I spent last weekend in San Francisco with my boyfriend and wow, did we have a blast! It was my first time in the city and I already knew I’d love it before arriving, but San Francisco somehow exceeded my expectations.

During our brief visit we checked out a few excellent vegan restaurants including Shizen and Golden Era, both of which would be enjoyed by vegans and meat-eaters alike. We hit up most of San Francisco’s iconic areas including Union Square, Fisherman’s Wharf, Chinatown, the Mission District, Haight-Ashbury, and of course the Golden Gate Bridge. Unfortunately we missed out on the Castro District, but that just means we have something already planned for next time. We also explored Golden Gate Park, took a few snap shots of the “Painted ladies” (or “Full House houses,” as I like to call them), and drove to the top of Twin Peaks road for a spectacular view of the city. On our last day we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge and spent a little time in the beautiful town of Sausalito, and then we headed back home to Los Angeles.

Now that I don’t live too far from San Francisco, I can’t wait to spend more long weekends there, getting to know the area and discovering the less “touristy” parts of the city. What a colorful, kind, beautiful place!