how to be a tourist in san francisco

Step 1: Have a bowl of clam chowder at Fisherman’s Wharf. If you’re lucky, you’ll even spot a sea lion sunbathing. Unfortunately, it was still pretty chilly when Percila and I visited in February, so we didn’t get to see any. After you finish your soup, do some souvenir shopping. But make sure you shop around to get the best price possible.

Fisherman's Wharf 23
Clam chowder at Fog Harbor Fish House

Fisherman's Wharf 8

Step 2: Check out Lombard Street, “the most crooked street in the world”, where you can see cars maneuver down 8 zig zags. You can definitely tell this is just for tourists because everyone in the car has their cell phones out to try to capture the perfect shot of this unique road. I’m pretty sure that driving down Lombard Street is to San Franciscans, as driving through Times Square is to New Yorkers.

Lombard Street 10
At the top of Lombard Street
Lombard Street 25
At the bottom of Lombard Street

Step 3: Hang out with the Tanners. If you’re like me and you watched Full House growing up, you’ll want to get a shot of these Victorian homes. They look a lot nicer in pictures, as it’s really only about 6 houses. Plus, the ‘viewing area’ was under construction, so I couldn’t really get a good view of the homes. Still cool to see, nonetheless.

Painted Ladies 1
One of the unique Victorian homes we saw on the way to the Painted Ladies
Painted Ladies 3
The Painted Ladies aka the Full House houses

Step 4: Anything to do with the Golden Gate Bridge.

Step 5: Last but not least, ride a cable car. Yes, it’ll cost you $7 but it is completely worth it. We hopped on the Powell-Mason line near Fisherman’s Wharf (beginning of the line) and rode the 15-minute ride to our hotel near Union Square (end of the line). It’s especially fun going up and down the hills knowing that your legs aren’t doing any of the work.

Day 2 (2-25) Cable Car 1.JPG

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