Three Days in San Francisco: A Weekend Itinerary

Last updated on February 15th, 2019 at 05:23 am

San Francisco, the city where you can cross continents within blocks. Beautiful, diverse, and friendly. If you haven’t been, you absolutely need to visit.

This was my third visit to San Francisco, but definitely not my last. It has left a different impression on me each time, as I uncover new things with every visit. Josh and I managed to see a good amount of the city in three days, making it a great option for a quick weekend escape.

Here’s how we spent our time:

Day One

Getting There

After a week of being sick, I nervously boarded a flight at six am to land in San Francisco around 8. From the airport we took a Lyft to the Handerly Union Square Hotel. It was a nice hotel, for having booked it only a couple of weeks in advance. We were farther from some of the main attractions, but in a fairly central and not overly touristy location.

The Ferry Building MarketPlace

On Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 am – 2 pm and Saturday from 8 am – 2 pm there is a farmers’ market at the Ferry Building Marketplace. We headed here first to check it out and find an easy breakfast. We sampled many yummy things and made two loops around before we decided on a pastry booth. Everything looked so good!

Coit Tower

Next stop, Coit Tower. It is a 20 minute walk to Coit Tower and it is not easy, as the tower sits at the very top of what felt like a million stairs. There are two sets of stairs to the top, the Filbert and the Greenwich. We took the Filbert.

The stairs take you through beautiful gardens, wind past houses that make you question the owner’s sanity, and give amazing views of the Bay Bridge. I highly recommend doing the climb if you can!

Make sure you keep your eyes open for the wild parrots that live around Telegraph Hill (unfortunately we didn’t see any).

Once you get to Coit Tower, it is $8 to go up to the top where you can see 360 degree views of the city.

the Original Irish Coffee

From there we headed to Fisherman’s Wharf to taste the original Irish Coffee from The Buena Vista, which came highly recommended from Josh’s family. It’s another 20 minute walk, or you can take public transportation, but it doesn’t save you that much time.

The Irish Coffee’s were tasty, but watching the bartender that has worked there for 40 years pour the drinks was more entertaining. This place was packed on a Saturday morning, however, so don’t plan on getting a seat right away.

Scoma’s

For lunch we headed to Scoma’s Restaurant, a classic seafood joint that is hidden on the backside of Fisherman’s Wharf near Pier 45. Usually, I would not recommend eating on Fisherman’s Wharf as it is generally overpriced and touristy. Josh’s family friends, who have resided in the San Francisco area for several years, claim that Scoma’s is classic San Francisco and the best place to eat on the Wharf.

The prices are still steep, but the food was fresh and the atmosphere was simple yet refined. We ordered bowls of Clam Chowder, which were amazing, and the Lazy Man’s Cioppino. I had never had Cioppino before and was not prepared for the simplicity of the dish, so I didn’t enjoy it as much as I had hoped.

Ghirardelli Square

If you’ve done your research about San Francisco, I’m sure you’ve heard of the famous Ghiraredlli Sundaes that you can get in Ghiradelli Square. When we got there, there was a huge line outside, even though there was another place inside where you could order these famous sundaes. Honestly, it looked like a tourist trap to me, so we skipped the ice cream and the long line.

Lombard Street

From Ghiradelli Square, it was a 14 minute walk to Lombard Street, our next destination. This attraction was packed in the late afternoon. It is really difficult to get a decent picture, with all the people and cars driving down the street. If you are looking for the photo op, I think your best bet is from the bottom of the hill so you can actually see the turns.

Alamo Square

We took a Lyft from there to Alamo Square, although public transportation was available too. Here we sat for a while and gazed at the Painted Ladies (seen on the TV show Full House). Again, there were a ton of people here. I even watched a couple spend several minutes posing on the front steps of these houses for pictures. Please be respectful, remember people live in these houses. 

Top of the Mark

After a day of sight seeing, it was time to relax with some drinks and a good view. We went to Top of the Mark, which sits on the top of the Mark Hopkins Hotel and offers views of the Golden Gate and Bay Bridge. They have a fairly diverse menu featuring classic cocktails, spin-offs, beer, wine, small bites and tapas. My only complaint is that I didn’t get a seat by the window, so I would suggest getting there right when they open if that’s important to you.

Huntington Park

Located right next to Top of the Mark, Huntington Park is a nice place to sit and people watch. After sitting on a bench for a couple minutes, Josh and I were suddenly surrounded by people and dogs who all seemed to know each other from bringing their dogs to this park. It was a strange, but sweet thing to witness, like we were outsiders crashing a party.

Next to Huntington Park is Grace Cathedral, a big beautiful church. Unfortunately, there was an event going on while we were there otherwise we would have gone in. The church is open from 8 am to 6 pm most days and offers guided tours that include visiting the South Tower for great views of the San Francisco skyline.

Mensho Tokyo Ramen

We were excited to try Asian food in San Francisco, so for dinner we went to Mensho Tokyo, which turned out to be a Michelin Star restaurant, so there was a line of people outside when we got there. It took 45 minutes to get through the line, at which point we sat at a community table and ordered the Tori Paitan. Our initial impressions of the dish were negative, because it had an unusual earthy taste that was coming from either the burdock or the menma. It started to taste better once it was all mixed together, but be wary if you aren’t used to this flavor.

Boba Guys

One of my favorite foodie stops of this trip was Boba Guys. My worst boba experience to date was taking a sip of my drink and getting a small ball of chalky powder – it almost ruined boba for me. Luckily Boba Guys doesn’t use any artificial ingredients or powders, but instead uses real tea, organic milks, and housemade syrups and jellys. You can taste the difference. There will likely be a line when you get here, but it’s worth it. The Strawberry Matcha Latte was amazing and I’m not a huge fan of Matcha. I would order it with 50-75% sweetness next time (their default is 100%).

Day Two

Marshall’s beach

We started our day off with a small hike and a visit to Marshall’s Beach, which gives a nice perspective of the Golden Gate Bridge. While we were looking at the water, we saw water spewing from a whale’s blowhole, so keep your eyes open! This beach is also good for bird watching.

This was one of my favorite parts of visiting San Francisco, definitely a must do!

Tartine Bakery

We took a Lyft from Marshall’s Beach to Tartine Bakery, another San Francisco staple. There was a pretty large line, but it went fast. I tried the savory scone and the orange sesame bread. Both were very good! Just make sure that you know what you want when you get up there, because we felt a little rushed to order.

Faye’s Coffee

If you need a coffee fix like we did, Faye’s is just across the street from Tartine Bakery. Linea Caffee, which was also on my list, is also just down the street.

Mission murals

Coffee in hand, we headed to Clarion Alley to check out some street art. It was pretty cool, but I have to say that the RiNo Art District in Denver was more impressive.

For more street art in the Mission District, you can also check out Balmy Street.

Dolores park

Spend some time exploring and lounging in Dolores Park. There are some pretty good views of downtown San Francisco from here.

Bi-Rite Creamery

Right off of Dolores Park is Bi-Rite Creamery, a yummy ice cream parlor with unique flavors, ice cream sandwiches, and sundaes. I recommend the Black Sesame if your looking for something a little different. It was delicious!

Misión San Francisco de Asís

One of the 21 Spanish Missions located in California, Misión San Francisco de Asís was founded in 1776, making it the oldest building in San Francisco that remains intact. The 21 Missions were created by the Spanish Empire in an attempt to convert the Native Americans to Catholicism and create New Spain. It’s an interesting piece of Californian history and Luke actually worked at one of them while we were living in San Luis Obispo.

The church looked pretty impressive from the outside, but we decided not to go in. There is a $7 admission for an adult and they are open from 9 am – 4 pm most days.

Catch the Muni Train at Church and 16th street for the next destination: Chinatown!

Chinatown

Chinatown is a must while you are visiting San Francisco. Although it is pretty touristy, it feels like you stepped onto a different continent. Check out the shops and bakeries or get a boba drink at Steap Tea Bar (or Boba Guys).

We went to the Fortune Cookie Factory, which is one of the more popular things to do in Chinatown. The line forms in a small alleyway down a side street, but it moves quickly. Honestly, I wasn’t really sure what to expect here. They had some samples and you can take pictures of the people hand-making the fortune cookies. There are also a variety of fortune cookie boxes to buy, featuring different flavors or chocolate drizzles. I think this is something to skip unless you really like fortune cookies.

Afterwards we went to Great Eastern Restaurant for Dim Sum. It was a really fun experience, as I had never had Dim Sum before! Make sure you try the sesame balls with red bean paste. They only serve Dim Sum from 10 am – 3 pm, however, so plan accordingly.

Sea Lions at Pier 39

Since we had more time than expected, we walked to Pier 39 to check out one of the few things worth seeing there: Sea Lions! Weirdly enough, droves of Sea Lions decided to call Pier 39 home for most of the year (and some even stay all year!). They are entertaining to watch and add some unique charm to this tourist destination.

See Also: three Days in New York City

Relax

We wandered back to our hotel, stopping to sip wine at DeLucchi, a cute cafe with vibrant pink flowers decorating the patio that made me yearn for Italy or France. We then tried out the pool at the Handerly because we were exhausted from walking all day.

If you feel like exploring more of Pier 39, Chinatown, or Little Italy, this would also be a great time to do it.

Bourbon and branch

A speakeasy located behind a grand, unmarked door in a dicey area of the Tenderloin, Bourbon & Branch was classic in the best ways. It was lit only by candles, with house rules that must obeyed (such as no cell phones or pictures, sorry guys), cozy booths, and a huge drink menu featuring all types of craft and classic cocktails.

Taqueria el sol

Since we had not eaten dinner, we were starving after Bourbon & Branch, but it was too late for most places to be open. We stopped at Taqueria el Sol, a typical Mexican dive, and grabbed some late night tacos and burritos.

Day Three

16th Avenue Tiled steps

On our drive to these steps, our Lyft driver said, “Wow, I’ve lived here for 45 years and I’ve never been way up here. What is it that’s up here?” I didn’t really know how to tell her we came all this way to see some tiled steps. Also called the Moraga Steps, the 16th Avenue Tiled Steps are located near the top of a very hilly neighborhood. For once, all the hype was worth it though. There were not a million other tourists here, just us and another couple, which allowed us time to explore and take pictures.

We also got a little lost before finding the steps, and ended up in Grandview Park, which involved even more stairs. I have a theory though that if it’s hard to get to, the views at the top are just that much better.

Home Cafe

A five minute walk from the 16th Avenue Tiled Steps is Home Cafe, which I had been interested in visiting for their famous Birthday Cake latte. Unfortunately we didn’t have time, so if you are able to go, order one for me!

Japanese Tea Garden

Golden Gate Park has many things to do, including a Botanic Garden, a Conservatory of Flowers, several lakes, a boathouse, a bison paddock and a dutch windmill. So you have a lot of options if you aren’t interested in the Japanese Tea Garden.

It was very beautiful and after visiting the Japanese Garden in Seattle I was curious. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, admission is free before 10 am, but it will likely be crowded.

In n’ out

A classic California treat, Josh wouldn’t let us skip In N’ Out Burger. We finally tried Animal Style and it was pretty good.

Alcatraz

Next stop: Alcatraz! Book your tickets in advance. Make sure you also pick up your Audio Tour, otherwise you might walk all the way up to the top and realize you are the only tourist that doesn’t have an audio guide (definitely didn’t happen to us).

Calzone’s Restaurant

Craving another afternoon spent lingering at a cafe, hoping to slow down time, we stopped at Calzone’s. We shared the brussels sprouts pizza, which was pretty good. The ambiance here was just not as authentic as DeLucchi (or maybe I was just feeling melancholy that we’d be going home soon).

The Baked Bear

We debated whether to get ice cream or gelato and landed on ice cream from The Baked Bear. If I could go back in time though, I would get gelato. The Baked Bear was good, but expensive. We both got Bear Bowls, with a scoop of ice cream atop either a brownie or cookie.

Bye for Now!

One more stroll through Chinatown and it was time to head to the airport. I had so much fun exploring this city and can’t wait to come back. Here are some things we weren’t able to get to:

• Visit Muir Woods
• Explore Haight Street
• Li Zo Cocktail Lounge in Chinatown
• Walk the Golden Gate Bridge
• Explore Castro District
• Watch the sunrise at Twin Peaks
• Visit Sausalito
• Eat at b.patisserie
• See the “I Got Baked in San Francisco” sign at Mr. Holme’s Bakehouse
• Walk Lovers’ Lane
• Hike to the Land’s End Labyrinth
• Eat breakfast at Mama’s
• Visit The Barrel Room or The Remedie Room

Have you been to San Francisco? Have you done any of these things?

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Looking to spend more time in California? Check out Three Days in LA: A Weekend Itinerary.