A Visit to San Francisco: Exploring the City by the Bay
San Francisco is a city that is full of excitement, culture, and unique experiences. From the iconic Golden Gate Bridge to the winding streets of Lombard Street, there is always something new and interesting to discover.
James and I were excited to visit the city and see the coast after being cooped up for so long. As avid water lovers, we had been looking forward to getting to the Californian coast for some time.
Unfortunately, we weren’t able to find any camping options when we arrived, so we ended up staying in a motel. However, that didn’t dampen our spirits – we were determined to make the most of our time in the city.
On our first day, we took an uber into town when we had the unfortunate experience of being in a car with a driver who was on his first shift and didn’t seem to understand how to use the app. We made it there eventually and James got to visit his old workplace, Okta, at their new office. While he was there, he was able to catch up with some old colleagues and see the new digs. Meanwhile, I explored the city on my own and took in all the sights and sounds.
We made a stop at Pier 39 to see the famous sea lions, and then headed to Chinatown for some delicious Chinese food. We also made a stop at In-N-Out Burger, which is a must-try when in the area.
But the highlight of our trip was definitely James birthday gift. James had always wanted to take part in the Escape to Alcatraz triathlon and it was nearing his birthday so I was trying to find ideas for a present. The triathlon wasn’t on when we were there but I managed to find a company that would support him on a swim from the Golden Gate Bridge to Alcatraz. I decided to surprise him by signing him up. Of course, I had to let him in on the surprise so that he could sign the waiver, but he was overjoyed at the opportunity
The swim from the Golden Gate Bridge to Alcatraz was at sunrise, and it was an absolutely beautiful experience. The conditions were glassy and flat, and we even saw seals swimming around James as he made his way across the water. The swim itself was 3 miles but we went with the flow of the water so it only took James 50 minutes – pretty impressive! I think he managed to swim so quick as he was scared about the potential of great white sharks in the water – if it was me, I would have been scared to even get in the water!
After the swim, we went to Alcatraz to take a tour of the island and it’s history. While the tour was a bit underwhelming, we did get to drive down Lombard Street, which was a lot of fun. San Francisco was great. We were able to experience a wide variety of the city’s offerings, from the sea lions at Pier 39 to the steep hills. And, of course, we got to eat some delicious food along the way. It was the perfect way to spend a few days in the City by the Bay