Published 29th Jun 2025, 06:00 BST
It was the bottom of the third innings, and the 40,000-strong crowd in Oracle Park were about to go wild.
San Francisco Giants third baseman Matt Chapman was at the plate and, with a rapid swing of the bat, he clocked the ball over the heads of the Colorado Rockies fieldsmen and into the bleachers.
The ballgame at Oracle Park was one of the highlights of my trip to San Francisco, a city renowned for its arts scene, hippie culture and tech links, which is now a haven for sports fans.
San Francisco city at night
After enjoying a relaxing couple of hours in the United Airlines Club lounge at Heathrow Airport, I settled down in the United Polaris business class cabin on my way to northern California.
Every seat in the Polaris section converts into a lie-flat bed and as I watched films on the 16-inch touchscreen in between being served hot smoked lemon chilli pepper salmon and berry cheesecake, it felt like I was staying in a mile-high luxury hotel and dining at a top-class restaurant.
Once I’d touched down in San Francisco, I made my way to the Inn at Presidio, a tranquil guest house in the middle of the 1,500-acre national park.
A former US Army post, the Georgian Revival-style building’s 22 guest rooms are the perfect base for adventurers looking to explore the trails or take on a round of golf.
Oracle Park Giants vs Rockies
As soon as I checked into my king suite with its roaring fire, I felt at home, while the complimentary wine and cheese evenings by the fire pit were the perfect way to unwind.
Getting around San Francisco is easy – with everything from vintage trams to driverless Waymo taxis.
But I generally chose to walk, and after strolling down past the Presidio’s Main Parade Grounds and Tunnel Tops to the bay front, I arrived at Beach Street where I met up with Eli, a tour guide at Blazing Saddles.
Following a quick demo of how to use the electric bikes, we embarked on a tour of the Bay Area, taking in Fort Mason, the Marina, the Palace of Fine Arts and the Presidio.
Golden Gate Bridge
However, there was one sight I wanted to check out above all others.
The Golden Gate Bridge has been Northern California’s defining landmark since it opened in 1937, and we got to pedal our e-bikes over the world-famous orange architectural wonder and into Sausalito.
There, I enjoyed delicious seared scallops and a Salsiccia pizza at the charming bayside town’s premier Italian restaurant Poggio Trattoria, before catching the ferry back to Fishermen’s Wharf.
It may seem strange to some that so many tourists flock to Alcatraz Island, a place that people used to be so desperate to leave.
I boarded a busy ferry courtesy of Alcatraz City Tours to check out the haunting former federal penitentiary, which is now a popular National Historic Landmark, and will remain as such unless President Trump turns ‘The Rock’ back into a working prison.
For the second half of the week I was based at one of the newest hotels in the revitalised Mission Bay neighbourhood, LUMA, which is just a ball’s throw away from Oracle Park.
While the city skyline views from my sleek, modern room on the 11th floor were spectacular, they were even better from rooftop lounge Cavaña, where I sipped cocktails and munched on fish tacos.
Further up 3rd Street is Dogpatch, another of San Francisco’s upcoming districts.
It is home to Bay Padel, where I joined Madridian coach Alvaro for an introduction to the rapidly growing racquet sport.
The best place in San Francisco to catch big sport events on TV is on the ginormous screens at the new Splash Sports Bar next to the Chase Center. I pulled up a stool to watch the Canelo Álvarez fight, while bartender Rory kept the pints flowing and the buffalo chicken wings and fries coming.
The following evening, the streets around LUMA were flooded with Giants orange and Golden State Warriors yellow.
I had tickets for the baseball game, and after looking around the stadium with Lisa from Oracle Park Tours, I cheered the Giants onto a 4-0 victory over the Rockies.
At the same time, a few blocks away, the Warriors were beaten by the Houston Rockets, so I probably chose the right match to attend.
Big sporting occasions are nothing new for San Francisco – the 49ers’ Levi’s Stadium is due to host ‘soccer’ matches at the 2026 men’s FIFA World Cup and Super Bowl LX, while the 2028 PGA Championship and the 2033 Ryder Cup are both being held at the Olympic Club.
Over the years, millions of people from around the world have visited San Francisco to clap eyes on its iconic sights and soak in the culture.
And although you still can enjoy that side of the cool Californian conurbation, the Golden City is also a home run for sports fans having a ball by the Bay.
To find out more about holidays in San Francisco, California, visit sftravel.com
Standard queen rooms at the Inn at the Presidio, available from £285 per night. See presidiolodging.com/inn-at-the-presidio/
Deluxe king rooms at LUMA Hotel San Francisco in the Mission Bay district available from £168 per night. Go to lumahotels.com/san-francisco
United Airlines is offering 20 flights per day from London Heathrow to the USA during summer 2025. This includes three daily flights to San Francisco, with return fares in economy from £580.92 based on departures in September 2025. united.com
Holiday Extras offers a wide range of car parking and hotel options at all major UK airports, including London Heathrow. holidayextras.com
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