{"id":9153,"date":"2018-02-13T14:25:08","date_gmt":"2018-02-13T22:25:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/turo.com\/blog\/?p=9153"},"modified":"2018-02-13T14:25:08","modified_gmt":"2018-02-13T22:25:08","slug":"how-to-have-your-best-long-weekend-in-san-francisco","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/turo.com\/blog\/wayfaring\/how-to-have-your-best-long-weekend-in-san-francisco\/","title":{"rendered":"How to have your best long weekend in San Francisco"},"content":{"rendered":"

Whether showing off with a strikingly sunny day or cozying up in a blanket of fog (affectionately known as Karl), San Francisco doesn\u2019t disappoint. Three days is just long enough to sample the Mission\u2019s legendary burritos, Hayes Valley\u2019s eclectic quirk, the Marina\u2019s waterfront bike paths, and the soaring redwoods and sweeping ocean views of the surrounding Bay Area. Here\u2019s how to make the most of your long weekend in Fog City. <\/span><\/p>\n

Friday<\/span><\/h3>\n

DRIVE FROM MARIN TO POINT REYES<\/span><\/h4>\n

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Once you\u2019re settled into the city, kick off the weekend with a sunset drive that gives way to sparkling city lights. Take Sir Francis Drake Blvd from Marin to the <\/span>Point Reyes Lighthouse<\/span><\/a> \u2014 you\u2019ll pass through towering redwoods before arriving at the lighthouse, which marks the second foggiest place on the North American continent (!). Cruise back down towards the city on Highway One, through picturesque Stinson and Muir Beaches, maybe swinging by Muir Beach\u2019s charming Pelican Inn for a snack or a pint, to be welcomed by the giant red Golden Gate Bridge backlit by the San Francisco skyline.<\/span><\/p>\n

WINE AND CHEESE BARS<\/span><\/h4>\n

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Unwind after your drive with some of California\u2019s best wine and cheese. Cow Hollow offers a few options, from moderately priced <\/span>Nectar Wine Lounge<\/span><\/a> to <\/span>California Wine Merchant<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>West Coast Wine & Cheese<\/span><\/a> \u2014 pricier, but cozy and with extensive wine lists. If the cheese doesn\u2019t quite fill you up, menu-shop Union Street for heartier fare, where you\u2019ll find options from Belgian food at <\/span>Belga<\/span><\/a> to artisan burgers at <\/span>Roam<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Saturday<\/span><\/h3>\n

FARMERS MARKET FARE FOR A PICNIC<\/span><\/h4>\n

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Start Saturday morning with a browse through the sprawling <\/span>Alemany Farmers Market<\/span><\/a>. Once you\u2019ve loaded up on treats, take your goods to <\/span>Dolores Park<\/span><\/a>, a wide-open green expanse packed with an inviting cross-section of the city\u2019s locals. Lounge your morning away with city views as your companion. <\/span><\/p>\n

OFF-THE-WALL MUSEUM OUTING<\/span><\/h4>\n

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Unleash your inner kid at the waterfront <\/span>Exploratorium<\/span><\/a>. Discover multiple stories of experience-based exhibits that teach you about yourself and the world around you. Dial it up a notch with a visit to the <\/span>Tactile Dome<\/span><\/a>, a pitch-black jungle gym for kids and grown-ups alike to tumble through by sense alone. <\/span><\/p>\n

AUTHENTIC ITALIAN<\/span><\/h4>\n

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Get back to the world of grown-ups with a white-tablecloth Italian dinner in North Beach. It\u2019s hard to go wrong in restaurant choice, but <\/span>Trattoria Contadina<\/span><\/a> is a tried-and-true family joint where the chefs have been whipping up rib-stickingly-good pastas in the open kitchen since the restaurant opened in 1984. Try a classic like <\/span>Vongole<\/span><\/i>, spaghetti with clams, or <\/span>Il Diavolo<\/span><\/i>, a spicy penne with burrata, paired with one of the imported Italian or local California wines from the impressive list. <\/span><\/p>\n

Sunday <\/span><\/h3>\n

BIKING AND COFFEE<\/span><\/h4>\n

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Get your morning started by renting a bike at Parkwide by the Fort Mason entrance and taking it along the waterfront towards the bridge. Stop along the way for coffee at cult-favorite <\/span>Philz<\/span><\/a>, which has a truck outpost at Marina Green on weekends. Make your bike ride as long or short as you want, stopping at <\/span>Crissy Field Beach<\/span><\/a> or continuing all the way across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito. <\/span><\/p>\n

GREEK AND GERMAN IN HAYES VALLEY<\/span><\/h4>\n

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Fuel up after your morning activity with lunch at <\/span>Souvla<\/span><\/a> in Hayes Valley, a minimalist California take on Greek classics (don\u2019t miss the Greek Fries with an assortment of Greek yogurt dips). Stroll through the eclectic shops nearby, then grab a brew at <\/span>Biergarten<\/span><\/a>, where the draft beers are constantly changing. You might want to opt for the half-liter size to make sure you\u2019re ready to hit the road afterwards. <\/span><\/p>\n

EAST BAY HILLTOP DRIVE<\/span><\/h4>\n

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Venture to the East Bay for some more sweeping views with a drive along Wildcat Canyon Road. You\u2019ll travel through tucked-away <\/span>Tilden Park<\/span><\/a> and the stately Berkeley Hills with plenty of opportunities to pull over and savor the view along the way \u2014 don\u2019t miss aptly-named Inspiration Point. <\/span><\/p>\n

MURALS, MEZCAL, AND MEXICAN FOOD IN THE MISSION<\/span><\/h4>\n

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A weekend in San Francisco isn\u2019t complete without exploring the Mission, an artsier, grittier side of the city that has been grappling with Silicon Valley\u2019s gentrifying effects in recent years. Check out the colorful explosions of murals in Balmy Alley and Osage Alley before heading to <\/span>Mosto<\/span><\/a> to sample some mezcal. Finish it off with tacos and burritos (fun fact: Chipotle\u2019s founder got his inspiration in the Mission) at one of the many taquerias, like <\/span>Taqueria El Farolito<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>San Jalisco<\/span><\/a>, or Taqueria Cancun. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Whether showing off with a strikingly sunny day or cozying up in a blanket of fog (affectionately known as Karl), San Francisco doesn\u2019t disappoint. Three days is just long enough…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":9157,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9153","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wayfaring"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t