Sun and Rain in San Francisco

Vegas - done! Next stop - San Francisco. Why? Honestly, there's no real reason except 'I haven't been and I want to go!' 2023 was my year to explore, and I decided to stick with a city that's not too far from Calgary. San Francisco's got a cool vibe, a rich history, and a huge sports scene. The Golden State Warriors and the San Francisco 49ers were enough to convince me to check it out. Planning the trip was like any other - what’s there to see? There’s the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, the zoo, nautical museums, and tons more. To keep things affordable, I hunted for a cheap flight and chose to stay at a downtown hostel instead of an Airbnb. It was budget-friendly, and I might even meet some other solo travelers. The trip kicked off with a quick 3-hour flight on United Airlines. They gave out free earbuds and had a bunch of TV channels. I got there early, but my hostel room with two bunk beds for four people wasn’t ready yet. I dropped off my carry-on and backpack at the hostel and started exploring downtown. I like to get a feel for where everything is in relation to my hostel and check out the transit options. I used the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) to get from the airport to my hostel, and it seemed like I could use it to hit the main attractions and, of course, Levi’s Stadium where the 49ers play. Wandering around downtown, I found grocery stores, little shops, and most importantly, places to eat. November weather in San Francisco is pretty straightforward; you either get sunshine or heavy rain. After a 3-kilometer loop around my hostel, I was starving, and it started pouring. I did not own a raincoat, but thankfully I had a hoodie. Just a block away from the hostel, I spotted a diner on the corner of Geary Street and Mason Street called the Pinecrest Diner. It was bustling, so I figured the food must be good, and I needed something warm. I ordered a grilled chicken pesto hot sandwich, and it came with a massive pile of French fries. A hearty meal, and I thought, 'Only in America do you get this many fries on the side.' Back at the hostel, I met two young guys from Sydney, Australia. They were only in San Francisco for a couple of days and surprisingly didn’t have any recommendations. That didn’t bother me; I knew there were plenty of spots worth checking out. Hoping to learn more about San Francisco and maybe make a travel buddy, I signed up for a walking tour hosted by the hostel the next morning.

The next day was pretty packed. I had a simple breakfast of eggs and toast at the hostel, then joined the group for a tour. Our guide was a local middle school teacher who showed us around downtown and talked about San Francisco's social movements. It was informative, but honestly, the stories weren't that interesting to me. There was too much historical, political, and economic stuff—it felt more like a lecture than an exciting tale about the streets of San Francisco. The main thing I got from the tour was that San Francisco is super culturally diverse. Things got way more fun after I left the group and headed west to the coastline.

Here are the spots I checked out on the northwest side of downtown San Francisco:

The Ferry Building - a fancy farmers' market (see right picture below) and there were tons of piers outside (the middle picture below shows one of the many piers that had a long boardwalk).
Pier 23 - a food spot where you can enjoy awesome clam chowder and tasty fried fish tacos.
Exploratorium - this cool museum all about science, tech, and art. I popped in to see how much it costs to get in, and it was almost $60. I figured I'd save my cash for another day. Maybe I'll check it out some other time.
Fisherman's Wharf - I went in the evening but there was not a lot to see because it was dark. I did spot a Lid's store and with the upcoming 49ers game the next day, I bought some 49er merchandise (a grey long sleeve 49er pullover sweater)

No doubt about it, the best part of the trip was the football game, and it took up the whole day.

The rain finally stopped after a couple of days, and Sunday turned out to be sunny and perfect for the NFL game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I threw on some jeans, sneakers, a red t-shirt, and my 49ers sweater. I quickly headed to the nearest train station and caught the BART to the Coliseum station. Fun fact: the Coliseum is where the Oakland Athletics play baseball. Google Maps then told me to catch an Amtrak train to head south to Santa Clara, where Levi's Stadium is. I hopped on the train, planning to pay onboard since I couldn’t find a place to buy a ticket at the platform. My heart raced when I saw a ticket officer coming through. She asked for my ticket, and I admitted I didn’t have one but wanted to buy it from her. She gave me a stern look and said I’d have to get off at the next station to purchase a ticket. Uh oh! I explained it was an honest mistake and pleaded for another way to pay. I really did not want to get kicked off this train as it would delay my arrival at the stadium. In the end, we figured it out and I was relieved. I also knew I was on the right train because nearly everyone was wearing San Francisco 49ers gear. Football is a big deal here, and the fanbase was huge. I was so glad I had my 49ers sweater on as I felt like I belonged. When I arrived at the Levi's Stadium, I was in awe. It had so many different levels. Some levels had restaurants, others had merchandise stores, and all levels had concession stands. There were two giant screens at each endzone, and there were easily over 1,000 seats. Attendance at these games were superb, the stadium was filled with anticipation and excitement from the San Francisco faithful.

San Francisco triumphed with a thrilling 27-14 victory! Quarterback Brock Purdy lit up the field with two spectacular passing touchdowns: a stunning long bomb to wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and a swift pass to tight end George Kittle. Christian McCaffrey dazzled everyone with his trademark rushing touchdown. Their kicker nailed two field goals with precision. Tampa Bay managed to score two impressive touchdowns, but every other drive they attempted was brilliantly shut down by San Francisco's rock-solid defense! Good night San Francisco!

To wrap up my trip, I swung by the Golden Gate Bridge the next morning around 8 am before my flight home later that day. The size of the bridge was seriously impressive. Cars of all kinds were zooming back and forth, cyclists were hitting the sidewalks on both sides for a tough workout, and the views around the bridge were absolutely stunning. I was situated by the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center where the viewpoint was great. Surrounding the welcome center, there were walking pathways and benches. One of the pathways lead to a statue of Joseph Strauss, the chief engineer of the bridge. In close proximity, there were boards showing the bridge's history, the building process, and why this American landmark is so important. I soaked it all in and it was a peaceful Monday morning. Seeing such a sight in a peaceful setting is super calming and I was brimming with satisfaction. Would I come back? I wouldn't see why not. There is so much in this world to see, I am extremely grateful that I had the opportunity to check out this city.