San Francisco 🌉✨

I was completely charmed by San Francisco—my intuition was right, and the layover was totally worth it! Here’s a simple travel guide from my solo trip, which I did without renting a car 🚗. 🧳 Luggage & Airport Transit For trips between the airport and the city, I booked rides via Ctrip, which turned out cheaper than Uber—around $50–70 per trip. 🚌 Getting Around the City Download the MUNI app to buy day passes: 1-day pass: $15 3-day pass: $35 7-day option also available Note: All include cable car rides 🚋 (otherwise $9 each). 🚆 Day Trip to Silicon Valley Take the Caltrain—iPhone users can use the Clipper app, while Android users can buy tickets onsite. A day pass is $17 (unlimited rides), or a single trip costs ~$7–8. You can travel to Palo Alto or Mountain View easily. 🏨 Where to Stay I’d recommend around Fisherman’s Wharf for safety and convenience, followed by Union Square. ⚠️ Avoid the Tenderloin area. 🍽️ What to Eat Don’t miss the famous Clam Chowder in sourdough bread and classic Fish & Chips! I went to Boudin Bakery at the wharf—famous for sourdough. For a seafood feast, head upstairs; fish & chips are also nearby. As a Cantonese, I must say Chinatown felt like a taste of home 🇭🇰—almost like “Little Hong Kong”! The braised beef noodle soup was amazing～ Try Yin Du Wonton Noodle—they even serve hot tea in winter 🍵, all for under $15. I even spotted Ten Ren Tea—a lovely taste of nostalgia. 🌉 Must-See Sights Fisherman’s Wharf, Lombard Street, Golden Gate Bridge, Alamo Square Park, Pier 39, and more. 🏙️ City Vibe A coastal hill city—so much like Lisbon, Portugal, but with steeper slopes ⛰️. Walking up Powell Street, you’ll see the ocean at the end of many roads 🌊. One street even offers an incredible view of Alcatraz (near Lombard). 🚋 Must-Do: Ride the Cable Car It saves you from climbing hills 😆, but allow plenty of time—long waits, possible full cars, and note the boarding points. Outside drinks are not allowed 🥤. ☀️ Weather Tip Visit on a sunny day! In mid-December, it was 14–8°C, dry and chilly ❄️. Sunset is early—around 4:30 PM. It rained as I left, and I realized: without the sun, San Francisco just doesn’t shine the same. #SanFrancisco #FishermansWharf #GoldenGateBridge #CableCar #HongKongVibes 🌁