CALIFORNIA

San Francisco from Marin Headlands and The Golden Gate Bridge

I won’t be discussing about how great San Francisco is as a city in this post, I believe the world knows about it and so many have been written already about it. Also, my fellow blogger friend, Jodapoet, beautifully essays her experiences in this worderful city through her blog, My City By the Bay. If you want to experience San Francisco day by day, its culture, its neighborhood, the fun around and within the city, shopping, restaurant reviews, visit Jodapoet’s My City By the Bay blog.

San Francisco from Marin Headlands and The Golden Gate Bridge

Instead, I will be sharing here why I love San Francisco.

1. I love the uphill/downhill roads here. Who needs a gym in San Francisco? Not me! I would only walk around, and it felt like getting into a stairclimber but a lot better. I am not confined in the four corners of the gym’s wall, and I have excellent view of the bay.

Crooked Lombardt Street, not the Crookedest Street in San Francisco

Also, the public commute in San Francisco is really great, why drive when you can be greener?

San Francisco’s Cable Car

2. It is right next to the bay and the ocean!

3. It is close enough to Big Sur

Northern End of Big Sur, about 2 hrs drive South from Francisco

Big Sur Coast @ Nepenthe, about 3 hours drive South of San Francisco

and Point Reyes National Seashore for a day drive,

Point Reyes National Seashore, 30 miles North of San Francisco

Point Reyes National Seashore, 30 miles North of San Francisco

two of my favorite places in California, if not on Earth. Whenever I am in these two places, I feel like, I am outside of California, in a far away land.

McWay Falls @ Big Sur Coast

3. If you like rolling hills countryside, of countless vineyards, San Francisco is just 90 minutes drive from the wine country.

@ Napa Valley

4. Yosemite National Park is just 3.5 hours drive away!

Cooks Meadow, Yosemite National Park

Though I do not recommend just driving through Yosemite like most tourists do, if you want to experience Yosemite, I advise to experience Yosemite by foot,

that is spend some days hiking in its wonderful trails.

Half Dome, Liberty Cap and Nevada Fall from John Muir Trail, Yosemite National Park

You will appreciate Yosemite and nature more when you sleep, hike, bike, raft, take some days just enjoying it. However, if you are more of a city person, then, though again I do not endorse it, but a lot of tourists visiting San Francisco do this, that is, just drive through the park, and take a picture of themselves in the more popular and crowded location.

 5. Even if I do not leave the city in San Francisco, nature still abounds. 

Alcatraz from Embarcadero

Sea Lions @ Pier 39

This is a city where nature is not being walled off in its concrete jungle.

San Francisco from Pier 39

Visting San Francisco? You will love it and will have a time of your life in this great city that can be your gateway to nature! For more of San Francisco, visit Jodapoet’s My City By the Bay blog.