Recently, my best friend needed to go to Reno, Nevada. Knowing that I love to travel, she asked if I wanted to tag along. While I've been to many states, Nevada was a first and I was more than happy to join. While booking our flights, I suggested we go to San Francisco first and drive to Reno. Neither of us had ever been, so we booked our flights and made our way to San Francisco!
Our plane landed around 11:00 am and we went to pick up our rental car from Thrifty. This process took a little longer than we expected, but soon we were on the road.
1st Stop: FOOD!
We drove through mural covered roadways and found a prime meter spot directly across from our detestation. At the renowned Mission Chinese Food and go some of the most delicious dishes I've ever had. It was perfectly vegetarian friendly despite being a little pricey. We ordered "Thrice Cooked Bacon and Rice Cakes (vegetarian version) and "Matcha Meyer Lemon Noodles". They complemented each other and left of heartily satisfied. The dining is family style, so we shared both dishes.
From there, we took a short 5 minute walk down the road to Boba Guys to get some bubble tea. I'd never been before but the simplistic, minimalist vibe and friendly workers was a pleasant surprise. I ordered Horchata and the cool drink was refreshing as we headed back to the car.
2nd Stop: PAINTED LADIES
Next we typed the address to Painted Ladies into our GPS and headed on our way. A few blocks from the destination, we found free street parking and walked up the hill to our destination. Directly across from Alamo Square, the Painted Ladies were stunning. Behind them, we saw the San Francisco skyline and took the opportunities to take some pictures. It was a beautiful (and FREE!) stop on our tour of San Francisco.
3rd Stop: FULL HOUSE
After departing the Painted Ladies, we did a quick drive by of the "Full House" house. We didn't feel the need to get out and snap photos, so after a quick glance, we continued on our journey.
4th Stop: BAKER BEACH
This stop was absolutely breathtaking. Down a small windy road there is a small lot with (FREE) parking. You step out of the car and are instantly immersed in the sounds and sights surrounding you. The Pacific ocean violent crashes along the shore and an immense display of its power before peacefully foaming along the sand. There are massive mountains on one side of you and impressive trees on the other, and between the both and the Golden Gate Bridge. It is the perfect sight for photos and because we went in December, hardly anybody was there. It almost seemed too good to be true; photos just can't do it justice.
5th Stop: Muir Woods
After spending a time in awe at Baker Beach, we jumped back in our car to drive across the Golden Gate Bridge to Muir Woods. With a $10/person entrance fee, this was one of the few items on our agenda that cost us. The drive down the the entrance was trying for two tired girls, but we made it through the winding roads. As we entered the woods we were enveloped in a tree canopy that made everything darker and quieter. We wandered through the trails and took in the massive Redwoods that surrounded us. It was insanely peaceful and I could have spent a year in there. Unfortunately, darkness surrounded us and soon we had to make our way to the exit.
6th Stop: Pier 39!
Our last stop in our day in San Francisco was at the famed Pier 39. There were souvenir shops, a live DJ, a wine tasting, and tons of restaurants to choose from. We went to Wipe Out and got burritos and veggie bowls to close out our day in addition to a very delicious Cosmopolitan. To top off the night, we walked down to the harbor where we were greeting by hundreds of seals splashing and barking away.
The End
With our day done, we hit the road to Reno, NV! With a stop at 85C bakery for some sweet treats in Berkeley, we continued on with our journey.
Be sure to check the Nevada blog post and learn all about my time in the Sierra Nevada Mountains!
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