Hidden Jewels of San Francisco

San Francisco is now my favorite city on the entire planet, and it's not simply because my son now makes it his home. It's a big, bustling metropolis with some small town feel in quaint and picturesque neighborhoods. There's the foggy ocean side, the hot and sunny Bay side, and plenty of hills and mountains in between. There's an abundance of history, culture, music and arts to explore. In addition, it's a great launching point for trips to the wine countries of Sonoma and Napa to the north, the Sierras to the east, and Silicon Valley to the south.

My goal when traveling is to find the "hidden jewels" in my destination. The locals always know the best places to hang out, and to me, there's nothing worse than being an obvious tourist! Don't be afraid to ask a local passerby questions. For the most part, San Franciscans are friendly, and they are a great source for information.

The first thing to remember is that even though San Francisco is in California, most of the time it's far from balmy. If you want to blend in with the natives, ditch the resort wear of shorts and travel-emblazoned tee shirts and opt for khakis or jeans. Bring lots of layers, because it can be 80 degrees and brilliantly sunny on the bay side of the city and thirty degrees colder and foggy by the ocean. Leave the flip flops at home, and bring sensible walking shoes - you'll need them for navigating the hilly terrain.