San Francisco has long been in my bucket list, but I never really got to go until….. I decided to visit my friend in Hawaii. Wait, hold up, how does a trip to Hawaii link to San Francisco you say? Well, coincidentally, I was trying to find the cheapest flight from New York to Hawaii, and like most cheap flights, there must be stops. Luckily, as I browsed through many websites and comparing prices, I found one with a 7-hour layover in San Francisco. As if I hit the jackpot, I couldn’t resist backing down now, I neeeeeeed to book this!
I wasn’t sure what I could accomplish in 7 hours. To be honest, I have to deduct around 3 hours for transportation leaving the airport and coming back, so that leaves 5 hours. Can I visit some of the major sites? Well, I managed to check-in to 3 must visits of San Francisco! The Golden Gate Bridge, duh! Lombard crooked street, well there ain’t any other street like this! And lastly, my love for animals – the sea lions at Pier 39! (I wish I could type up the sound effect of the sea lion but I’m not sure how, uhh, uuh, uhh?)
First of all, this was a solo trip, and I think doing it solo is amazing! Some people may be scared, but once you tried, you might get addicted! I found it a new experience. I still love both with or without companions. Each journey is a new adventure! Haven’t you heard, you can only get richer by traveling!
PROs of travelling alone
- Control your own time
- Pick your desired destinations
- No need to compromise
- No one to share food with, so you can eat them all by yourself! Ha-Ha!
- Try new things, no one’s judging you
CONs of travelling alone
- No one takes photos for you, but that’s what the selfies are for! No shame! OR ask strangers, make new friends!
- Can be lonely
- No one to share food with – more people allow you to order more variety
- No one to share the travel costs
- Can be dangerous
Transportation for
Airport –> Golden gate bridge–> Lombard street (Crooked street)–> Pier 39–> Airport
Step 1: Airtrain to BART
Step 2: Buy the Clipper card – $20 would be best, can be used for BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) and MUNI (metro and bus system)
Step 3: Take (train) BART to Daly city – $9.80
Step 4: Take (bus) MUNI #28 to Golden Gate Bridge
Step 5: Definitely a good view around Golden Gate Tourist Center ( I spent around an hour here, absorbing the view, taking photos, taking selfies, and buy souvenirs.
Step 6: Take the (same bus) MUNI #28 to Van Ness Ave & Chestnut St
Step 7: Walk to Lombard street, be warned that along the way is an uphill and stairs, but the view is amazing.
Step 8: Walk down along the crooked street and the best place to take photo (and also the most crowded) is the end of the crooked street – Lombard st and Leavensworth
Step 9: Uber pool to Pier 39 ~$4-5
The cute trams!
In rush hour i decided to grab something really quick, and obviously the seafood is the best choice.
Step 10: Walk straight to the furthest left for the Sea lions deck, or you can ask the information at the front on how to get there, and also the Pier 39 map for keepsake 🙂
Step 11: Uber pool to Embarcadero station ~$4-5
Step 12: Take the BART to San Francisco International Airport, Take the one that says SFO!
Step 13: Airtrain to your terminal
Step 14: Voila! You make it in time (hopefully)! Bon voyage to your next destination!
