The day after Christmas, with the girls enjoying having Grammy and Grandpa as their babysitters (and likely bribing them for treats and movies), Jake and I flew to San Francisco for a few days for a little getaway. Not having to take anyone potty or wipe little sticky faces and hands on the airplane ride was luxurious enough to count for a vacation on its own!
We stayed right around the corner from Union Square and had an amazing time doing whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted, no nap or bedtime schedules involved! We Ubered everywhere (and met some interesting people along the way) and my only complaint was the nausea accompanying flying up and down those crazy steep and hilly streets of the city.
We hit up the major sights– Union Square, Ghirardelli Square, Fisherman’s Wharf, Pier 39, Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, Sausalito, Muir Woods, Golden Gate Park, and the Ferry Building Marketplace and enjoyed the festive Christmas atmosphere. At night, the streets around Union Square were packed and we had a good time people-watching at the crowded outdoor ice skating rink. It was amazing how much we got done and how much energy we had to stay out late without the kids in tow!
The food was, of course, the most amazing part of our trip and we had a blast trying everything from authentic szechwan stir fry in Chinatown to clam chowder on the water in Sausalito to boutique gluten free chocolate tarts at the ferry building farmer’s market. In short, our kid-free getaway was rejuvenating! Thanks, Mom and Dad for allowing us to escape and enjoy exploring the big city for a little while!
A few pics…
We once again remembered why we despise group tours on the only tour we booked during our stay– a guided bus ride over the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito and Muir Woods. We had to wait forever for the late bus to arrive, and our ancient Chinese driver and young, bubbly tour guide with a thick Alabama accent were constantly at odds with each other, yelling at one another about where to stop and which directions to take. Due to the tour guide’s accent and nonsensical commentary on the history of Muir Woods, we couldn’t understand half of what she was saying (example: “During the Mexican French War in 1850, when Mexico gained its independence from France…”) We were cracking up listening to her made-up historical facts on our bus ride and an Uber would have been a much better choice! Muir Woods was gorgeous, though, and we enjoyed our peaceful hike through the ancient redwoods, as well as walking around the cute town of Sausalito and relaxing with some delicious sea food on the bay before ferrying back to the city.
More sights downtown.
One morning, we rented bikes and rode around Golden Gate Park all the way to the beach. I underestimated how tired I would be from all the hills, and had to walk some of the way.
The girls barely noticed we were gone, and upon our return immediately asked what kind of treats we had brought them. They were happy about the toy trolley cars, sourdough bread in the shape of a lobster, and Ghirardelli chocolate we brought back and are already counting the days until they get to spend a few days with Grammy and Grandpa again.
Hope to visit again soon!
Lots of love,
