Growing up, I often went to San Francisco to visit my family up north. San Fransico is a charming city with beautiful sites, delicious food, and plenty of fun activities to do. Below are some of my favorite must-dos when visiting the city.

Places to Explore:

Crissy Field – this area is near the marina part of San Fransico. Crissy Field offers an amazing, safe place to walk around and see great views of the Golden Gate Bridge, as well as nearby attractions like the Palace of Fine Arts. Over the summer, I loved running in this area and found Crissy Field to be a nice, open area to run. Another plus of Crissy Field is that there are plenty of other active people around, so you don’t feel unsafe running or walking alone.

Palace of Fine Arts – I mentioned this earlier, but the Palace of Fine Arts is a fine place to walk around and view the beautiful temple-looking architecture. Stop by this attraction to take nice photos and enjoy a peaceful walk.

Golden Gate Park – this is hands down my favorite park ever. I also ran here and completed 10 miles in this park. There was never a dull moment on this run, and I found myself constantly looking around to sightsee all the wonderful things around me. The Golden Gate Park is home to beautiful greenery, pretty gardens, and endless fields. It’s such a secluded part of the city, and it’s a great getaway from the bustling town. I saw many people here biking, walking, and running. On warmer days, it’s a popular place for picnics. Below is a list of other gardens or places you can visit at Golden Gate Park:

• The San Francisco Botanical Garden
• The Japanese Tea Garden
• The Rainforest and Aquarium at the California Academy of Sciences
• The Conservatory of Flowers
• Stow Lake
• Shakespeare Garden
• The Dutch and Murphy Windmills
• The Beach Chalet (great view)

The Ferry Plaza Building – a great place to see local businesses selling all kinds of products, mostly food. This historical building displays pop-ups from many different businesses that sell unique, handmade goods. Stop by to buy homemade sourdough, a cone of Humphry’s Slocone, or a cute souvenir. If you aren’t into shopping, the Ferry Plaza Building is a great place to window-shop.

The Painted Ladies – although this is a very touristy attraction, The Painted Ladies are a must-see when in San Francisco. These iconic houses are featured in the show Full House and Fuller House. Stop at the park across the street to enjoy a peaceful sunset picnic with The Painted Ladies in full view.

The Fillmore District – San Francisco is home to numerous neighborhoods that are cute and filled with fun shops and restaurants. The Fillmore District is one of my favorite neighborhoods to walk around and window shop. I highly recommend visiting it if you have a chance!

That about wraps up some of my favorite places to explore in San Francisco. I hope this article was helpful and insightful!!