Scoping Out the Magic of San Francisco
Visiting San Francisco is the closest I’ve felt to love at first sight. There’s always something new to visit, do, or eat when I’m there – though my wallet would protest otherwise. Yet I’ve never felt the urge to settle down and make a home out of it.
NOTE: This is a post inspired by #FlashbackFriday, where I reminisce about my past experiences for nostalgia, and also to practice my (rusty) writing skills. The events, prices, and other details mentioned are not necessarily accurate when reading. It’s best to assume the events, prices, and other details are from my previous personal experience unless I state otherwise that it is accurate at the time of writing.
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Streets of San Francisco
Right off the bat, San Francisco was a dream and felt just a little magical. There was a vibrant and chaotic energy, and every block seemed bursting with character.
Funnily enough, I’m usually horrible with directions (giving & executing) in LA and relied on my then-boyfriend (now-husband) to take us where we needed to go. But while we were in San Francisco, I was the one who did better with directions. It was ironic, considering I get extremely lost in downtown LA no matter how many times we go to the same three places.
Whereas our corner of LA is mostly cookie-cutter homes and one neighborhood blending into the next, San Francisco felt different at every corner. I was able to figure out our next steps and backtrack when necessary.
Plus, I was unerringly able to find my way to the Ghirardelli Square by bus or foot from anywhere within the city. Just a little humblebrag.
Salt air and the smell of lobster (bisque)
I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say that there was practically something new or different to see on every corner.
I was able to navigate it so much better than I normally do since I had more unique “landmarks” to refer to. Whether it was a house with unusual architecture, a storefront with a wacky window display, or a plaza with an interesting fountain.
We were lucky enough that we had access to a car on my very first visit to San Francisco since it was also my first (long) road trip with my then-boyfriend. So on the days we had to ourselves, the two of us were able to drive around to the places we wanted to see the most.
Meanwhile, on the days we spent with either my mom and her friends, or our friends and her roommates we walked and/or used public transportation. In the end, it was more economical than renting another car, especially given the parking (or lack of it) in most of the touristy areas. Honestly, I think walking around so much helped me learn how to navigate around San Francisco.
Sightseeing in San Francisco was also a lot easier since we had access to a friend who was intimately familiar with the area. While our friend wasn’t a local, she still had ample experience from living & studying there for at least two years (at the time of our first visit). So we got some amazing recommendations from our friend and her (local) classmates!
With everything we typically had going on, we didn’t get to go inside any museum. Our first (and subsequent) visits were more along the lines of maximizing our limited days in San Francisco, so we hopped from place to place. I don’t regret this at all, since I enjoyed being outdoors as I enjoyed the weather and the almost constant sea breeze.
It’s such a densely packed city, in terms of people and things to see or do. So much so that I had something different to eat, see, and do on each visit – despite each visit being anywhere from months to years apart. Thinking on it now, I wouldn’t mind someday going there for a more leisurely visit, where I’m able to drink in and appreciate the art & culture.
If you know anything about me and my love for most things ocean-related, it should come as no surprise that my favorite part of San Francisco is the pier. The salt air, sea breeze, and the smell of lobster bisque from every other stall – what’s not to love?
Art can take anywhere from a moment to a couple of days (gotta properly digest those abstract paintings!) to be fully appreciated. But lobster bisque only needs that first spoonful – like love at first sight but with less divorce.
In reality, their pier in itself isn’t that much different from other piers I’ve been to (Santa Monica and Seattle come to mind), aside from scale. The San Francisco pier is the biggest I’ve been to. Maybe it was the history, or simply the scale of it – either way, it felt more alive and vibrant each time I visited.
To some, that might mean that San Francisco is a little too much. It can pack a culture shock punch, so I can see why it’s not a city that everyone would love. Both my now-husband and my brother both shudder at the idea of going back. In my husband’s case, it’s only the lure of amazing seafood that could tempt him back.
Despite the polarizing effect that San Francisco’s culture & vibe can have, it’s an experience I highly recommend. I would say try it at least once, if you love art & culture, or even just seafood.
Every time I left San Francisco to go back home was a sad departure. I’ve always felt that there was more to see, do, and eat – though my wallet would protest otherwise. But despite the bursts of longing to visit again, I’ve never felt the urge to pack my bags and move there.
See you later, San Francisco
As much as I greatly enjoyed the vibe in San Francisco and would love to visit again (and I have), I know I can’t live there.
It’s vibrant, chaotic, and full of character – all qualities that I think make for a great vacation, but not necessarily a home. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t mind living near such a place, but it’s just a little too fast-paced and loud for an introvert like me to feel fully comfortable.
Not to mention the high cost of living, which even now is also becoming worse everywhere else, at the time of writing. Visiting on occasion sounds great, but living in San Francisco is simply not financially or mentally sustainable for me. Plus my now-husband finds it way too chaotic for his tastes – apparently, I’m all the chaotic artist energy he can handle.
But this is not a “Goodbye,” to San Francisco – after all, they still have the best seafood I’ve had outside of Asia. Their oysters on the half shell and crab back fat are also to die for, so this is me saying, “See you later,” instead.
