A {Bay-B-Moon} Weekend In San Francisco

Before baby number three arrived, James and I thought it would be fun to hop on the Babymoon trend and spend a weekend away, before we embarked sleepless nights once again.

The stars aligned for us when my mother and stepfather were taking the kids for a week in the summer, the same week that James had a business trip planned in the lovely city of San Francisco. So, we thought why not extend it and explore the city!

When we arrived, we of course stopped at In-N-Out, because we’re from the east coast and this is a big deal.

Stocked up on the sparkling water because… it’s my preggo thing.

And hit the roads of San Francisco– the steep- steep-roads.

Tony Bennet left his heart in this fine city, (possibly right outside our hotel in Union Square) and it quickly won ours over– despite the summer chill. I had no idea San Francisco was chilly in the summer before planning this trip. Seriously, summertime visitors, don’t let the palm trees mislead you– pack a sweater.

In this obligatory tourist picture of the gorgeous Golden Gate bridge, we. were. FREEZING. It’s laughable actually. In between shots, our eyes were watering  and the out takes were pretty hilarious. I should have saved some.

If you follow Complicated Mama on Twitter or Instagram, you may have seen some highlights with our #BayBMoon hashtag– and now we’re sharing some more details.

If you are planning a baby moon or just a quick get-away to this city by the bay, I found this trip to be the perfect mix of relaxation and fun to pack into one short weekend.

Here are some of our suggestions for a short fun weekend in San Fran:

1. Golden Gate Bridge

As seen above, is clearly a staple and must have photo opp. We drove down beneath the bridge to a beach area to get the full shot of the bridge. It was foggy, and as I mentioned already- chilly, but it was still gorgeous. You can also walk across the bridge, which I would have loved to have done but our trip was a short one and we had been walking all day when we were nearby.

2. Muir Woods

While I’ve never considered myself a nature lover, as I travel more I am learning that maybe to some extent, I am.  There is just something so peaceful and therapeutic about taking a hike through a beautiful wooded landscape.

When you visit the Muir Woods in San Fancisco, you have the option of taking 1 of 3 trails:

The Main Trail (2 miles)

The Sun Trail (4.7 miles)

The Ben Johnson Trail (5.2 miles)

We took the sun trail and it was absolutely breath taking.

There are tons of beautiful photo opportunities along the trails. We set ours up with a timer and captured this Bay-B-Moon of ours perfectly.

I didn’t bring sneakers, as per usual when I find myself in these hiking situations and ended up doing the trail in ballet flats-which I do not recommend (especially 6 months pregnant), but I did survive with a few “charlie horse” breaks and water.

3. Ghiradelli Square

A pregnant woman’s heaven, but really… is chocolate not heavenly for everyone?

When we visited Ghiradelli square, it was lunchtime mid-week and the store was hoppin’. I’ve heard it gets busier on weekends and at night. That being said, the deliciousness inside was well worth the wait. We sat in the cafe area and took in the sweet smell of the chocolate that surrounded us and  indulged in a milkshake and brownie… it. was. magic.

3. Lombard Street

Famous for its steep-winding road, this street is said to be the crookedest street in the world! (And really? Who even knew crookedest was a word? Not I.)

Lombard Street is a one-way block on Russian Hill between Hyde and Leavenworth Streets, with eight sharp turns surrounded by tall apartment buildings and colorful flowers draped about.

4.  Fisherman’s Wharf + Alcatraz

Pier 39, part of Fisherman’s Wharf  has a lot of great sights to see including Alcatraz, which unfortunately was SOLD OUT when we went! So if you are planning with some more lead time than we were, book it!

In addition to Alcatraz, Pier 39 is known for their sea lions, good eats (hello, Boudin’s Bakery sourdough bread), shops. You could spend the day walking around and seeing it all.

5. The Painted Ladies,  AKA “The Full House, House”

These pretty houses all in a row can be seen from Alamo Square Park. This former DJ-tanner fan was stoked. Unfortunately, due to over the fog my picture does not reflect the gorgeous colors of these buildings (That fog San Francisco is known for is REAL, you guys!), but it’s a sight you don’t want to miss.

There really was so much more to be seen, I wish our trip were longer but alas our Bay-B-Moon had come to an end.

We have family that live nearby so we hope to visit again soon and explore it some more.