Leave your heart

The city’s mild climate brings average temperatures in the 60s and 260 days of sunshine (if only briefly). Although the city has received its share of bad press in recent years regarding increased crime and a growing population of people living on its streets, the city still has its charms.

Fisherman’s Wharf offers a quintessential San Francisco experience. Situated on the waterfront, the wharf provides a scenic view of the city’s recognizable landmarks: the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, Coit Tower, and the Trans America Building. Turn-of-the-century Victorian homes—like the one the Tanners called home in the television show Full House—line the steeply sloping streets to the south. And restaurants and bars in Fisherman’s Warf offer the fare San Francisco is known for. Ghirardelli Chocolate Company has called Fisherman’s Wharf home since 1893, although the confectionaries are now produced across the Bay. A huge lighted sign still shines the company’s name over the wharf.

When it comes to baking, San Francisco is in a league of its own—in fact, a common bacteria used in sourdough bread is named after the city (Fructilactobacillus sanfranciscensis). Boudin’s Bakery is one of the best-known makers of San Francisco sourdough, and a visit to the bakery in Fisherman’s Wharf is a must. But if you can’t make it to the City by the Bay, Boudin’s ships its sourdough via next-day or second-day air.

The Buena Vista, a 100-year-old bar, claims the Irish coffee was first created here. During busy times, bartenders will line up dozens of glasses along the bar and make the drinks en masse, pouring coffee and whiskey from one glass to the next, mixing sugar, and topping the drinks with a dollop of whipped cream.

Some of the city’s most famous landmarks are just a short trip from the Wharf, including The Presidio, a 1,500-acre national park near the Golden Gate Bridge. A former military installation, the Presidio now boasts hundreds of restored and renovated buildings, walking trails, an unmatched view of the Golden Gate bridge, and a golf course.

A mile offshore sits Alcatraz Island—The Rock. From 1934 until 1963, the island served as a federal penitentiary. During those 29 years, 1,500 prisoners whom the federal government “deemed difficult to incarcerate elsewhere,” including infamous members of organized crime syndicates like Al Capone, were interned here. Today, visitors can tour the island year-round (closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day). Ferries to the island depart from Pier 33 in Fisherman’s Wharf.

Flying to San Francisco has its own challenges. There are no airports in the city itself, but pilots can fly in to airports that surround the Bay. Airspace around the San Francisco Bay is complex, but with careful navigation of San Francisco International Airport’s Class B airspace and the Class C and D airspaces of nearby airports, pilots can access San Carlos Airport (SQL), Oakland International Airport (OAK), and Hayward Executive (HWD), among others. Fees and services vary at the airports, but many pilots in the area prefer San Carlos. From there, it’s a 40-minute car ride to Fisherman’s Wharf, traffic allowing.

Once you have a handle on the airspace, you’ll still have to contend with “Karl,” the name locals have given to the dense fog that rolls in off the Pacific. During the summer months, it is particularly prevalent, leading to“May Gray,” “June Gloom,” “No Sky July,” and “Fogust.” If the bay is socked in, airports to the east typically offer better weather.

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