My last day in San Francisco was a lot of fun. The whole time I was there the weather was amazing and I was able to bask in the sun. And today was no different. I had to work until 3pm, but after work it was time to play. I had been doing a little bit of research on what to do if I had some down time so I had an idea of where to go. First stop for me, off to the pier.
I had seen some advertisements of boat tours and I was interested in seeing the sights of San Francisco from the water and this did not disappoint. I bought a ticket for a boat tour that would take me around the San Francisco Bay. The boat would take me to the Golden Gate bridge and around the infamous Alcatraz Island. Whenever I travel to a new city and they have an option for a boat tour, I always take it. The view from the water gives you a different perspective and it is one of my favorite views.
I boarded the boat with a giddiness, I couldn’t wait to hop on board and enjoy the ride. I sat atop the boat which was uncovered as I wanted to get the full effect, beautiful weather shining on me with a nice ocean breeze flowing over me. The captain of the boat was speaking over the intercom giving us a history lesson about San Francisco. I couldn’t make out everything he said because of the wind in my ears.
The view was majestic and I could see why people fell in love with San Francisco. I was able to see the Golden Gate bridge up close and far away and it created a picturesque view. The water was calm as the boat made its way through. In the distance, I saw sail boats taking advantage of the beautiful weather. After an upclose view of the Golden Gate bridge we traveled towards Alcatraz.
Alcatraz was very interesting. I’ve heard of the stories of prisoners escaping from Alcatraz, but I thought it was further out to sea and not in the bay of San Francisco. It almost seemed like a stone’s throw away from the main land. I was amazed to see what comprised Alcatraz. A multitude of buildings that I would imagine would be drafty on the inside. To be honest, from a distance I thought the island was beautiful, but I could only imagine the horrors that the prisoners faced from the inside.
As the tour continued the ocean breeze picked up and it became colder. I started to shiver a little and made a mental note to get something hot to drink to warm up afterwards. After about a two hour tour, the ride came to an end. I quickly off boarded in search of a hot beverage. At the pier, to my surprise, I found a Biscoff store. For those of you who travel Delta, you may be familiar with the buttery and crispy Biscoff cookies we get with our coffees. They are my absolute favorite. I had no idea they had stand alone stores. And in my case, they also sold hot drinks! They had coffees, ciders, and hot chocolates. It was already 6 pm and I thought it was too late for coffee, so I tried a hot apple cider and to my delight they gave me free biscoff cookies! Within minutes of sipping my cider I began to warm up. I walked the pier and decided I better get some dinner, so I took my hot drink and went to the Waterbar.
The Waterbar was a beautiful restaurant that was right off the pier. I sat outside next to a heat lamp and continued sipping on my hot cider enjoying the view of the water. The staff was friendly and I ordered the Pan Seared Black Bass which was also served with a potato stuffed gougere. The fish was a little salty for me but altogether good. Sitting at the dinner table, I realized I was tired. I didn’t realize sitting on the boat had taken energy out of me. I also noticed my face was a little irritated, I had gotten a little too much sun because I hadn’t brought a hat and I only wore my 15 spf moisturizer with my sun glasses. After paying the bill, I decided it was time to get back to my hotel and get ready for my flight home.
Overall, I really enjoyed my time in San Francisco. I can see why people fall in love with San Francisco, the lovely weather and beautiful views. If you have time or an opportunity to visit San Francisco I would highly recommend it. This was my first time there and I am looking forward to coming back.
Fun Joy Peace 