What To Do in San Francisco
Next stop! The Bay!
San Francisco has been on my bucketlist for awhile. Somehow, I always find my way to L.A. though.
“The Bay” was a different type of vibe. The people were friendly, the environment felt safe, and it just seemed more relaxed there. As I ventured out to do some exploring at Pier 39 (Fisherman’s Wharf) and China Town, I noticed everyone was so happy. I couldn’t figure out why. Not trying to say that everyone in NYC is mean, BUT we are always in a rush and people tend to walk a little bit slower than we want them to.
In my head, this blog was supposed to be called “ Black Owned Businesses in San Francisco,” but all of the businesses were in Oakland, which means you have to take the Bay Bridge, which means Uber/Lyft was NOT cheap. LOL A one way to Oakland was almost $30! That didn’t even include your meal. SMH So, I kept it light. However, we were pressed for time, went to Oakland for Sunday brunch and it was good!
The only excursion I think we missed was a tour of Alcatraz. We had no idea people book that months in advance. So, if you do go to San Francisco, I advise you to book that tour ASAP. The tour boats leave from Pier 39.
What to Wear:
Make sure you pack scarves, blazers, and comfortable shoes for all of the hills you will be climbing! I am serious about the hills. Layering is a must!
Here are some of the places that I did go to while I was there:
The Buena Vista Cafe
This cafe is known for their “Irish Coffee” and clam chowder with sourdough bread. It is located at Fisherman’s Wharf. I wasn’t too keen on the customer service after my server left. It got weird at the end of my stay since I was trying to do work on my laptop. It is a touristy location and they mentioned that it gets busy. This is not your typical Starbucks cafe.
The Golden Gate Bridge
You can take an Uber/Lyft or you can take a tour of the city by purchasing a Hop On and Off Bus Tour ticket. The bus tour takes you to all of the landmarks in the city. I recommend going at night to see the bridge as well. It’s beautifully lit up.
Elephant Sushi
I came across this Black owned sushi restaurant, downtown San Francisco. I ordered the Alaska Roll and Salmon Nigiri. Their sushi was so fresh!
Fun fact: This restaurant is owned by a Jamaican woman and they play Reggae music. 💃🏾
Brown Sugar Kitchen
Drink: Watermelon Cooler
Food: Buttermilk Fried Chicken & Cornmeal Waffle with Brown Sugar Butter & Apple Cider Syrup
This Black owned restaurant is located in Oakland. It gets crowded quick. You may want to call to make reservations. This was my first time trying a cornmeal waffle and it was good!
Ghirardelli Sqaure
Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco is home to Ghirardelli Square, where you'll find some of the best chocolate made in the United States. While visiting Ghirardelli Square, be sure to stop into the variety of shops around the square and in the different buildings. You might find the perfect gift here!
Union Square
Views from the Hilton San Francisco was awesome. You can walk to several department stores in the area such as Macy’s. This is the perfect area to do some exploring and the cable cars run downtown. This area reminded me of 34th Street in Manhattan.
Fisherman’s Wharf
This was one of my favorite areas in San Fran. The views at their pier are amazing! Pier 39 is filled with restaurants and souvenir shops. Pier 33 is where you can take the boat tour to Alcatraz. You can also take the cable cars to this area as well.
Nick’s Crispy tacos
We stumbled upon this spot on “Taco Tuesday” and I must say, it was probably one of the best locations to go to for tacos. The DJ was playing all of my favorite jams. The prices were very cheap and the drinks were good! It does get crowded, but just think of it as a college bar. I highly recommend it.
