12 Apr Places to visit in SF

Written By: Wakaba Shimizu

It’s been six months since I came here to San Francisco and I have explored quite a lot. I will introduce some places I have been to and make recommendations for you guys who have just arrived here.

[Fisherman’s Wharf]

Fisherman’s Wharf is one of the most famous tourist places in San Francisco. I have been there a few times. I also took my family there when they came to visit me. You can enjoy shopping and get some souvenirs. You should try clam chowder soup with sourdough bread at Boudin Bakery. My friend told me that it is the origin of sourdough bread. You can enjoy the beautiful view and see Alcatraz island close. You can also join the cruising tour to visit the Island. I have not been there yet. It is on my bucket list. What I remember most about the place is when I was walking on a street, somebody grabbed my waist and screamed from behind, and I screamed and turned back; that was a random guy who was holding my waist. That was one of the craziest experiences in my life, hahaha. Just be careful when you go out. Be aware of your surroundings. But mainly it was fun!

[Napa Valley]

California is known for wine. Napa Valley, where many wineries are located, takes two to three hours to drive. I visited two different wineries last year. On the way there, you can enjoy the view of Sausalito and taste ten other wines. I didn’t really like wines before that, but I enjoyed different wine flavors a lot. Now I like to drink wine. If you are older than 21, you should visit once.

[Ghirardelli Chocolate experience]

It originated in San Francisco. You can walk from Fisherman’s Wharf. You can get chocolate and choose any flavor you want. I tried ice cream with chocolate. It was really good, but it’s enormous and sweet to have by myself. I recommend sharing with your friends. I went there with my family too. And my little sister enjoyed it a lot. She loved ice cream with sea salt chocolate.

[The Golden Gate Bridge]

The Golden Gate Bridge is a symbol of San Francisco. I recommend visiting by public transportation because I could not find the parking the last time I went. The view is beautiful. There is a zoo nearby. You can also visit there. On one of the days I went, it was very windy and foggy. You should go only when it is sunny! My little sister wondered why it is called golden even though it is red. I never thought about that.

[Oracle park]

Oracle Park is a baseball stadium. It is a bit far from the university, it takes 1 hour by train and bus. I have been there to buy souvenirs for my dad. In May, Shohei Ohtani is coming to play. I am so excited to see him in person. He is a Japanese baseball player and belongs to the Dodgers. I went to LA to see his game two years ago when he was in Angeles. He hit the home run at that time. I was not really interested in baseball before. That was the first time I watched baseball at the stadium, and it was so exciting. Now I really enjoy watching baseball. I am excited to see him playing in San Francisco.

[Union Square]

Union Square is central to downtown San Francisco. You can enjoy shopping and eating. They have some nice bars and clubs too. We went shopping at Macy’s, and everything was on sale at that time. My grandmother bought me a necklace. That was a great experience. The streets are beautiful, so it’s fun just walking around on a sunny day. If you have time, we recommend riding

the cable car. You can also take the cable car from Union Square to Lombard Street.

[Chinatown]

Chinatown is next to Union Square. You can walk from Union Square. I enjoyed exploring Asian restaurants. Last time I was there, I had Sushi, which was really good. Quite expensive, though. There is also a famous fortune cookie shop. You should visit there and try one. They had a big event last week celebrating Chinese New Year. There are many boba places, too. If you like Asian food, I strongly recommend you to go there.

[Japantown]

Japantown has a lot of authentic Japanese food restaurants, such as ramen, udon, takoyaki, and taiyaki. My favorite is Marufuku ramen. They have Daiso, a bookstore, and some cafes, too. I took my family there, but it was all closed because of Thanksgiving. If you want to feel Japanese culture, visit there. You can feel a little bit of Japanese culture, maybe. I don’t have many opportunities to eat Japanese food, so I’m pleased to have a restaurant like this. However, when I eat sushi and ramen in Japan, they are less than half the price, so I realize how expensive things are in San Francisco.

[Yosemite]

It is a big national park. It was great nature. It took about four hours. We rented a car, and my dad was driving. It was so much. We spent half a day there. We took so many pictures. The majestic nature was so beautiful. There are also tours available, so if you have difficulty driving, please try taking one.

[Haight Street]

Haight Street is famous for thrifting stores. I have been there twice and found some good clothes. They also have some cafes. You should go there if you are broke and still want new clothes. My favorite store is Goodwill. My friend got a $200 dress for $15. Now, thrifting is one of my favorite things to do here. These are the main places I went to. I will talk more about other places the other time. My favorite place is Yosemite. I want to visit again. Have an excellent school life in SF.