Cruisin' through California

The coastal road trip was continued as we embarked in San Francisco, California from Portland, Oregon. As we pulled through the Golden Gate Bridge, I saw a multi-colored Volkswagen Type 2 pass us by and I knew that I would love the city already. With a laid-back hippie city vibe, San Francisco captured a piece of my heart within five minutes of being there.

Multi-colored van in San Francisco

We explored Pier 39 and a street performer actually grabbed my brother’s hand, signaling for him to join the show. He held the hula-hoop that the acrobat contorted through and was praised by the crowd at the end of the act.

Street performer at Pier 39

One morning, we woke up at 6 am in hopes of grabbing a ticket from the ticket booth going to Alcatraz Island since we did not book in advance. Luckily, we were able to voyage to the notorious outcast island. Wandering through the jail cells and corridors sent shivers down my spine, reminiscing on the eerie secrets the building has experienced.

We ventured to the outskirts of the city for a day and explored the infamous redwood forests. The trees were towering over me, shrinking me down to a serene state, allowing me to realize how small in this world you actually are.

Redwood Forest

We made sure to see the city from a different perspective, via cable car. The historic transportation system transported you back in time. At one point, I held onto the handle and leaned my body outside of the cart, allowing my worries to be washed away. The ride took us throughout the bustling city and gave our legs a little rest from the steep hills.

Golden Gate State Park

Tony Bennett wasn’t wrong when he sang “I left my heart in San Francisco!”