Today was our San Francisco day, and we got a little bit of everything the city is known for. Beautiful architecture, winding streets, waterfront views, sea lions, cable cars, ice cream and, of course, some of San Francisco’s biggest tech landmarks.
We started at the Palace of Fine Arts, which still feels almost unreal in person. The grand columns, lagoon and gardens made for a relaxed start to the day, with plenty of photos along the way. Ana, as expected, was just as interested in the plants and greenery around the lagoon as she was in the architecture. Every garden stop on this trip seems to turn into a little plant exploration for her.
From there, we headed to Lombard Street, the famous crooked street of San Francisco. It was one of those quick stops that you have to see at least once. The steep road, tight turns and beautiful houses around it make for a very San Francisco experience.
Then came Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39. The sea lions were easily one of the highlights. They were loud, playful and completely unbothered by the crowds watching them. We walked around the waterfront, explored the shops and took in the views of the bay.
Keanah had her own little highlight at Fisherman’s Wharf when she spotted the Ferris wheel. She was excited to get on and loved watching San Francisco get smaller as we went higher. The views of the waterfront from the top made it even more special, and seeing her enjoy the ride with that big smile was one of those little moments that made the day memorable.
We made our way over to Ghirardelli Square and treated ourselves to some legendary Ghirardelli sundaes. After all the walking, that chocolate-heavy stop was very welcome. Keanah was happy, the adults were happy, and nobody needed much convincing.
Then came one of my favorite parts of the day. We took the iconic San Francisco cable car through the city toward the Salesforce area. Riding the cable car while watching the streets, buildings and hills pass by felt like getting a little piece of classic San Francisco history.
The day ended with a very different side of the city at Salesforce Tower and Salesforce Park. Being in the middle of downtown surrounded by skyscrapers and then walking into a huge rooftop garden was such a cool combination of technology and nature. For Ana, Salesforce Park was another highlight because of all the plants and greenery. She could have spent much longer wandering through the gardens and checking out the different plants. For me, seeing Salesforce Tower up close was especially fun as someone who works in tech.
From the Palace of Fine Arts to the sea lions, Ghirardelli sundaes to cable cars, and finally downtown tech surrounded by greenery, today felt like a perfect snapshot of San Francisco.
Kenrick Vaz 