What better time to finish up our honeymoon blogs than lockdown? It’s hard to believe we were traveling the world five months ago, and now we aren’t even supposed to leave the house. But, it’s for the best, and I’m glad we have these memories to look back on.
After a fabulous taste of the Pacific Northwest, Andy and I flew from Portland to San Francisco. All flights heading back to NZ from the area either had to connect through San Fran or LA, so we thought we might as well spend a night en route and do some exploring. It was VERY hot when we got to the Bay Area due to an unseasonable heat wave that was contributing to huge wildfires throughout the state.
Our first stop? A taco shop for lunch, of course! We took a walk but turned back after the heat got the better of us and decided to hang out in our hotel room until it cooled off a bit. In the evening we set out for the popular zig-zag Lombard Street. You know the one.
It’s definitely a good climb from the other side, and a cool spot, but not really worthy of all the hype. I guess we’re used to some pretty steep streets in New Zealand, and they don’t come with the crowds that Lombard Street does.
After that, we made our way toward the coast and Pier 39, where the sea lions hang out.
The temperature was much more comfortable this time of day, and Fisherman’s Wharf was a beautiful place to wander around.
Andy even had the chance to take a navy submarine for a spin…
It was easy to pick out Pier 39 by the crowds of tourists, and we jostled our way in to see the famous sea lions.
They’re not bothered at all by their adoring fans, and have been coming to these docks since 1989. Apparently, the record number of sea lions here at one time is 1,701!
After watching them roll around, sometimes hop off and occasionally fight, all of which are surprisingly riveting, we decided to move on.
The view from this spot out over San Francisco Bay and Alcatraz would be worth the trip alone.
Sadly, we didn’t have time to visit The Rock on this trip, but it’s definitely on the agenda for next time!
You can just make out some haze from the wildfires over the bay.
San Francisco is a vibrant city, and there were things to catch your eye around every corner.
The afternoon sunlight slanting through the Old Port Gate made for one of my favorite photos from this outing.
We found a restaurant for dinner, and I had my second lobster mac & cheese of the trip. Lobster on both coasts! This is the stuff honeymoons are made of.
Pretty exhausted from our day of traveling and walking, we were back to the hotel and in bed reasonably early – no San Fran partying for us. The next morning, we woke before the sun to trek to the Golden Gate Bridge, wanting to get going before the heat of the day set in. Our flight to NZ wasn’t until 8:00 that evening, so we had plenty of time to kill.
The hour-and-a-half walk was stunning in the early morning light. Again, you can see the haze from the fires in the distance.
As we continued on, we caught our first glimpse of the behemoth Golden Gate Bridge rising over the path.
It was pretty exciting! This is a spot you see in endless photographs, but familiarity doesn’t detract from its immense presence. It draws you in.
Onward to the bridge!
Because it really deserves a post all its own, stay tuned for our journey on foot over the Golden Gate Bridge in the final honeymoon installment! As always, thanks for coming along with us. We hope our family and friends around the world are staying safe and healthy during these hectic times, and we’re sending our love from NZ. ❤
FlyAllOver 
Andy and the submarine – a classic photo! As are the rest. I’ve only visited San Francisco once, with Dad before we were married, and I can’t say I remember much of it. So this was a great refresher tour and definitely makes me want to return. Great post, Kels.
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