The family and I took a quick getaway to San Francisco last weekend during the kid’s Fall Break, and I finally got around to sorting through the photos. Now, before you go thinking I’m a Real Housewife who jets out of town to go shopping, I need to clarify (this is a budget-friendly blog after all)! We had airline credit near expiration, and the fares were a ridiculous $100 round-trip! We had no choice but to go, right?!
And since the kids were with us, my camera lens was pointed more at them than the scenery. So unless we share DNA, you’re going to be sick of them by the end of this post. And exhausted since we kept a pretty fast pace during our 72-hour visit! Mr. Sugarplum grew up in the Bay Area, so he served as tour guide.
Our first stop was Twin Peaks, one of the highest points in the city, to get a glimpse of it all with the sweeping view.
Then we drove around the city and through Chinatown, but Lombard Street was definitely a kid-favorite.
Normally, Mr. Sugarplum and I choose budget hotels in the city center. But kids require more space, and extra amenities make it easier for everyone! So we stayed at the Larkspur Mill Valley, right on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge, and loved it. Big comfy rooms, heated saltwater pool and hot tub, and free hearty breakfast spread. If you asked the kids about the hotel, they’d tell you our room had the biggest TV ever, and they got to make s’mores every night. So everyone was happy.
The next morning, we rented awesome bikes from Blazing Saddles, and took off exploring for the day.
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| Nice legs, er, leg |
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| Oops, typo! |
It’s 8 or 9 miles one way, so taking the ferry back was a good call! Especially since our bellies were stuffed from lunch at Spinnaker’s. From there, we explored Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39, before returning the bikes. It was unfortunate the bike place was in Ghiradelli Square, as we were forced to gorge sample their chocolates. Then we experienced both levels of the Bay Bridge, and stopped at Treasure Island for a different perspective of the city.
The weather was amazing while we were there, so we took advantage by exploring some of the State Parks, too.
We chose short, easy trails to accommodate the little legs.
Surprisingly, there was no complaining, and we were all rewarded with a stunning view from the top of Mount Tamalpais.
We discovered the best way to keep kids happy when spending a lot of time in the car….
They were so busy gazing at Northern California, they forgot to bicker! We continued North to Stinson Beach, and had a great lunch in the cute beach side town.
We had intended to spend some time in Point Reyes National Park, so our last night’s hotel was the eco-conscience Inverness Valley Inn. We had a cottage with a fireplace, and the kids loved helping out with the farm animals and climbing the giant trees.
In the interest of time, we headed back to the city on the last day, instead of Point Reyes. San Francisco has some fabulous parks, and Golden Gate Park and Yerba Buena Gardens were our two favorites.
We came, we saw, we ate, we explored, we fell in love!
Did we hit all your favorite spots?
