San Francisco Adventures: Our First Stop on a California Road Trip
Arriving in Style: The Journey from Richmond to Heathrow
Our California road trip began with a bang in San Francisco. Getting there, however, was not without its hiccups. The trip from Richmond to Heathrow was anything but smooth. My excitement for the trip was tempered by a rather comical, though stressful, luggage mishap. When you buy a brand-new suitcase with a built-in combination lock, it’s probably wise to test it out beforehand. Lesson learned — I locked my passport inside the hand luggage while fiddling with the combination lock!
Arriving at Heathrow ahead of my travel companion, Roz, I immediately sought help. Unfortunately, the situation required my new vintage cream suitcase to be cracked open, despite my best efforts. Thanks to a screwdriver and some very helpful security staff, the crisis was averted, and I was finally ready for our flight.
Flying in Comfort: The Perks of Free Travel
One of the highlights of our trip came before we even took off! Thanks to winning a Popchips competition, we flew with Virgin Airlines directly from London Heathrow to San Francisco for free. Talk about traveling in style!
Our flight took off at 11:50 AM on Sunday, April 10th. Roz and I settled into our seats and immediately tuned into the in-flight entertainment, wearing our matching Ray-Ban Clubround sunglasses for the ultimate travel vibe. The long flight felt more like a movie marathon, with me catching up on some great films and documentaries. From the heartwarming „Carol” to the emotional Ronaldo documentary (yes, I shed some tears), I spent the next 11 hours absorbing films and feeling surprisingly cultured by the time we landed. If you haven’t seen „Peggy Guggenheim: Art Addict,” I highly recommend it — she was one of the most fascinating and eccentric women I’ve ever learned about.
Hello San Francisco: First Impressions of the City
After an 11-hour flight, we touched down in San Francisco at 3:10 PM the same day. It’s one of those strange perks of flying west — gaining a few hours and essentially traveling back in time! Our transport to The Grove Inn B&B was seamless, organized through Blacklane.
For our stay in San Francisco, we had divided the responsibility of accommodation across the trip, with each of us selecting a different stop. I reached out on Twitter for recommendations, and The Grove Inn came highly suggested. Located near Alamo Park, it turned out to be the perfect base — clean, with a decent breakfast, and in a safe, convenient neighborhood for exploring the city.
Exploring San Francisco: On Foot, By Tram, and Uber
Initially, we thought about renting a car right away, but then I remembered how expensive parking in San Francisco can be, especially if you’re staying in a nice area. Parking fees can easily skyrocket and almost rival the cost of your stay! To save ourselves the hassle, we decided to explore the city on foot, by tram, and through Uber. It ended up being the most convenient and budget-friendly option, especially since splitting the fare between the three of us made it even cheaper.
If you haven’t tried Uber yet, I highly recommend it for easy, affordable travel around the city. And for first-timers, you can use my promo code 6xwir to get £10 off your first ride!
First Night in the City: A Sunday in San Francisco
Our first day in San Francisco happened to fall on a Sunday, which, in hindsight, wasn’t the best day to experience the city’s vibrant energy. Ideally, a Thursday or Friday arrival would have been better to experience the lively weekend scene. Still, we made the most of it, starting our night with some delicious, though admittedly pricey, burgers and cocktails. Let me warn you now — expect to pay at least $17 for a cheeseburger in San Francisco! It was tasty, but my wallet wasn’t as thrilled.
With a few drinks down, we made our way to Castro, San Francisco’s iconic LGBTQ+ neighborhood. Unfortunately, our experience at The Lookout bar left much to be desired. My whiskey cocktail tasted more like paint thinner — a mistake I quickly corrected by pleading with the bartender for more mixer!
Wrapping Up Day One: Castro Nights and Jet Lag
Though our first evening didn’t live up to our wild party expectations, we still had a memorable time at Castro’s famed 440 Club. The bar featured an energetic vibe, complete with stunning dancers that made for an entertaining night.
But by the end of the evening, jet lag caught up with us. Despite the shots and cocktails, staying awake became a challenge, and we had to call it a night. As our first day in San Francisco came to a close, we were excited for what the rest of our road trip had in store.
San Francisco gave us quite the welcome, and we couldn’t wait to see what adventures lay ahead in California!
Vinyl animal stickers for cutting machines
custom beer labels
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Fitness logo design for Cricut
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