If it's your first time in San Francisco - you're in for a treat! Although, let’s be honest, if you are going to San Francisco, you’re always in for a treat. The city might be small (just around 500k people and some famous 44 square miles), but there is just so much to do and explore. From hiking to biking to eating and drinking. San Francisco is very cultural, artsy and liberal. Wanna walk naked down the streets? San Franciscans have seen it all. Just being in this city alone is an experience itself. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind when you are going for the first time.
Bring a jacket
Yeah, you might go to California and yeah, you won't see any rain for 9 months straight but you're also going to San Francisco. Definitely bring a jacket (yes, also during the summer!) and wear layers. Also bring a jacket, even if it's hot and sunny in the East Bay. San Francisco has it's own rules, even when it comes to the weather. Karl (the fog) will get you!
Wear comfortable shoes
Speaking of your outfit - do yourself a favor and wear comfortable shoes. San Francisco isn't about fancy anyways. Many people wear casual and outdoor items, even to work (ever heard about the Patagonia fleece vests? They're a thing in the entire Bay Area! And you definitely don't want to find yourself on the foot of a steep hill (there are many of them!) with your new high heels. You just don't.
Mind the Tenderloin
I experienced San Francisco as a relatively safe city - meaning nothing scary ever happened to me, but of course I have heard different, too. There are some areas, which made even me feel uncomfortable, such as The Tenderloin or certain areas in SoMa (South of Market). There are many homeless on the street (you might have heard of San Francisco’s homelessness problem), some of them psychologically unstable or drugged. Unlike in other cities, “nice” and “challenged” areas can be right next to each other, where you make a turn and find yourself in an entirely different atmosphere. As there's Uber and Lyft available everywhere, you can easily avoid uncomfortable situations by just using a cab.
It's not Frisco
Or San Fran for that matter. SF is debatable. City by the Bay is ok. However, you might want to do the world a favor and stop the nickname game. Just call it San Francisco.
WALK
Unless you find yourself in a neighbourhood such as mentioned in point three, you should definitely consider to walk - or bike! To be fair, the hills might not make it easy and there have been quite a few times where I regretted my shoe choice half way up. However, San Francisco is such a walkable city with so many nice houses and good weather, that you should try to see as much as possible. I have discovered many cute coffee places and shops on my way. And here’s a little insider tip for you: follow The Wiggle, it’s a bike path in San Francisco avoiding all the steep parts!
Let me know if you found any of these helpful or if you think I forgot something important!
Kate recommends: As San Francisco and The Bay Area are the home of many big tech companies, a trip there goes well with The Circle, from Dave Eggers. In his novel, he describes the dark side of social media and what tech companies might do to us so it is quite an exciting read!