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A Week in San Francisco (Part I)

1/10/2014

4 Comments

 
Spending just over a week in San Francisco last week, we checked out many of the sites in and out of the city! During our first couple of days there, we took our time wandering around a few neighbourhoods, and saw some of the sights in Golden Gate Park.
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California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park
Elizabeth arrived in San Francisco a few days before Luke to participate in a Grad Induction as part of her job. The Grad Induction was a great opportunity to meet fellow new graduates from all over the Americas, and work on some design projects. However, once the few long days packed with activities were over, Luke arrived and it was nice to get a chance to explore the city together.

Upon Luke's arrival, we quickly settled into our AirBNB apartment. It didn't take us long to realize that the apartment was located in one of the sketchier areas of town, the Tenderloin. San Francisco real estate and rentals are very expensive so we wanted to find some reasonably priced accommodations not too far from the downtown area. The apartment itself was good, but the area isn't somewhere you'd like to hang around for long.

In the afternoon we went to Dolores Park, in The Mission, and met up with some of the people from Elizabeth's Grad Induction. The view from the park was great, and we came across a few interesting characters walking around.
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Dolores Park
After spending some time in the park, we went out for dinner and ate some delicious carnitas (basically pulled pork tacos) before heading off for drinks at the Southern Pacific Brewery. We were both tired; Luke was jet-lagged and Elizabeth was exhausted from being out late 3 nights in a row, but we persevered!

Needless to say, on Sunday we got off to a late start. We caught a cab to Golden Gate Park and started off our tourism at the California Academy of Sciences. We wanted to fit in a couple of attractions in the afternoon, so we didn't have a whole lot of time. We started off by wandering through the rainforest dome in the centre of the building, which houses rainforest wildlife and reminded us of a mini Montreal Biodome.
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Our next stop was the earthquake exhibit and simulator. It was the first time on our trip that we came across information about the 1906 earthquake that devastated San Francisco. Over 80% of the city was destroyed due to the resulting fires that lasted for several days afterwards. On top of that, about 3000 people died. The only other significant earthquake in San Francisco's recent history was a magnitude 6.9 earthquake in 1989. The reason behind these powerful earthquakes is due to the fact that the Bay Area is not only along the San Andreas Fault, but 6 other fault zones exist in the Bay Area! As many people told us during our time in San Francisco, it's not a matter of if the next big earthquake will happen, it's a matter of when.

After taking the opportunity to test out the earthquake simulator, we finished up at the Academy of Sciences by visiting an interesting exhibit on skulls. 
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A wall of skulls in the Skulls Exhibit
We finished off our day at the De Young Museum, an art gallery across from the Academy of Sciences. We thoroughly enjoyed the exhibits and had to be forcibly removed when it closed. Almost.

Before making our way back to the apartment, we hung out by a fountain in Golden Gate Park, and walked through the Haight and Ashbury neighbourhood on our way back. Haight and Ashbury was the centre of the hippie subculture in San Francisco the 1960s and still retains some of that vibe.

To see the rest of our posts about our trip:
A Week in San Francisco (Part I)
Napa Valley Monday
A Week in San Francisco (Part II)
Yosemite Wednesday
A Week in San Francisco (Part III)
Muir Woods Friday
A Week in San Francisco (Part IV)

Here are a few more pictures from our first day and a half:
4 Comments
Security Cameras San Francisco link
7/10/2024 12:32:47 pm

Thank you for sharing your adventures in San Francisco! Your detailed descriptions and personal anecdotes bring the city to life, making me eager to explore it myself. I particularly enjoyed your tips on local spots that might be overlooked by typical tourists. It would be great to hear more about any memorable interactions you had with locals or hidden gems you discovered along the way. Your passion for the city shines through, and it inspires a deeper appreciation for all that San Francisco has to offer!

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James Perrault link
10/10/2024 12:12:27 pm

A week in San Francisco sounds like a dream! From the iconic Golden Gate Bridge to the vibrant neighborhoods, there's so much to explore. Can't wait to hear about your favorite experiences!

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Video Conference Solutions San Francisco link
26/3/2025 06:46:39 pm

This was such an enjoyable read! Your detailed descriptions and stunning photos really capture the charm and energy of San Francisco. It’s great to see how you explored both iconic landmarks and hidden gems — definitely inspiring for anyone planning a visit. Looking forward to Part II!

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Bay Area Conference Room AV Techs link
17/4/2025 04:33:25 pm

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about your San Francisco adventures! Your vivid descriptions of the California Academy of Sciences and the De Young Museum made me feel like I was right there with you. It's refreshing to see a travel blog that not only highlights the must-see attractions but also shares personal experiences and insights. Looking forward to reading more about your journey!

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