Hey hey!!! Below is my Bay Area Bucket List I made at the beginning of the summer. I’ll be probably adding to it as I find new things to do, places to go, and things to eat (of course!). Please let me know if you have suggestions 🙂
Whenever it comes time to leave the Bay Area, I am thinking of making a “must do/eat” in SF separately of things we have already done and deem essential to a trip here! Anywho, this is my little list that I’ll be using as reference as we knock some things off!
Things to do/Places to Go:
- Twin Peaks
Visit Golden Gate ParkRide a Cable Car- Go to Mission District
- Muir Woods National Monument
ChinatownMount Sutro/Corona Heights- Fort Point
- Cal Sailing Club- Free sailing rides
- 16th Avenue Steps
- Picnic at Crissy Field
Wave OrganHaight-AshburyMystery SpotBernal Heights for the views- Seward Street Slides
See Strawberry HillJapanese Tea Garden: Free every M, W, F before 10 amClarion Alley MuralThe Dutch WindmillGet a Coffee at Home Cafe- Grizzly Peak- Berkeley
- Visit Point Reyes Lighthouse- Point Reyes National Seashore
- Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve
Pizza Antica pizza- See the Pulgas Water Temple
Half Moon BayPoint Bonita lighthouse- Cataract Falls
- Audium
Go to Angel Island- Exploratorium at night
Hiking:
Hike The Presidio TrailsHike Lover’s Lane- Nimitz Way Trail at Inspiration Point
- Hike Dipsea Trail
- Big Basin Redwoods
- Hike Mt. Diablo from Mitchell canyon
- Mori Point
- Hike Wildcat Canyon Regional Park
Marin HeadlandsCastle Rock State ParkHike Sunol Regional Wilderness- Tennessee Valley to Muir Beach
Sanborn County Park- Henry Cowell State Park
Must Try Restaurants:
- FRENCH LAUNDRY!!
- Atelier Crenn
B. Patisserie- Outerlands- Brunch
Dumpling TimeNopa- Custard french toast- Delfina
The DorianLa Taqueria: Mission District- Hog Island Oyster Depot
SushirritoGolden Boy Pizza- Clam garlic pizza- Straw – Donut
Smuggler’s CoveThe Cliff HouseAuthentic Dim SumTartine Bakery- pan au chocolate, lemon tart, morning bun- FOREIGN CINEMA
- State Bird Provisions
- Swensen’s Powell Ice Cream
Tony’s Pizza NapoletanaMama’s on Washington Square- Brunch- Salt and Straw Ice Cream
Falafel Drive In (San Jose)- Specs’ Twelve Adler Museum Café
Anchor Steam BreweryDutch Crunch sandwich–Homeroom Mac & Cheese- Mac’d
- Bloody Mary at The Ramp
- Cheesecake from Zanze’s
- Boudin Bakery Chowder
Mr. Holmes Bakehouse- High Tea at Garden Court
Brenda’s French Soul Food- Aub Zam Zam martini
- Zuni Café: Chicken for DJ
- Soufflé at Café Jacqueline
- U Dessert Story
Zazie – Brunch- Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine
- Leo’s Oyster Bar
- August1Five
Urban Putt- La Marcha Tapas Bar
The Saratoga- Jenga Tots & Mimosa DonutCraftsman & Wolves- The Rebel WithinCotogna- Raviolo di ricotta- Me & Tasty- Charcoal Pancakes
- Vive La Tarte- Tacro
Bread Belly- Kaya ToastGolden Gate Bakery- Egg TartBarzotto- Snail Shell PastaBottleTaps- Gourmet Pretzel BoardOzumo- Matcha pancakesStonemill Matcha- Tofu Martini from Blush
Swedish Pancakes at Sears Fine FoodToast at Trouble CoffeeMitchell’s Ice Cream- Good Karma Artisan Ales & Café- Bao Bun
- Burma Superstar/ B star- Tea Leaf Salad
- Indian Food: Travelodge Hotel- India Palace Restaurant
- Lysare
- Shakewell (Bacalao Croquettes)
- The Sycamore
xo <3
I have only one suggestion. Please keep posting the beautiful blogs along with the amazing pictures. I can see the world through your blog. My best wishes for you always!
Aw, thank you SO much, Amitav!!! This comment just made my morning. I’m thankful you enjoy seeing the world through our eyes and adventures. Best wishes to you, friend!
Wow that is quite the bucket list! I like how you have it organized:)
Teheh- thank ya!!
You’d better getting going! That’s a big wonderful list. Would you consider Yountville to be in your “area”. If yes, The French Laundry should be on your bucket list. Heck, it’s on my bucket list.
Dj and I were JUST talking about french laundry last night! It’s our ultimate- I cannot believe I forgot to put it on here- maybe cause when I made this it was more localish things? But we said right before we move we are gonna try to get reservations there as one last hurrah! ❤️❤️❤️
OK! Updated 🙂
Oooh I need to start on a bucket list too.. this has motivated me already! Love your list hun 😍
Yay!!! I’m so glad 🙂 Please let me know when you have it all together- I’d love to read yours!
Aww thanks lovely, I def will have one up soon! Thanks for the inspiration! 💕 xx
Woohoo! Cannot wait! XO
I remember walking down to hear the Wave Organ…SF is full of hidden delights, and your list sounds exciting!
Really?! Oh I cannot wait to visit one day soon 🙂 I’ll have to letchya know when we do!
Wow. Love your bucket list & love how adventurous they all are. Best of luck with it!
Aw, thank you soo much, Sophia!!! <3 <3
Taking notes on your list Mackenzie!! Salt & Straw is my favorite ice cream in SF (conveniently around the corner from Delfina Pizzeria!) and Muir Woods is exquisite! I would add B Patisserie (best bakery ever), Outerlands for brunch and Andytown for coffee and homemade Irish baked goods. Those are our favorites. Thanks for all the ideas — starting my own bucket list with your help!! hugs!
Ooooo perfect!!!! I feel like I need to get ALL the suggestions from you- this is amazing- definitely will be adding B Patisserie, Outerlands, and Andytown (editing into the post after this comment 🙂 ). You are the best! I sooo appreciate you sharing your favorites with me ! XO
Enjoying all you see and do in/around SF Mackenzie!! You know how to make the most of your busy life!! xo
Thank you tons, Rhonda!!! We live by the idea of collecting memories rather than things <3 I so appreciate your suggestions again
Omg that picture of you! So so gorgeous, wow!
Love this bucket list. A garlic festival? What! Sounds yummy 😍
So many amazing hikes, I hope you get to tick them all off!
Awwww thank you tons, love!!! RIGHT?! I have missed the garlic festival for the last THREE years because there is always something going on. I will NOT miss it next year! I’m determined. haha.
You will have to make it a priority! And it will make a great blog post too, I’d love to hear all about it! I LOVE garlic!
YESSS! Next summer- it is happening!!
A garlic festival would be so different to go to! Also go on the free sailing rides!! That sounds amazing
Right?! In Gilory (where the garlic festival is) , it actually smells like garlic when you drive through it. The entire city! We drove through at one point a few years ago and the garlic smell was definitely there, and that was in an off season! I hope to catch one of those dates – we will see. Gotta love a free boat ride, right?!
Good list, Mack! We went to Chinatown and the Japanese tea garden when we went. They were both beautiful experiences. Please try Fino Italian restaurant if you get a chance! It’s SO good! The Obamas recommended it.
Thank you so much, Lisa!!!! Ooooo I will definitely have to add these to the list- they sound wonderful! Thank you so much for the suggestions! I have heard really great things about Fino too- I don’t know how it slipped the list!
I think you have it all covered. That should be enough to keep you busy for a little while. 🙂
Bahah- I start grad school Monday sooo I have a feeling this list is going to be knocked out veryyy slowly. lol
So fun! I just love your love of adventure and trying new things! Also, I totally want to ride in a cable car now!!
thanks, girl!!! I have got to ride that darn cable car. I can’t call myself a San Franciscan if I’ve never rode a cable car?!
LOVE that picture of you beauty! You are stunning!
And your list is making me ALL kinds of nostalgic! I definitely need to come back and do the lighthouses! And I LOVE that you have Capos on there! Also years ago I ate at the Cliff House, the views were incredible! <3
Thank you, love!!! Oh how cool you ate at the Cliff House!!! Do you have anything I need to add to this list?!
I love that you made this BL, I added some spots that sounded interesting to my list. I hope to see more cool spots to add a few more! It will definitely be a PACKED couple of days when I go. I only hope I make it on time before you leave because we have a trip planned for 2020 in February and I can’t afford to miss that opportunity 🙁 LOL
Yay!!!! I love that you have a list too 🙂 The good thing is the city is so tiny- it’s only 7 miles by 7 miles, so if you go hard you can get a lot done in a day !! And ahh I hope we are still here too! We will probably know for sure come Jan/Feb. how much longer we are stayin— i will keep you posted, girlie! That’s sooooo exciting you are planning a visit * heart eyes on heart eyes *
Yes I literally started one in my phone notes when I was reading your posts. I kept thinking to myself better to write them now because there’s so many great places and I like to have choices lol.
That’s good to hear, I like to be on the go as much as possible and see everything I can. That’s what we did when we went to Seattle but of course we had to dial it back for Ciel lol.
That’s such a good idea! I need to do that with everyone’s posts too because I always try to make a mental note, but that never really works! Ahhh I wanna visit Seattle so bad. I loved your posts from it. I was talking to someone that said it’s the same as Portland, but I’ve always thought they were pretty different?
Lol right?! I instantly forget so I have to be proactive about it 😂
Hahahhaa “the same as Portland”. For as long as I can remember, there was an on-going debate about which city was better lmfao. Idk if they still do that but no, they each have their own unique spots and there’s so much to see in both. One could argue that Seattle has more sights within the actual city than Portland but that’s because they’re right next to the ocean, whereas we only have the river here. Also, I think Seattle is bigger than Portland. But nevermind that, they both have pros and cons. I found Portland to be cleaner* just my own personal opinion lol. But yes, Seattle does have plenty of sights that we don’t have here, for instance Pikes Place, the piers with all the food, the ferry, the aquarium and the great wheel. But again, unique spots lol. If you ever go and if you want to eat great fish fry, try Ivar’s on the pier towards the ferry, I’ll look it up again, but the taste was so good and I can’t find that here! I miss it and I’m considering going back just for the food lol
Oh really?! I didn’t realize there was even a debate- that’s hilarious. It sounds like both are great and unique- and it sounds like Seattle is definitely worth visiting!! Thanks for your input! That’s hilarious though you say you are considering going back for the food because we got to Portland for the food- lol!
I know right?! It’s so funny people fight over which city is better why can’t we just be sister cities?! Lol
Well I liked the fish fry specifically. We didn’t get to try any other seafood because it’s expensive and the line was out the door lol. But they do have great food there too.
Oooo anything fish! Yes please!! Ok I’m gonna try to make a trip with dj there over a weekend sometime !
Thank you so much for the list Mackenzie!!
Yes of course! I am sure it will only grow hehe
Yes, it will Mackenzie!
🙂
Wow, that is a prodigious bucket list. I’ve lived in the Bay Area for 60 years and there’s stuff on here I’ve still not seen. May I respectfully suggest that you add Tony’s Pizza (same ownership as Capo’s).
Good blog.
Hi, Paulie! Thank you so much for stopping by & the suggestion- I’d love to hear if you think of any others. I will absolutely check out Tony’s soon!
Wow you’ve done so many! I haven’t heard of many of these as I’m not familiar with the Bay area but these sound so exciting and I love that you’ve shared so many on your blog!
We are trying! We only have a couple months left to get them done, so I’m working hard lol. Thank you for stopping in, Pamela 🙂 Have a great week, girl!