They say you should be a tourist in your hometown, and if you live in Battle Mountain, Nevada, the worst city in America, then you’re out of luck. Literally any other city is fair game. Luckily it's easy to be tourists here since San Francisco is an actual travel destination. For us this means taking little day trips to explore new places together.
Historically, Chris and I have not spent much time in San Francisco because with the traffic, the parking, the being-around-other-people, it doesn’t feature prominently at the top of our list. But one July day, we walked into our muggy house and Chris said, “That’s it, we’re going to the coldest place in the Bay.” We got into the car and drove straight to Twin Peaks. It was cool and blustery, and Jack was entertained for the entire afternoon. That was the beginning of a family tradition that has revolutionized our weekends.
Twin Peaks
We had never actually walked up these peaks before. We've driven there a dozen times but never left the lookout point. The hike was quick, easy, and most importantly, cold.
We loved all the dogs, looking out over those amazing cliffs, and letting Jack walk in the sand for the first time. The highlight was seeing a pack of sharks. Pack? Shiver. We saw a shiver of sharks.
The de Young Museum
This museum is much, much smaller than I remembered. The docents gave us a map with a "Three Hours in the de Young" option, but I just don't see how that's possible. That is a three hour tour that would give Gilligan déjà vu.

Sigmund Stern Grove
Another short trip, but there was a concert was going on as we walked down into the park, and the whole thing felt so primal and magical.
There are some classic excursions in the city that I still need to go on (e.g. I've never been to Alcatraz or Crissy Field), but I’ve been thinking of other ways we get more out of our area. So far my list includes watching movies based in/filmed in San Francisco, researching walking tours, reading a few Northern California histories, and checking out some guide books.
I'll keep you posted,
b perry
OH MY GOSH BATTLE MOUNTAIN. I had no idea how bad it actually was until we broke down there. Then every single person we talked to was like "oh yeah I broke down here 15 years ago and never left!" *cue Hotel California and panic attacks*
ReplyDeleteI'm so proud of you for going to SF so frequently. We totally avoided it while we lived there for the same reasons!
Rachel. That story is literally the beginning of my nightmare - and this might make you feel better or worse, but your story of being stranded there is the worst one I've ever heard. Ever. You are amazing just for surviving that...
DeleteLol Battle Mountain. We stopped there once for gas and got pizza and it was actually pretty decent! So I guess you can count me as one of those fortunate souls who has not had a bad experience there... knock on wood!
ReplyDeleteYou are truly fortunate. May you always be so blessed in all your travels. lol.
DeleteI love the Bay Area, the weather always seems very mild. It was over 100 down here in los angeles. We get mild weather too, but sometimes we get hit hard by the heat.
ReplyDeleteOh totally. My husband is going to LA tomorrow, and he was SO happy to see it wasn't a billion degrees. Our city's motto is "Climate Best By Government Test" (you know, whatever that means), You almost never need AC, but when you do? Blech.
DeleteToday is another scorcher, so prepare yourself for craziness!
ReplyDelete