard!lunch:-sweetgreen: our very favorite salad spot you've probably seen on our Instagrams a million times. we come for lunch and/or dinner at least once a week! it's healthy and very filling! we can't get enough of it.-Lite Bite: this is our favorite healthy lunch spot in the cute Cow Hollow neighborhood that's also super reasonably priced! i always get the chicken enchilada and robbie gets the turkey meatloaf & fresh sweet potatoes. it's all homemade, healthy, and so yummy!-Koja Kitchen: this is one of robbie's absolute favorites in the city! Koja {Korean-Japanese fusion} was such a popular food truck that they made a location in the Sunset that offers all the amazing dishes. the rice buns and kamakazi fries are to die for!-Media Noche: super good Cuban food in the colorful Mission District. plus, the decor is out of this world. i've blogged it before here. get the classic Cubano sandwich!dinner:-Straw: our number one, go-to recommendation for anyone visiting the city! it's a carnival themed restaurant and the food is soooo good! their world famous donut burger {no, really}, chicken and waffles, corn dog appetizers, etc. make it the most unique menu you'll find. make a reservation online! it's super reasonable prices and has really fun decor.-Elephant Sushi: there's a few locations in SF but we always go to the one in upscale Russian Hill. you have to go before it opens to put in your name or else you'll be waiting in line forever. the restaurant is tiny {maybe seats 20 people} so the earlier you can get your name down, the better!-Tratto: our very favorite Italian spot! i've sent many followers here and they always love it. we've even brought my parents here; it's that good!-Tony's Pizza: best pizza place in North Beach aka Little Italy! the pizza is made by 12-time world pizza champion Tony Gemignani and is known worldwide.- Gott's: my favorite burger place in the city! gourmet burgers, sweet potato fries, and quality milkshakes located right in the iconic Ferry Building!-Palomino: looking for something fancy with a view? Palomino is right on the Embarcadero and has a gorgeous view of the Bay Bridge. the food is European-inspired and everything is tasty. get a seat near the window so you can enjoy the view!treats:the healthiest {and most delicious} frozen treat you'll ever eat: Freeze by Pressed Juicery-Bob's Donuts: we come here about once a week #noshame. there's a reason why it has the widely known reputation as the best donut shop in SF!-Gio Gelati: this is the best gelato we've found in San Francisco, right on adorable Union Street. it's owned by the nicest family from Italy, and the mother and son make it fresh and authentic every day. trust me when i say their fruit flavors are out of this world. you all know i have a major sweet tooth and always go for anything chocolate, so this should tell you how good their fresh, smooth fruit gelato is.-Loving Cup: the best frozen yogurt we've ever had! they blend all your toppings together so smooth and it's so yummy. my go-to is the s'mores.-Bi-Rite Creamery: it's legendary here for a reason. after getting your cone, walk across the street to enjoy famous Dolores Park! the top of the park has such a good view of the City skyline.-Pressed Juicery: want something healthy? grab a delicious cold pressed juice or our favorite healthy treat: the Freeze. think frozen yogurt but no milk, only frozen pressed juice with fresh berries and little cacao chips as toppings. guilt free and so tasty.-Salt & Straw: Portland's finest finally made it here! love all of the unique ice cream flavors.-Mr. Holmes Bakehouse: yummy bakery known for its amazing pastries, croissants, and of course, cruffins. very instagrammable with its cool neon sign inside.-Ghirardelli Square: very touristy so expect lines to be long but this is the place for a sweet ice cream treat and great view of the Golden Gate Bridge.-Wrecking Ball: hands down my most favorite hot chocolate ever. i've heard the coffee is good too! it has the cutest pineapple wallpaper in a super trendy location.*sorry no bar/cocktail recommendations! robbie and i don't drink!*

what to do

bike the Golden Gate Bridge: this is our favorite things to do with friends/family that come into town. it's a really fun way to get out and see the city! you can cruise along the Embarcadero, up through Fisherman's Wharf, into the Marina Green, and then up to the Golden Gate all in one route. there's bike rentals all over but a lot of people use Blazing Saddles because of their convenient locations.

tour Alcatraz Prison: we've done this a few times now and it's super interesting each time! it's such an iconic piece of history. you should definitely buy tickets online a few weeks in advance so you can be sure you get a spot.

take a catamaran out into the Bay: we went under the Golden Gate bridge with a group of friends and it was amazingggg! it was about $50-60 a person. definitely a great photo opp.

book a SoulCycle class: looking for some fun exercise to burn off all those vacation treats? take a SoulCycle spin class at any of the awesome SF locations! i visit the location in the historic Castro neighborhood, so maybe i'll spot you there!

take a trip to Wine Country: it's a 50 mile drive from the city to the world famous Napa Valley but it's worth every minute. one of my very favorite things we've done was a hot air balloon ride in Napa! so many unreal views of the vineyards and it was beautiful to watch the sunrise. the food in Napa is incredible as well. we don't drink, but so many people come from all over the world to visit the wineries there.

enjoy Union Street: this is my favorite street in the Marina neighborhood. it has the cutest shops and some really good lunch places mentioned above. you can grab some candy at Sugarfina, shop in the boutiques, and if you walk up or down the streets on either side, you'll get the classic shots of all the super cute SF homes.

drive down Lombard Street: the crookedest street in the world! you can walk it too. this is another iconic spot in SF that is popular among tourists.shop Union Square and the Westfield Shopping Center: these two shopping meccas are right next to each other and provide everything from Chanel to Forever 21. the Nordstrom in the Westfield Mall is one of the biggest ever! Union Square is another iconic SF spot so be sure to take a photo with one of the heart murals placed on each corner! also, November through January, Union Square hosts an outdoor skating rink which is really fun.

go see Beach Blanket Babylon: this hysterical musical/comedy revue is the epitome of San Francisco. it is so hilariously over the top and constantly poking fun at pop culture. it's super funny while still being appropriate humor.

visit the San Francisco Premium Outlets: if you have the time to take an hour drive away from the city out to Livermore {not sure why they are called San Francisco outlets when they aren't close to the city...}, these include so many amazing stores like a Gucci outlet!

get the best view of the City/Golden Gate Bridge from Hawk Hill: drive across the Golden Gate Bridge and head up into the Marin Headlands for this breathtaking view. you'll see the famous bridge in all its glory and get the city in the background. if you park at the first stop, you can even hike the mile down to Kirby Cove, which includes a really fun swing with an incredible view under the Bridge!

stop by The Painted Ladies: say hi to the cast of Full House {joking!} and snag a great photo opp at this famous pop culture landmark. the best photos are from across the street on the little hill in Alamo Square Park.enjoy Baker Beach: this beach has the most beautiful view of the Golden Gate. lay out and read a book, build a bonfire, play frisbee, or just cozy up to watch the sunset.visit the Muir Woods: just a short drive outside of SF, this U.S. National Park is known for its massive Redwood trees that are thousands of years old. take a hike and connect with nature in the most peaceful woods of Northern California.

where to stay

The Palace Hotel, San Francisco: this hotel hardly needs any introduction. movies have been filmed here, books have been set here, celebrities have stayed here, and it's all for one good reason: it's pure luxury. every detail is gorgeous and rooms provide amazing views of Market Street. one of our biggest treats here in the city is to have tea and finger sandwiches in their stunning Garden Court. {see more photos from my stays in The Palace here and here.}Hotel Zelos: right in the heart of downtown SF! it's basically attached to the Westfield Shopping Center and so convenient if you're wanting to be right in the middle of everything. read my entire review on this artistic, modern hotel and its incredible restaurant The Dirty Habit here.Hotel Zoe: this hotel opened just this year! it's super modern and chic. robbie and i loved it! it's located right off Fisherman's Wharf and is just a few minute walk to North Beach {Little Italy}. this means you get a lot of great food options: you can enjoy all the seafood on Pier 39 or get the best slice of pizza you've ever had in Little Italy. see my IG post on it here.-----