MOVE over, New York – San Fran is now my favourite US city. Which is pretty lucky, because one of my besties just moved there.
And, thankfully, Norwegian flies to San Francisco for less than £300 return, so I didn’t need to wait too long for our big reunion.
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The San Fran skyline at sunsetCredit: GETTY IMAGES
The hubby and I land at 5.30pm and head straight for drinks (it’s best to fight the jet lag, right?).
Tradition bar has booths behind swing doors and decent cocktails from £8, while a couple of streets away, Rye serves good whisky.
Our base is the urban-cool Hotel Zetta, right by Union Square shopping district.
There’s a buzzing bar and games room complete with shuffleboard, a games wall and pool tables.
Frantastic feasts
The perfect hangover breakfast comes in the form of Dottie’s True Blue Cafe.
The queue is long, but once I taste the chicken and lime quesadillas smothered in cheese, £9, and the banana and raspberry pancakes, £8, I see why.
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The dizzying Lombard StreetCredit: 4CORNERS
Stomachs stuffed, we hit the colourful Mission district to snap the stunning murals – some are even 3D.
Those adorning the Women’s Building, Balmy Street and Clarion Alley are particularly gorgeous, and I love the whole vibe here.
Valencia Street is packed with boutiques like Paxton Gate, brimming with curiosities including creative taxidermy, as well as chocolatiers Dandelion and Scandi-meets-Californian homeware at Acacia.
Vintage lovers will adore Wallflower, too.
After burrata, £9, a cheeseboard, £10.50, and a cheeky cider, £5, at Mission Cheese, we join the queue for scoops of mango sticky rice ice cream and coconut pandan sorbet from Garden Creamery, which opened its shop earlier this year. It’s Insta-famous thanks to its cakey cinnamon chimney cones.
Afterwards, it’s time to chill in locals’ fave Dolores Park.
Need for speed
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Cable cars: a rail-y great way to see the cityCredit: AWL
Our first stop the next morning is Exploratorium, which is ridiculously fun.
It’s packed with interactive science exhibitions – everything from psychology to physics.
Get obsessed with a group game of Snake, then merge your face with your partner’s and watch your reactions in slow motion.
There’s also a bench that plays music when you hold hands on it.
Plus there’s the tactile dome, where you feel your way around crawling, climbing and sliding in the dark – it’s worth the extra £12. Entry costs £23 for adults, £15 for kids.
Another must is RocketBoat. The YouTube videos don’t do it justice.
It’s a wild trip around the bay, and you will get wet. You’ll also get the chance to take gorge snaps of the skyline and the sea lions basking on Pier 39. Tickets cost £22 each.
We climb Coit Tower for the views, entry £6, and snap the zig-zagging Lombard Street.
The House of Nanking in China Town is almost 30 years old, and a picture of a youthful Jamie Oliver, a famous fan, sits on the wall.
Don’t expect buckets of charm from the staff, but go off-menu – tell them what meat or fish you fancy and let the chef work his magic.
We had the best shrimp and apple dish, which was unlike anything I’ve tasted in a Chinese before. Expect to pay a tenner for mains.
Get out of jail free
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Have a wheely good time cycling along the Golden Gate BridgeCredit: GETTY IMAGES
Come morning, we grab toast at Jane. But it’s no ordinary toast – we’re talking walnut and fig bread topped with ricotta, honey, and hazelnuts, and a delicious cherry, cream cheese and almond creation, £3.50.
After a ride on the cable car down to Fisherman’s Wharf, we pick up bikes to cycle across the famous Golden Gate Bridge. Hire costs £6 an hour.
Less than two hours (and a couple of hills and selfies) later, we arrive in Sausalito, a gorgeous small coastal city worth spending an afternoon in. But we scoff fish and chips and get the ferry back, because we have a date at Alcatraz booked.
Listening to the prisoners’ and guards’ tales on the audio tour of the famous jail island is fascinating. Day tours cost from £29.
For our final evening, we head to the Tenderloin district to speakeasy Bourbon & Branch – reserve ahead to get the password for entry. The cocktail list is so long, I could have spent a week there.
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Say cheese! Jane’s cherry toastCredit: INSTAGRAM
A heads-up: Tenderloin has large numbers of homeless people and while I don’t feel threatened, it is heartbreaking to see.
Afterwards, we soak up the booze with beef tongue kimchi buns, tuna belly and short rib at Hawaiian-Asian-Californian fusion restaurant Liholiho Yacht Club, where dishes start from £9.
It’s almost home time, so we feast on a brunch of delicious crawfish beignets, £10, and shrimp and grits, £12, at New-Orleans-inspired Brenda’s.
It’s the perfect set-up for exploring Golden Gate Park – which is bigger than New York’s Central Park, FYI – and climbing Strawberry Hill for views of the bridge.
We hire a pedalo around Stow Lake, £21 an hour, before visiting the bison paddock.
I promise the hairy beasts I’ll be back, and I intend to keep my word.
BTW
Temp 21°C
Flight 10hr 30mins
Time difference -7 hours
*Rooms at Hotel Zetta start from £199 per night room only. Save up to 12% when booking through Topcashback.co.uk/fabulousmag.
*Norwegian flies from Gatwick to Oakland (30 mins from San Fran) from £273 return.
*Save up to 42% on attractions and get unlimited cable car rides with City Pass, £69 for nine days.
For more US inspiration, why not take a look at Greater Fort Lauderdale, Asheville or New York.
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