There are a million reasons why you might want to put San Francisco on your list for a visit, with around the same number of city guides for this place that I have called home for more than a decade and where I return to when I’m not travelling. This San Francisco city guide is a curated list of my favourite things about the Bay Area. Now one of the most coveted places to live in the world, and constantly challenging New York City among other cities as the most expensive in the world. There are plenty of things to do in the city and surrounds to get excited about. I hope this local’s guide to San Francisco whets your appetite to explore beyond the popular tourist sights and fall in love with this soulful city.
Pat and the iconic Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Image © Pat Bailey. Image © Pat Bailey
A Local’s Guide to San Francisco
Contents
Arriving in San Francisco
Getting to San Francisco from any direction is incredibly easy with two major airports: San Francisco International Airport and Oakland Airport. Search flights to San Francisco here. In addition, highways run in every direction if coming by car is your mode of transportation.
View San Francisco Deals on TripAdvisor
Where to Stay in San Francisco
There are literally thousands of options for staying in San Francisco, home of Air B&B, you can even try your luck with a listing on this popular app. When I want a staycation in my home city, or I’m craving a splurge weekend in the city I book a room at Clift.
Tales of whimsy at The Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel. Image © Pat Bailey
A relaxing night at The Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel San Francisco. Image © Pat Bailey
The Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel | Check Prices
The Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel has been my number one hotel choice in San Francisco since moving here. Not only does it have one of the most iconic bars in the city, but it is a property with a great history for mixing old and new, for appreciating careful design, and it has a casual luxury that is easy to slip into.
The Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel San Francisco is a sexy hotel and you feel sexy staying there, I love this. The design is a fusion of old-world hotel elegance with bold contemporary energy and glamour and just enough whimsy to keep you honest; this century-old hotel is quintessential San Francisco.
The Clift’s magic begins to take as soon as you walk into the lobby leaving the city behind. Designed by Philippe Starck and Ian Schrager, their world is a fantasy land of eclectic furnishings exciting all five senses at once. A signature floral scent tickles your nose and an inviting purple glow welcomes you into the soaring lobby that contains chairs from Ray and Charles Eames, a coffee table by Salvador Dali, The Apple Stool by Roberto Sebastian Matta inspired by René Magritte, and a sculpture custom made by William Sawaya. To say it is an Instagrammable lobby is an understatement, there is goodness tucked in every corner and plenty to muse you. This first impression is bar none and one of my favourite things about staying here – you are in another world instantly.
Unique design elements in every corner of The Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel San Francisco. Image © Pat Bailey
Sleek, sophisticated lines at The Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel San Francisco. Image © Pat Bailey
Related: 48 Hours in LA
I suggest you find ways to spend time in the lobby; enjoy a drink beside the thirty-five-foot fireplace centrepiece with a bronze chimney sculpture by Gerard Garouste, or take a seat (if you can) on the larger-than-life chair for a great photo. Don’t forget to look under the chair for a scavenger hunt worthy secret in San Francisco.
The whimsy of scale, and modern colour, mixed with timeless elegance carries into the 372 luxury guest rooms of this property. From the Malin + Goetz bath amenities to the 300 thread count bedding, down duvet, and Merino wool lavender blanket, the luxury is palpable here. It is sensual, tactile and elegant. Each room features beautifully crafted furniture custom-designed by Starck. English sycamore is accented by velvet, leather and chrome. Playful splashes of an orange glow against the milky flat lavender walls and carefully curated accents in so many different textures that it teases you to keep up. A wooden “wheelbarrow” chair inspired by Man Ray is illuminated by a custom Venetian glass lamp, the room is poetry in motion, a work of art, a brilliant piece of thought paused for each guest to slip into a create a new story each time they stay and I’ve done just that.
The Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel is located seconds from Union Square and Nob Hill and many of my favourite places in the city but you don’t even have to leave the building to experience one of my all-time favourite places to grab a drink and nosh. The famed Redwood Room located just off the lobby of the Clift is iconic San Francisco. Dripping with glamour and sex appeal the big room features the original redwood panelling and enormous bar, which legend has, was carved from a single redwood tree. The room carries this motif throughout and is dressed in art-deco jewels of mirrored tables, velvet seating, and Venetian etched glass. Ever-changing and evocative digital artwork is displayed on plasma television screens hung throughout the room like art – Redwood Room’s craft cocktails and light fare will give you plenty of reasons to grab a dress and a gent and enjoy a slower, sexy, cozy pace.
What to See and Do in San Francisco
San Francisco is widely considered one of the best places to visit in the USA. It’s clear to see why, as there are many incredibly fun and interesting things to do in San Francisco all the time. We have many museums, plenty of shopping, lots of parts, an ocean, beaches and you can literally go in any direction to find adventure. Here are a few of the best things to do in San Francisco.
Riding the trolley is a must-do in San Francisco. Image © Pat Bailey
Coming from the Midwest, it’s nice to get my winter fix of ice skating once a year around Christmas time when Union Square and a special spot on the Embarcadero turn into a winter wonderland. You can easily walk to these locations from public transportation or nearby hotels, and there is parking under Union Square for anyone coming by car. Renting skates is part of the fun, and makes this plan completely spontaneous-worthy. Outdoor ice skating in San Francisco begins in November and goes through December, daily from 10 am until 11:30 pm and is one of the best things to do in San Francisco with kids.
If whizzing around on roller skates makes you happy, you’ll be happy to discover that you can rent skates at Golden Gate Park Bike & Skate near Golden Gate Park and skate until your heart is content. On Sundays skaters from all over the city meet up in the park to show off, this has been happening in the park since the 1800s.
Art lovers should head to SF MOMA with modern art collections that span the 45,000 square feet. Image © Pat Bailey
Light reflections at the beautiful Conservatory of Flowers in San Francisco. Image © Pat Bailey
I love the museums in San Francisco. You can take your pick between the