Toronto in the fall of 2018

Going to Toronto or Niagara Falls in the winter sounds like a bad idea; who wants to travel when it is cold? Unless you really love the cold. I guess I wanted to take a break from my norm and go somewhere else, somewhere close by, and Toronto seemed like the best city for that. Also, if you are a sports fan, this is the best time to visit this city.

Some Torontonians probably love the winter months. Why wouldn’t they? There are tons of things to do, and at this time of the year, they don’t have to deal with tourists asking them questions every day; they get to enjoy their city, and they can have it to themselves. If you are in the downtown area, you can access most of downtown without being in the cold. Most of their downtown area is connected underground with something they call the PATH (more about this below). Now, let's talk about my trip to Toronto in the fall of 2018.

The flight from Pittsburgh to Toronto was through Detroit. I don’t remember ever seeing snow in early November, but Detroit had snow when we landed. It was wet snow, but still, I was not expecting snow this early. I guess cities like Montreal and some parts of Ontario have had snow already too. The flight to Toronto was a very short 35-minute flight, I arrived very early in the morning. If you are not driving and you want to make it to downtown, you can simply call for an Uber or Lyft (Lyft is not as popular there as Uber. I did not even know Lyft was in Toronto as no one talks about Lyft there). You can also go old school and catch a cab, or you can catch the train to Union Station for CAD 12.00. Just follow the signs to the terminal, catch the train, and the last stop is Union Station.

I was staying downtown, close to the entertainment district. My room faced Lake Ontario and in front of it was the CN tower. This 553.33-meter (1,815.4-foot) structure is super impressive. It’s impossible to visit Toronto without seeing the CN Tower, mainly because its spire dominates the landscape. Take in the view from the LookOut Level at 346 meters (1,136 feet), walk on air on the Glass Floor at 342 meters (1,122 feet) and check out the views from the highest perch of all: the SkyPod at 447 meters (1,465 feet) above the city. It’s one of those buildings that never gets old, or you never get too old to want to take a picture of it in the background. It is so tall and big that you will see it from most parts of the city. If you are trying to get a hotel and having the CN tower in the background is your only wish, there is a good chance you will get that.

I had this odd sight of an airport in the downtown area. While in bed and looking at the lake, I could see passenger planes taking off and landing. I did not know there was an airport so close to downtown Toronto. This, I believe, is the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and what I was looking at was Toronto Island which is located south-west of Downtown Toronto. Out of curiosity, and because I did not know about this airport, I searched for flights from Pittsburgh, PA to the Billy Bishop Toronto City airport and found a round trip for USD 230 – cheaper than flights from the Toronto International airport, which I found on those same days for USD 389.

Where is this blog going to and why am I still in bed? I was not in Toronto to lay in bed and check out their downtown from my room or the building. Yes, I had even view of the city and the lake, but I wasn’t there for that. I wanted to be out and to enjoy the city. There are so many ways to go around the city. They have these city bikes that you can rent and ride everywhere. If you want a reliable mode of transportation, then you are better off taking a taxi or Uber if you are in a rush because it can take you about an hour to get to certain places in the city with their subway. There are buses too, but I think the best way is to walk, and if it is too cold, then take the PATH. You are probably asking yourself, what is the PATH? This is the second time in this blog I am talking about the PATH.

Think of the PATH as an underground network for pedestrians to navigate through downtown Toronto without being outside. Obviously, this is not ideal in the summer, but it is fantastic during the cold winter months. It spans about 20 miles of restaurants, shopping centers (including three major department stores), and 9 hotels. There is a lot of walking if you are a tourist like myself and you just wanted to check out all the different districts or streets using the PATH. It connects shops and restaurants, and there are about 80 buildings connected all across this massive space.

If you work downtown, or you are one of the 5000-plus workers who have jobs in the PATH and your apartment is one of the 80 connected to the PATH, you may never see winter but through your window. You could literally go shopping, go out, go to work and go home without ever driving, taking any public transportation, or getting wet. The PATH also connects six subway stations, so you can also get away to other places not connected to the PATH. It links to some of Toronto’s most popular tourist and entertainment attractions, including the Hockey Hall of Fame, Roy Thomson Hall, the Air Canada Centre and CF Toronto Eaton Centre (the biggest mall in Ontario). City Hall and Metro Hall are also connected through the PATH.

While in the PATH, you should visit the Hockey Hall of Fame. Hockey is an obsession for Canadians, and the fans are super loyal. Fans are still willing to pay $100-plus a game for their home teams that never make it to the playoffs and have been in a Stanley Cup drought for a very long time, but these fans never give up. Like I said, it is a national obsession, so it did not surprise me that the Hockey Hall of Fame is placed at the center of the city.

Needless to say, I used the PATH a few times, especially when it rained, but I also did not want to be trapped underground like a rat. I like to see things and enjoy the sun. (Surprisingly, it only rained once while I was there, and it was sunny the rest of my time there). I personally have never really experienced real winter, I have always lived in the west coast where it doesn't really get too cold. In Vancouver or Seattle, we get mild winter and wet snow, which can be annoying, but we don't get the cold some people describe in places like Toronto or Montreal.

My second day in Toronto was a little different. I woke up at 8:00 am after going to bed at 3:30 am. I felt well rested and ready to explore the city again. The sun was out, and it was right in my face. I left the blinds wide open, and it just felt good to have the sun wake me up this morning in November. As I have mentioned, my room faced three sections of the downtown area. Right in front of me, you could see the CN tower and then to the side of my bed was Lake Ontario. I am not sure why I always feel so happy when I look at the water and the sun together. Nothing like the beach (lake in this case) on a hot day. I knew I had to wake up, shower, and go check out the city before the sky gods start crying again with their cold and wet Ontario rain.

Where to Go

Financial District - Toronto

I wanted to check out the financial district and just walk around that area. A few years back, the Toronto financial district was my main attraction to the city. My educational background is in finance and so working in the Toronto financial district was always my dream. I’ve long switched focus, and I’m into the tech side of things now, but the financial district is still a place to check out regardless. You can access this through the PATH, walking, driving, or taking a bus. There is not much to see here, but the buildings and its cleanliness. This is home to five of the largest banks in Canada and the Toronto Stock Exchange. This is the money capital of Canada, so it’s all business here.

After walking around the financial district, it was time to check out the bars and restaurants in Toronto. One of the famous streets with bars, restaurants, and things to do is Front St. It’s easy to walk there or you can get a bike and ride around. There is also a park where you can get something to eat and just chill or go to Yonge St. Yonge St. is one of, or possibly the, longest street in Toronto. Finch and Yonge is possibly the most popular intersection.

You can take a short ride from Front down to St. Lawrence, and you'll be taken on a rather impressive journey of market-based delights. There are over 100 vendors, and no matter what you have a taste for, you will find it here. This could be anything from freshly baked bread to vegetables from the backyard of someone's house or garden. St. Lawrence is a must to visit and hang out.

The next notable destination would have to be the entertainment district. It is said to be one of the most concentrated party scenes in the world. I personally did not get that feeling, although there was a lot to see and witness. The night on Friday was actually busy, but I was expecting this. Remember the drinking age in Ontario is 19 so you will see many young people out partying.

Entertainment District, Toronto

Another neighborhood that is worth visiting is the Distillery District. Located east of downtown. It contains numerous cafés, restaurants, and shops housed within heritage buildings. I was told it was formerly the home of the largest distillery in the world, and now it’s a bustling pedestrian neighborhood. There are so many pubs and bars here; you cannot go wrong. I went on a Friday evening, and it had been raining all day, so it was hard to bar-hop, but it was still fun. Regardless of the weather, people were still getting their “DRINK ON”; after all, the place is called the distillery for a reason. You know with a name like this, you are going to find plenty of booze and plenty of people drinking it.

Distillery District, Toronto

Some of the Cool Bars I Liked

I have to admit, I am not into clubs, so I cannot recommend any club in this blog because I did not go to any club while I was there. That being said, there are many clubs there, and the club scene in Toronto is legit. I just like sports bars or an old English-type pub. Nothing fancy, nothing crazy, just a cool place to have a drink. Why can’t I have my food and drink while watching a game of football (CFL, NFL or College), basketball, soccer, or hockey? There are many sports bars in Toronto, but I really enjoyed my time at Real Sports Bar. It is right across the street from the stadium. The Raptors were playing, so I went there to watch the game and decided to have a drink before the game. The vibe at the bar was so good that I decided to watch the game at the bar. It was such a cool spot. If you are ever in Toronto, then you should check out this spot. It is massive, the food is good, and the bar is spacious. I was lucky enough to have a table right in front of this massive HD screen, and my Seahawks were playing. Don’t go here if you want a quiet place, it’s loud, just like a sports bar should be.

There are other places to watch games like Fox Sports Bar, but Real Sports Bar is by far the best sports bar in the city for me. The food was delicious, and they had over 35 beers on tap. I liked it so much that I was there on Saturday and on Sunday for football (NFL).

Massive HD TV at Real Sports bar

A few blocks from Real Sports Bar, right by the waterfront, you will find another cool bar, the Amsterdam Brewery. I am not even a beer drinker, but I really loved this place. They have other drinks, and the food looked decent.

I had been out for over 10 hours and had been drinking for about 6 hours, so I wanted to go back and chill, relax, shower, and do it again or check out the city at night. I went back to where I was staying and did just that. Later, I went to CC lounge and Whiskey Bar on 45 Front street. This place is highly recommended, but you want to go early. When I got there, it looked just like a restaurant, and that’s what I thought, a cool place to have a bite and have some drinks. I was just there talking to some locals when I turned around, and the place had transformed into what seems like a club. All the tables had been moved, and it was now a dance floor. I did not see when this happened, but it did. The music was good, and everyone seemed to be having a great time. From what I remember, it looked like a more mature crowd there, the service was outstanding, and everyone working there was very professional.

Where do we go after the Whisky bar? The night was still young, and I ended up at a spot later that night called Fran’s restaurant and bar on Yonge St. and Front St. I am not sure how we ended up there, but I just remember sitting there and ordering food very late at night. The menu offers many options, and there's generally something that'll please anyone.

Toronto - Sunset

Another cool spot to check out is Madison Avenue Pub on Madison Ave. However, it’s a popular student hangout, so if you are like me and want to stay away from the student crowd, you might be thinking this is not the place for me. But this place is different; the atmosphere is excellent and it has several British-style pubs inside. The food menu is good, and the drinks are reasonably priced. Remember their main target audience is students, so their prices are reasonable and cheap. On the flip side, if you are looking for a place with a super professional staff, then maybe this place is not for you. Their customers are not professionals, but students who just want cheap drinks and want to have fun.

Conclusion

Toronto is a beautiful city. It is highly diversified with strengths in technology, design, financial services, life sciences, education, arts, fashion, business services, environmental innovation, food services, and tourism. It is a city that has so much to offer. Even if you are in the city for work, for fun, or just to explore a new city, Toronto has it all. In general, whatever you are in the mood for, you will find in the city. There are many shops scattered across Toronto, from the Chichi designers at the Eaton Centre to homegrown produce at the St. Lawrence Market.

This blog is not meant to be a blog about what to do in Toronto, but just my own experience visiting this beautiful city during the cold month of November 2018. Toronto is not a city you should think of visiting during late fall or during the winter months. It is better during the summer or late spring, when you can wear your flip-flops and shorts and just roam around the busy streets, try different foods, meet different people, or go to the many festivals they have. With all that said, there is still so much to do in the winter months too. Even if you are just about the nightlife and partying, you will still have a great time. Hotel rooms are also not as expensive during these cold months as there are fewer people visiting the city.

Read More

Niagara Falls in the fall of 2018

Niagara Falls

Driving from Toronto to Niagara Falls was an enjoyable ride, the sun was out, and we left at a decent time when there was no traffic. On the way to Niagara Falls, you’ll see companies advertising on the side of the highway. The ads are intermingled with nature and very catchy. I am not sure if this is unique to Toronto, but it was pretty cool. There are several ways to get to Niagara Falls from Toronto downtown. You can take the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) or you can take a more scenic route through Hwy 81 and go through St. Catherine’s. I believe you can also go through Burlington which will eventually take you to QEW Niagara. I chose the scenic route because I wanted to stop at some wineries on my way to Niagara. This is a wine country and if you are into ice wine, then you want to visit this side of Canada. They make the best ice wine in the nation. I visited a few wineries and tasted about 3 to 4 white wines, 3 to 4 samples of red wines, 3 to 4 samples of white ice wine and 3 to 4 samples of red ice wine. It was a great day.

Sampling the different wines

Honestly, if I had the time I would have taken my time and not rush to Niagara. There is so much to see on your way to Niagara Falls from Toronto, but if you are like me and do not have the time, then you have no choice but to drive through and stop at those little wineries and sample taste what they have. There is much to see and do in the Niagara Peninsula, one of the richest areas in Ontario. Typically, the locals will tell you to plan for a few hours for the drive and that’s because they know driving two hours or less is not worth it when there is so much to see and do on your way to the falls. Spend some time and enjoy that drive, especially if you are taking the scenic route through wine country.  

Don’t forget to stop and spend some time in a little town called Niagara on the lake.

Niagara on the Lake

It is one of the oldest towns in Canada. It sits on the shores of Lake Ontario, at the mouth of the Niagara River, and it's known for its wineries and the summer Shaw Festival. It has so many shops, bars, and restaurants. You will find British type stores, soap stores, beer and liquor stores, gift stores, a Christmas store that is open all year round but only sells Christmas ornaments, a tea store, etc. There is so much to do in this little town and the people are so nice and friendly.

If history is your thing, then spend some time in Fort George national historic site in Niagara on the Lake. You can also drive to the other side of the falls and into the United States to visit Fort Niagara. These two forts have a lot of history. Too bad this is not a history blog, so I will keep it short. All I can say is, if you are visiting Niagara Falls, then these two forts are worth stopping by to visit.

You will find very many old and expensive houses, especially at Fort George, which has lots of old English-type houses.

What would you do when it is cold? Have you some tea in the McFarland house, a very interesting pre-1812-war building, now a museum and tea room.

This is one house where you want to stop to eat and have a drink. The McFarland House offers a wonderful environment in which to enjoy an excellent variety of teas. The glass-enclosed patio offers beautiful views of the Niagara River Parkway Trail, which is part of the Trans Canada Trail.

Next stop was Queenston Heights. Queenston Heights Park combines leisure and history in one scenic location. Just a short drive from Queenston Heights and along the Niagara Parkway towards Niagara-on-the-Lake you will see the famous Floral Clock, located north of the Botanical Gardens. The intricate designs on the face of the Floral Clock consist of up to 16,000 carpet bedding plants and are changed twice each year.

The planted face of the Floral Clock is maintained by Niagara Park’s horticulture staff, while the mechanism inside is maintained by Ontario Hydro. I am not too sure if it is meant to keep the right time, but it was not working when I was there.

A short drive from Floral clock you will get to the Whirlpool Golf Course, one of Canada’s most highly rated and renowned public golf courses. It is located in a spectacular setting against the backdrop of the Niagara River Whirlpool and Gorge. The Whirlpool Gold Course was my final stop before driving into Niagara Falls. It has been several years since I was in Niagara Falls. It has changed so much from the last time I was there; so many new restaurants and things to do.

There are lots of popular restaurants, bars, breweries, casinos, and entertainments for kids and adults.

The Fall itself is magical, you really need to enjoy every part of it.

The squirrels here are so used to humans that they would come up to you or pose for photos. It was the weirdest thing I have ever seen, but it was cute.

If you are visiting Niagara Falls in the fall like I did, then the festival of lights in the botanical garden is something you should go check out and enjoy.

If you are in Niagara Falls for a week or a few days and you want to venture out and see other cool towns, then I recommend Chippawa, about five minutes away from Niagara Falls. It is a very small village with 8 churches and about 8 bars. My friend said it is known as the town of partying and repentance.

Driving to Buffalo, NY from the Niagara Falls area was a really cool ride. We took a more scenic route and went through Niagara Parkway. There were lots of big and expensive houses along this area.

Conclusion

This blog is not meant to be a blog about what to do in Niagara Falls, but it was just my own experience visiting this part of Canada during the cold month of November in 2018. If you are visiting Toronto and Niagara Falls and will be traveling back to the United States after your visit, I will recommend you do Niagara Falls last and then take a taxi from Niagara Falls to Buffalo, NY and catch your flight from Buffalo. It is so much cheaper than flying from Toronto and the airport is closer than driving back to Toronto. There are many taxi services that will take you to the airport for about $50.00 to $70.00 USD. You can even get an Uber. If you have time, then you can get a greyhound or mega bus for as low as $12.00.

Read More

My very first time in San Francisco

San Francisco

Landing in San Francisco and having lived in the Pacific Northwest and Pittsburgh, PA, where the vegetation is always wet and green, San Francisco looked like a desert; it was very dry, and I could feel the dryness on my lips. This was summer, at least it was summer in most parts of the United States, but it was cold here. It never gets too hot in San Francisco; I guess this is why some people like it, as it never gets too cold or too hot. The weather here is weird, you can drive a mere fifteen minutes and the weather could be the complete opposite. There are noticeable differences in temperature – the bay counties surrounding San Francisco can get very warm in the summer months (September and October), but they can be a 10-degree difference between downtown San Francisco and the Avenues, out by the beach. 

The city is small enough (only 7 miles by 7 miles) that you can visit most of the city in a day or less. The city attracts a lot of foreigners because it has a very open and diverse atmosphere. It's easy to get around the city, even if you are not driving as you have the option to catch the cable car.

I was visiting San Francisco for the AI conference. After all, this is home to many Tech companies. Although Silicone Valley is the center for tech companies, there are still a few tech companies that are headquartered in the heart of San Francisco. I believe Uber and Twitter are two companies with headquarters in the city of San Francisco.

At the AI Conference in San Francisco - 2018

When you are in the city or driving in different neighborhoods, you will see countless numbers of giant murals everywhere. These fantastic pieces of art are displayed throughout the city in different sizes, ranging from small ones to some that are larger than life. They illustrate the city of San Francisco, its people, the weather, its homes, etc., and they tell stories in the form of art.

There is arts every where in the city and around the city

How about something to snack on, drink or somewhere to stay?

Waiting for Amanda (hahaha, inside joke)

Getting ready to go out and explore San Francisco.

Finding somewhere to eat in San Francisco is very easy as there are restaurants everywhere in the city. One of the places I checked out and liked was the Scoma’s restaurant at the Fisherman’s Wharf. If food is not your thing, you can easily find a bar or a coffee place to get a drink – the Burns Vista Café in the Fisherman’s Wharf is famous for their Irish coffee. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, then there are lots of pastry places in the north beach neighborhood. The Hog Island company is a cool seafood restaurant in the Farmer’s Market. I thought Pittsburgh or New York had the most restaurants from block to block, but I think San Francisco might just be there, or may have even more restaurants than Pittsburgh. The hotels here are also not cheap, but there are many small hotels and hostels that you will never find on Expedia or Kayak, but when you get to the city, you will see them everywhere. Regardless of where you are in San Francisco, you will find upscale boutiques, funky shops, speakeasy, unique restaurants, popular upscale bars, and dive bars.

Neighborhoods in and around San Francisco

What makes this city what it is are the different neighborhoods and their unique buildings. San Francisco is the second most densely populated city in the US after NYC (I believe). There are only a few neighborhoods in San Francisco, where you can build anything taller than 6 floors and this makes housing difficult and makes owning land precious. Depending on what time you arrive in the city, I will suggest you check out the Ferry Building Market (I had to because I wanted some fresh produce) before venturing into the different neighborhoods. The Ferry Building Market is the biggest of all the farmer’s markets in San Francisco. You don’t only get fresh produce there, but you can also find arts, jewelry, clothing, leather goods, and other handcrafts. The building itself is an architectural masterpiece.

After some good food from the Ferry Building Market, you are now set to check out the city, beginning with the downtown area. Union Square is another neighborhood worth checking out. It is packed with visitors from all over the world. It is dirty compared to some of the other neighborhoods in San Francisco and has lots of homeless people, but I do like the vibe there.

Just five blocks from my hotel on Post Street is this beautiful neighborhood called JapanTown.

Japantowns are not as common in the U.S. or Canada as Chinatowns. There are supposedly only three Japantowns left in the U.S., and San Francisco has the biggest one. Do Japanese people only like California? All three are in California, so I wonder if that’s the only state that they like. Regardless, you should go check out the Japan Center Mall and try out the Japanese ice cream. There is so much to do at the mall, and it houses specialty shops and restaurants. Some of the stores there are authentic Japanese fashion stores, so in a way, you will feel like you are in Japan. It is actually a fun neighborhood to go have a bite or chill.

After stuffing my belly with sushi and Japanese ice cream, it was time to venture to other neighborhoods. Nob Hill seems like the next best place to visit. Nob Hill is one of San Francisco’s signature neighborhoods with some of the world’s most famous hotels around Huntington Park. This is one neighborhood that is easy to get to from downtown, so, it just seems logical to be the next to check out.

From Nob Hill, you can walk a few blocks to the waterfront area or hike a few blocks and watch how things change; you might even start feeling like you are in another country. Yes, you are entering the famous and must-see Chinatown.

You will see Chinese temples, businesses, and stores. Try out some real authentic Chinese foods. This is supposedly the biggest Chinatown in North America, and most of the Chinese there speak Cantonese (which is different from other Chinatowns in the rest of the world where you primarily hear Mandarin).

From Chinatown, and depending on what you want to see, you can do what I did, which was drive to the Financial district. This is home to some of the big money makers in the world. You will find big names like McKesson, Wells Fargo, PG&E, Gap, Charles Schwab and Salesforce headquartered there. This is also home to the Transamerica Pyramid Building, which used to be the tallest building in San Francisco but was surpassed by the Salesforce Tower. It’s not just business here, there are restaurants and bars in the district. The Punch Line Comedy Club, one of the oldest comedy clubs in San Francisco, is located in this neighborhood.

From the Financial District, I decided to loop around the city and check out the Russian Hills and the famous Lombard Street. Russian Hill is one of the original “Seven Hills” and one of San Francisco’s 44 hills. I was lucky to visit the Russian Hills and Lombard on what was probably the first day in 2018 where the sun was out all day in San Francisco. It was a beautiful sunny day. It was one of those days that there was no need for a car, you can walk or trek up to Leavenworth or Jones and make it to the famous Lombard Street.

Lombard street is special.

You will see that when you are up the hill. You are not going to want to be driving because there are tourists everywhere. From your left, while facing down the hill, you can see Alcatraz, like it was just across the street and right in front of you. When on top of the hill, you will see the curvy nature of the one-way drive that looks like an animated postcard. It is a road that winds about eight times with flower beds at every turn between Hyde and Jones. Next on my agenda was to either hit North Beach or the Fisherman’s Wharf. Driving to the Fisherman’s Wharf from Russian Hill or Lombard Street is a straight shot down the hill. I decided to check out the Fisherman’s Wharf before heading to North Beach.

The historic Fisherman’s Wharf is one of the more desirable locations amongst tourists. It is home to Pier 39, Ghirardelli Square (a landmark with shops, restaurants, and hotels), the National Maritime Museum, Historic Hyde Street Pier and breathtaking views of the waterfront. As magnificent as this place is, you will rarely find San Franciscans here. It is packed with visitors enjoying the views, restaurants, bars, and sunshine (when it’s out). I met so many people from all over the world in this little area. It just seemed like we were all new to the area and all looking for directions, but we were all smiling and happy (San Francisco would do that to you). It was a beautiful day in San Francisco, the sun was out, the drinks were cold, and the views were amazing. You can see seals in the pier fighting for the little space they have. If you like seafood, then this is one place to visit. They have some great fresh seafood, there is nothing better than having fresh fish or crab right from the ocean.

(San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf got its name and neighborhood characteristics from the city's early days of the mid to late 1800s when Italian immigrant fishermen came to the city by the bay to take advantage of the influx of population due to the gold rush. Originally, Fisherman's Wharf was the dock where the Italian fishermen brought their daily catch to be sold on the waterfront).

You would think after the Fisherman’s Wharf I would wrap things up and start getting ready to head back to my hotel…but no, there was still so much to see in San Francisco. The question was, should I go east or west? I chose east. Heading east you will find yourself in the North Beach neighborhood.

North Beach is within reach from the Fisherman’s Wharf, but it is in the northeast of San Francisco and adjacent to Chinatown. It is close to the Financial District, Union Square, and Russian Hill. North Beach is known by most as ‘Little Italy’ and has historically been home to a large Italian American population. You will find many Italian restaurants here.

[A lot of the light posts have the Italian flag, that's how you will know you are in North Beach.]

I left North Beach and decided to check out the Russian Hill.

Russian Hill

Russian Hill lies west of North Beach; it stretches down to the waterfront area by the Fisherman’s Wharf in the Ghirardelli Square. There is a lovely tiny park on the crest of the hill; you should check it out. Most people go for the bigger parks and fantastic attractions but miss this park. What I particularly like about this neighborhood are the views overlooking the bay. Lombard Hill technically connects to this neighborhood, so I could have just walked to the center of this hill when I was on Lombard street, but everything in San Francisco is so close it feels like one big neighborhood with different sections and styles.

Mission Neighborhood

Another beautiful place worth checking out is the Mission Dolores Park with the views of the city. This park can get very busy on weekends and in the evenings. People go there to chill, day drink, or smoke. It is a fun place to be on a hot sunny day. The Park offers several features, including a basketball court, soccer field, tennis courts, a pissoir, a dog play area, and a children’s playground. Dolores Park is bounded by 18th Street on the north, 20th Street on the south, Dolores Street on the east and Church Street on the west. The northern end of Dolores Park is located directly across the street from Mission High School. South of the park is a hillside area known as "Dolores Heights," while Castro is located a short distance to the west. The park lies east of Twin Peaks of Mission.

(Good luck driving a standard. It is all hills, very steep hills, in this neighborhood).

Castro

This neighborhood is proud of their gay rights and community, and it is actually one of the first gay communities in the United States, so it is considered the gay neighborhood. The Castro neighborhood is tiny but packed with so much to do and see.

[Castro Street was named for Jose Castro (1808-1860), a California leader of Mexican opposition to U.S. Rule in California in the 19th century, and alcalde of Alta California from 1835 to 1836].

From Castro, you can drive up to the Twin Peak (The twin peak has nothing to do with the show Twin Peak).

Twin Peak

You can see all of SF from this peak

If you want a panoramic view of San Francisco’s landscape, then drive up the peak and see San Francisco from up high. This is one of the highest peaks in San Francisco at about 900 plus feet from the ground. I wish I had a professional camera, because the view from the Twin peak is incredible. From here, you can see all of San Francisco’s landmarks; from the famous Alcatraz, the Bay Bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge, downtown skyscrapers, to all the different neighborhoods I mentioned above. This is one of those places’ locals want to take their guests to so they can brag about their beloved city.

The Haight and Ashbury is also a cool hippie-type neighborhood that has had a few very famous artists live there. Haight is an amazing street with some cool boutique-type restaurants and some shops. There are bike rentals if you want to rent a bike and ride. I enjoyed the buildings on this street, and the people are very nice.  There are lots of artists, creative types who frequent this neighborhood. There is also this cool spot that's well known for its delicious vegan food.

You will see lots of Victorian houses as you drive through this neighborhood. Most of these buildings were built during the gold rush. Victorian homes are gorgeous, and they are not like houses that are built in this age. Each home is so different from the next.

(The Full House or the painted lady is the second most photographed of the houses. Some of these houses don't look real, but they are real).

Pacific height is for billionaires. The homes will make you hate your life... Broadway and Broderick are the wealthiest neighborhood in the city. Most of the world’s wealthiest tech owners or CEOs have homes here.

Outside San Francisco

So far, every location and attraction you have read about are in San Francisco.

How about a drive across the Golden Gate Bridge to see what else we have around San Francisco. You can drive or ride a bike across the bridge and go to the small town of Sausalito. You can also rent a bike by the Fisherman’s Wharf and ride through the waterfront. There are only two hills you have to deal with. One is very steep and long and the other is not too bad. If you want to ride through the Golden Gate Bridge area, I will advise you to catch a ferry or a bus back.

There are lots of places to have a bite or a drink. Or, you can just chill and have some seafood from one of the local seafood bars. Also, you can check out the Barrel House, as it has some good views of the surroundings and the food is delicious. I didn't try the ice cream around the corner of the Barrel House, but everyone seems to love their ice cream as the lineup was long.

Sausalito

From Sausalito, you can drive about 25 minutes to Muir Woods National Monument. I recommend that you go there and check it out. You cannot go to San Francisco and not check out the Muir Woods. It could be an all-day or half-day adventure, but you should take your time to enjoy it. The road to the park is very windy, it winds all the way up this massive hill. I guess it would be a good workout if you decide to ride a bicycle. I had to make this mystical place the last phase of my trip.

(Muir Woods National Monument has one of the oldest trees in the world).

Conclusion

Although San Francisco could be the foggiest and strangest city I have ever been to, looks can be deceiving, it won’t stop you from doing what you love to do. With a little planning, the weather would not affect your stay. Take it from me, dress in layers when you are in the city or around. I learnt that the hard way. The weather is unpredictable. Overall, it is a city worth writing about, even though I was just there for the AI Conference, I took advantage of the little time I had and enjoyed every minute.

Apart from the weather, and the fact that it is a pricey city, it is a fantastic city with so much to do. It is not too big, so you can see most of the city in a relatively short time.

It is said every resident is about ten minutes away from a park.

If you ask the locals what their biggest complaint is, they will say traffic, and that's partly because San Francisco is too expensive, so a lot of people live outside the city and commute to work. Also, Uber and Lyft can be partly to blame as most people who never used to drive now do so to make money.

This is not an uber or a lyft but I thought this was cool

Read More