A city escape in San Francisco

For me, any trip overseas is an exciting one. The adventures, the sights, the food, the people – it’s all a part of it.

So when we land in San Francisco it’s no surprise I’m caught running out the airport doors to discover all that’s waiting to be explored.

The digs

Choosing where to stay when travelling overseas is always my biggest task. Will I be close to all the action? Am I getting a good deal? Will the staff be friendly? Luckily for us, the Executive Hotel Vintage Court in San Francisco ticks all the boxes.

Located on the Nob Hill side of Union Square, the Executive Hotel Vintage Court is just a few feet from the Powell Street Cable Car, making getting around easy.

The hotel is a mix of boutique chic meets wine country charm with each of its 106 guest rooms named after a local California winery. Mr LML and I are spending our time in the Manotti Vineyards suite, a large European-style room with everything we need. A big thumbs up has to go to the complimentary local wine and chocolates (which didn’t make it past the first hour of our arrival).

Cable Cars, chowder and sea lions

After flying in from NYC, we could easily rest our heads on the comfy king sized bed, but we’re only here for a few days so we pull ourselves outside and hit the streets of San Fran.

Within a short walk (literally about 20 steps) we arrive at the Powell Street Cable Car stop, which takes us down to Fisherman’s Wharf where we tuck into some world-famous San Fran clam chowder, fish tacos and fried shrimp – yum!

Pier 39 is next on the list with over 110 unique shops to explore (including a lefty’s left-handed goods store), hand-crafted goodies, a Ben and Jerry’s ice cream hut, and a crowd of cheeky resident sea lions camping out on the k-dock. We even came across a conga line in the middle of the pier. This place is seriously vibing!

The Pier is your one stop shop for soaking up San Fran in the space of an afternoon, offering postcard perfect views of Alcatraz Island and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Exhausted after a day exploring, we head back to our digs to find a crowded lobby sipping down complimentary vino in reception. When they say wine-inspired digs, they really meant it! It would be rude not to join so we grab a glass and sample some local goodies before calling it a night.

A golden day out

My number one must-do in San Fran is hiring some wheels and exploring the city with a ride over the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito. Seeing the city from both sides of the bay will have your camera full of happy snaps and makes for a great day out.

If you’re riding the bridge, take my word for it and pull up a seat at The Trident for lunch. We opt for some fish tacos, crab cake sangas and quite possibly the tastiest truffle parmesan fries ever.

Lucky for us, there’s a ferry in Sausalito ready to take us back to the mainland (riding on a full stomach isn’t my idea of fun). We make it back to the Executive Hotel Vintage Court just in time for round two of wine-o’clock. Cheers!

Have you been to San Francisco? If so, what were your favourite travel memories?