Taking San Francisco in 48 Hours
If you know me then you know that I can’t sit still for long. I believe being raised as a military brat created a bit of nomadism in me that sparked a need to travel at least 2-3 times a year. Growing up, every year we were either moving or I was taking a 10-hour road trip from DC to Macon, Georgia, and the same excitement to get up and go still lives inside my heart and soul today.
It has been a few years since I’ve traveled alone. When I say alone, no kid, no friends or family, no little Bae to baecation with. It was just me, myself, and I. You’re probably wondering why I chose San Francisco out of all places. I’ve visited before well over 10 years ago so I knew what to expect but this time I’m in a better financial position. I knew I would experience the city differently in comparison to the first visit. I also wanted to go far enough from home but not too far since it was only going to be 2 days. Let’s get into how I effectively took San Francisco by the reigns in 48 hours and had the time of my life!
To be completely honest, it wasn’t even 48 hours. My plane landed on a Thursday at 1:30 pm CST and I was back on my flight home by Saturday at 10:00 am. It was roughly 44 hours but we’re gonna say 48 to make it sound cute. The most important part of this solo trip was the planning. When I travel and I know I want to make things happen smoothly so I can get the most out of my trip, so I plan out everything in my iPhone notes app. This allows me to create a step-by-step itinerary for what I’m going to do and at what time. You can add photos, links, and addresses via google maps and more. It also gives me a secure feeling by being able to share the note with my friends and family so they know exactly what I plan to do. I booked breakfast, lunch, and dinner reservations a week before. I also mapped out the best cost-efficient way to get around in this city.
My Hotel Stay
I booked my flight and hotel stay as a package with a third-party travel site, Expedia, and got a great deal! I want you to keep in mind that dealing with a third-party service has its pros and its cons so make sure you read the fine print on everything. Since I was only staying for a short amount of time and knew that I would rarely be in my hotel room, I booked a very minimalistic cabin at the Yotel San Francisco. I chose the Sky Lodge for my stay because it was the cheapest. To me, all their rooms are about the same with small differences in size and city views. My loft-style room was perfect for a solo traveler who didn’t mind staying in a small space.
Being such the honest person that I am, I’ll say that the hotel was perfect but the location, not so much. The Yotel San Francisco on Market Street is within walking distance of shopping, trolley, and rail transportation and some pretty good food spots. The downside is that you can see and smell the effects of homelessness, mental illness, and drug abuse on the surrounding streets. To keep it completely 100, it stank outside. Luckily even though this was the case, everyone minded their business and after walking around a bit I not once was approached or bothered. I did use the Bart system to get to the hotel since it was only $5 for 9 stops on the yellow line. For reference, I rode from SFO Airport to the Civic Center stop. I would have paid $26 to use a Lyft/Uber. I was even able to download and add money to the mobile transit card Clipper. This was super easy to use since here in DC we use something similar called SmarTrip cards to ride the METRO system.
The feel of the room gave super simplistic and very cozy. You don’t realize how much you don’t need when staying here. I was a bit thrown off that the toilet was literally out in the open but when I thought about it, it was just me so who cares? The shower turned into a rain shower and yes the water gets HOT! The bed was at the top of the loft and very comfortable. A little too comfortable because I laid down to take a nap and slept through my dinner reservation and plans to go to the bar.
Where To Eat
Let me warn you now! I did NOT stick with my plans in the itinerary, lol. You would think after all that planning, I wouldn’t switch up at the last minute but life is about living in the moment. After arriving in the city I was supposed to have lunch at Mensho Tokyo for Ramen but when I got there, they were still closed. Luckily next door was OSHA Thai BBQ and I'm so glad I went there instead. As I mentioned, I slept through my dinner reservation the first night. I had done this deep search on San Fran foodie Instagram and chose a few spots that I felt would ease my cravings for something new. One of my favorite IG profiles to find some fine dining was @bestfoodsf. This page gets straight to the point when you want to find something good to eat in this city. They led me to Beretta and even though I missed out on this place, I had to mention it because the food looks amazing. If you end up trying this place or have done so already please feel free to leave a comment about your experience below. There are two locations and the one closest to the Yotel is on Divisadero St. I also came across a very heavily decorated Tiki bar named Zombie Village. Now I don’t know if they named it that because of the “zombies” walking around booted up, but, the drinks will have you feeling like one. I missed out on it the first night but I made sure that I went the night before my flight back home. I had the Zombie pain killer! Another quick change of the itinerary was brunch at Blackwood to Mel’s Drive-In in Lombard. I was very disappointed and kicked myself for even switching up last minute. I would say that the big bold “$5 Mimosas” displayed on the front swayed my decision. These two places are within walking distance of each other. Dinner for the last night I was in San Fran was a recommendation from my tour guide from earlier that day. Montescaro Pinseria is located a few doors down behind the hotel. This Pinseria (kind of like a pizzeria but better) is Roman cuisine at its finest. I even discovered a prosecco here that I might love a little bit more than LaMarca. Shh… Don’t tell them I said that. I implore you to try this place.
What To Do
Besides getting some of the best sleep I’ve had this year and stuffing my face, I wanted to make sure I got to see parts of San Francisco I wasn’t able to see the first time I visited.
Baker’s Beach was at the top of my list. I set my alarm, woke up extra early, and took a 20-minute Uber ride to the beach to catch the sun rising over the Golden Gate Bridge. This was the moment that confirmed I made the right decision to travel to San Fran.
A quick search on Airbnb for an experience led me right to Rides By Me Classic Sidecar Tours. I was thoroughly happy and impressed with this tour by sidecar. What made me gravitate to this tour was the fact that it was intimate. It was just me and the wonderfully knowledgeable tour guide Jerome. I was able to see parts of San Francisco that I would’ve never been able to see from a huge tour bus. The sidecar ride was perfect for the sunny weather we had that day. From the stops to get a closer look at how fortune cookies are made, to the special stops made for views that would take your breath away. If you want to book a tour for more than one, don’t worry. Jerome has friends so you can have up to 8 people and he will curate a tour that fits your group’s energy. The last thing I did before I made my way back to the east coast was enjoy a concert at The Warfield. Let me tell you something. That man can perform! Doing a quick search for upcoming shows and festivals in the area made for a great impromptu vibe session before getting lit at the Tiki Bar. It was the perfect way to close out my last few hours in California.
As I get closer to 40 years around the sun (not too close though, because I’m only 36) I am more intentional about the experiences and impact I have in my own life. Creating memories with family and friends is runner-up on my list of things I must do but, the number one thing is to create memorable moments with myself. Treating myself to not just be alive but, to live in every minute that I can breathe. Yes, traveling alone can be scary and a bit stressful but I would never second-guess myself about it. So, if you’re looking for a sign to take THAT solo trip, here it is.
Here's my quick video recap.
