Wanderlust Wednesday // San Francisco Travel Guide

view of sausalito from the ferry back to san francisco

Last week, the husband I flew to San Francisco for a quick vacation. We stayed in The Mission District via Airbnb (highly recommend), which basically fulfilled our long-lost hipster dreams. Our days were spent exploring the city, and who am I kidding - eating. As you will soon realize by scrolling below, food was the main attraction of our trip. But then again, when is it not?

If I have one travel trip, it would be to not rent a car. This may sound crazy, but in cities where their is decent public transportation, traveling car-less allows you to stumble upon hidden gems that may have been missed when trying to find a place to park. We opted not to rent a car for both  San Francisco and New York, and I'm so glad we didn't. Below is a round-up of all that we ate and explored while in the city, enjoy!

To DINE: 

• Bar Tartine - this was a recommendation from reading Julia's blog and it did not disappoint. We ate here on our first night and only ended up getting salads as a result of being thrown off by the time change, but were impressed nonetheless. The menu is unique and innovative, definitely a must-try.
• Boogaloos - if you're a big fan of brunch (like me!), make sure to check out this spanish inspired menu. It's set in the heart of the mission, so make sure you sit outside to enjoy the weather and the morning hustle.
• Lolinda - on our second night in San Francisco, we ended up enjoying two dinners, and this was stop #1. An Argentinan steakhouse with an adventurous menu (we had bone marrow!), this restaurant has a speakeasy vibe that can't be missed.
• Range - stop #2 in our dinner food-crawl was Range, a happy accident since we wandered in after noticing the "this-is-a-cool-place" vibes coming from the interior. We weren't dissapointed.
• Dynamo Donut - who doesn't love a walk-up donut stand? Not only is the concept adorable but the fresh flavor combinations were a definite win.
• Namu Gaji - the husband and I both agreed this was the best meal we had while in San Francisco - their website describes the food as "new korean american/ contemporary californian", but bottom line, it's just amazing. Enjoy dinner here and then head next door to Bi-Rite Creamery for your ice cream fix. 
• Blue Fig - a perfect place to get your breakfast sandwich fix, along with a hot cup of coffee. 

the golden gate bridge, of course!

To EXPERIENCE:

• Bike the Golden Gate Bridge - my favorite activity of the trip was biking across the famous Golden Gate Bridge. We rented bikes and picked up a trail that took up along the water over the bridge to Sausalito, the most picturesque town. In my opinion, it's the best way to experience the amazing views of the city. 
• Tour Alcatraz - touristy, yes, but well worth it. This was a recommend from just about everyone who I told we were going to San Francisco, and it was a great way to spend the afternoon. 
• Filmore Street - it's well worth your time to spend an afternoon wandering down this street. It is jam-packed with drool-worthy shops, boutiques and restaurants.

 spotted on the streets of the mission district

 street art filled the wales of the mission district. 

stumbled upon this beautiful building on our walk to north beach.