This is our last summer before the twins (Logan and Shelton) head off for college. In fact, their departure is just a couple weeks away. So, we wanted our summer vacation to be special this year, and we wanted to escape the heat. The boys are huge technology buffs, so we chose...San Francisco!
We arrived in San Fran on Sunday of this week. We rented a nice row house in The Mission District via Airbnb. It's a little out of the way based upon our site seeing agenda, but the price was right and it's worked out well.
Our first day we headed down to Fisherman's Warf to get a view of the bay. Our daughter, Clara (
) met a seagull. She's a huge animal lover (if you can't already tell from her Steemit blog).
After grabbing lunch we took a boat tour of the bay. The weather and the views were just...indescribable. These pictures don't do them justice.
(The Golden Gate)
The Golden Gate bride is a modern miracle. It spans the 1 mile gap from San Francisco over to Marin County. I can't imagine who the structure could be built in modern times, much less way back when. It's a real tribute to human grit and ingenuity.
The water under the bridge is 300 feet deep, and since the entire bay fills and drains with the tides through this 1-mile pass, the currents are incredible.
(San Francisco viewed from the bay. The triangle building is the famous Transamerica Pyramid.)
We enjoyed the boat tour, but I'm not sure I'd do it again. Frankly, some of the most impressive views were to be had from land. This is one of my favorite views of the bridge (taken from the park in back of the old Ghirardelli Chocolate factory):
(Shelton, Logan, Cindy aka 
The next morning we toured China Town. China Town is so different and so interesting. I love all the colors and the architecture there.
(Cindy, Shelton, Clara and Kaeley in China Town)
After an incredible lunch in China Town (I wish I could remember the name of the restaurant so that I could recommend it to you), we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge. The views from the Marin County side of the bridge are equally impressive (check out how blue that sky is!).
(Logan overlooking the bay and San Francisco)
(The view from Sausalito--Cindy and me)
From there we headed to Muir Woods to see the Redwoods--the tallest living things on earth. The bus ride there made me a little car sick, but the crisp, fresh, redwood-scented air quickly resolved that upon arrival. The trees were just...astounding. There's really no way that film can do them justice, but here's few of my better attempts:
(Cindy tree hugger)
(Redwoods--the tallest living things on earth)
(Kaeley, Clara Cindy and tree)
Yesterday we hiked the Coastal trail near the Golden Gate Bridge (what amazing views!), and then had a wonderful Italian dinner in North Beach--San Francisco's version of Little Italy. I've not uploaded those photos yet, so...maybe in another post.
Today we are heading to Silicon Valley to check out it's amazing tech scene.
And, tomorrow we head home.
It's been an amazing trip, and I'm so grateful to have spent it with my delightful family.