San Francisco: These streets were made for cardio

Aug 30

Aug 30 San Francisco: These streets were made for cardio

Of all the nicknames I have come across for San Fran, I think “the city that knows how” is the most relevant. This city clearly knows how to pick itself right back up after a disaster, dust itself off and keep on walking, and that is exactly what I loved about it. It is not a perfectly laid out plan but it is quite easy to get around and there is just enough history and architectural beauty to keep you coming back for more. The steep hills will have you working up an appetite, but for those who are less inclined to walk, the transportation system is easy to figure out.

Hotels

Speaking of picking oneself up and trying again, that is exactly what I had do after I got to my hotel and noticed that while it was centrally located and certain parts of it were well-decorated, my room was sparsely furnished. After telling myself to stop being a snob and just go to bed because tomorrow I would see everything in a different light, I woke up to find that the towels at the Hotel Adagio were flimsy and scratchy, and definitely not up to par for a 5 star hotel.

The straw that broke the camels back though was when I took a shower and the water wouldn’t drain then I turned around and saw a used band aid on the wall. Just thinking about it makes me want to throw up. I immediately packed my bags, checked out (with no comment from the staff as to why I was leaving two days early) and rolled myself up a block to The Westin St. Francis.

This hotel has hosted many a president and celebrity, most recently, President Obama. I got an upgrade on my room and I definitely had a much better experience than at the Adagio, frankly I am surprised that it is an Autograph Collection hotel- I later got a call from the manager who said that he would be sure I had a better experience if I returned to the Bay Area but I doubt I would take him up on that offer.

Touring the city

Of course the first thing I did was hop on a cable car and head towards Fisherman’s Wharf. I had a Segway tour planned with the Electric Tour Company but I needed something to eat first. A quick online search led me to The Buena Vista where I had some good French toast and eggs. That filled me up just enough to get me through the 3-hour Segway tour that included a ride down Lombard!

I loved going up to Russian Hill, getting my photo taken with the Golden Gate Bridge and hearing about Coit Tower. Not only does this tower have some of the most stunning views of the city, it also has one of the coolest origin stories I have ever heard. Before 1867, San Francisco had no official fire department and Lillie Coit loved to chase fires although it was not socially acceptable for women to do so.

After heroically helping a volunteer fire engine put out a fire, she was considered a “mascot” firefighter. On her death bed, she requested that 1/3 of her sizeable inheritance be left to the City of San Francisco "…for the purpose of adding to the beauty of the city which I have always loved." The city used this inheritance to build Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill.

That said, I was really disappointed to find out that you can no longer take a tour of the Ghirardelli Factory because there is no factory, it’s moved and the space is now used as a Ghirardelli chocolate haven of sorts.