How to Turn a Layover in San Francisco into an Adventure

When it comes to travel, I'm a proponent of leaving space for "happy accidents." A meticulous itinerary may save a few bucks and/or headaches (though nothing is ever guaranteed), but it can also box you in at all the wrong moments. Case in point, during a van-camping road trip down the California Coast, my girlfriend and I were vehement about choosing small towns and state parks over big cities. And so as we approached the Bay Area, the reflexive plan was to blow right through San Francisco. I had been there before, I had heard that it wasn't in its best form as of late, and I didn't want to get hung up in traffic on those famously steep streets. Such was my cynical thinking. Thankfully, fate intervened in the form of an Instagram post advertising a free concert in Golden Gate Park. I'm happy to report that my love of music reignited my love for "The City." Allow me to expound on the 24 hours I spent during an unexpectedly awesome layover in (and around) San Francisco.

Prelude to The City

The North Coast and Bay Area are rife with postcard-worthy spots. So if you find yourself approaching San Francisco with a bit of time to spare, take stock of these locations. There are many other worthy detours, believe that, but I hope that the following highlights offer an inspiring glimpse into the region.

Point Reyes Station

In order to time our mid-afternoon hotel check-in accurately, we elected to stealth camp just south of Point Reyes Station the night before. This highway town caught me off guard. For one, it has a rather unusual name. I'm not knocking it, but when scanning the map for points of interest, a place called "station" doesn't exactly strike immediate intrigue. In reality, Point Reyes Station is an adorable town whose shop, saloon, and mural-lined main street (i.e., a traffic-controlled portion of the Shoreline Highway) is friendly, walkable, and easy to digest over a short period. It is also the go-to northern base camp for the 70,000-acre Point Reyes National Seashore.

Stinson Beach

The even smaller (and dare I say cuter) community of Stinson Beach gave Irina and me a place to sip a morning coffee with toes dug in the sand. I recommend getting there early, as the first rays of sunshine peeking over the Marin Hills refract against the salty ocean mist, thereby casting an indelible spell. We weren't there for a long time, but it was certainly a good time. I would love to spend an entire weekend there, so as to sink deeper into the laid-back surf culture, hike to the top of the verdant range, or simply meditate on the sizable, unsculpted beach, watching the birds glide inches above the crashing waves.

Muir Beach

Muir Beach (named after the Scottish American writer/conservationist extraordinaire, John Muir) is both a hillside residential community and public beach. Back in 2015, before I knew any better, I pitched a tent here (which is now, as it was then, super illegal) in order to soak in the spirit of the man who helped preserve so much of California's natural beauty. This time around, a casual stopover did the trick. But if you're hoping to extend the experience in a legitimate way, rooms are available at the Pelican Inn (which sits right behind the beach). For a bird's-eye-view of the mesmerizing area, boot up to the Muir Overlook, a roadside turnout just north of Muir Beach. And for a taste of the quintessential Northern California redwood experience, scoot a few clicks up Frank Valley Road to arrive at the gentle nature trails of Muir Woods National Monument.

Sausalito

Situated where the waters of Richardson Bay, San Francisco Bay, and the Golden Gate strait meet, Sausalito is both an energizing appetizer to San Francisco and a destination unto itself. Here, along the scenic boardwalk, the first glimpses of Alcatraz, Angel Island State Park, and the colorful hillside homes that are part and parcel of the Bay Area come into view. Downtown Sausalito embraces upscale coffee culture, has several packed marinas, and supports a diverse, waterfront culinary scene. This vibrant city specializes in luxury accommodations, which rules out many travel writers of the world, but I can appreciate how itinerant retirees would feel safe and comfortable here. One thing that every visitor to Sausalito can celebrate is its wealth of public parking lots. Some of them are free!

Golden Gate Recreation Area

By this point, southbound travelers will surely be chomping at the bit to hit Frisco, but whatever you do, don't rush onto the Golden Gate Bridge. A slight detour up to Hawk Hill and its exceptional San-Fran-facing viewpoints will accentuate the iconic landmark that much more. This is the most striking portion of Golden Gate National Recreation Area (of which both Stinson Beach and Muir Beach belong), but if you have the time, this naturescape also covers a lengthy stretch of the dynamic Marin Headlands. The Golden Gate View Point and Fort Baker overlooks are popular attractions, to say the least, so consider parking at one of the earlier turnouts and enjoying the breezy, jaw-dropping walk over.

The Magic of San Francisco

Seeing San Francisco's skyline while crossing the Golden Gate Bridge feels like a movie (probably because it has been depicted on the big screen so many times). So roll the windows down and crank your favorite indie tune! I can see how driving into the city from the south would also be rewarding, but if given the choice, I'd opt for the Sausalito crossing every time. It sets such a positive tone for whatever comes next. And what came next immediately chiseled away my dated trepidations. The driving was relaxed, our motel was cheap, comfortable, and personable (shout out to Pacific Heights Inn), and most importantly, the streets were safe and pristine (thanks to some early-2024 initiatives). So much so, in fact, that we elected to walk the few miles to Golden Gate Park, where the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival was hosted.

The first evening of this free, three-day community event was headlined by one of my all-time favorite musicians: Glen Hansard. And he did not disappoint. The Irishman, who is probably best known for his role in the Oscar-winning musical "Once" is also the prolific frontman of The Frames, The Swell Season, and lately, his solo ensemble. With a mix of soulful acoustic ballads and face-melting rock songs, Glen and his band easily won over the unsuspecting but open-minded crowd.

If you're anything like me, a special occasion, meaningful conversation, eye-opening hike, or mouth-watering meal gets forever associated with a geographical space. I'm therefore grateful to the festival organizers and the international musicians for forever cementing a positive association with San Francisco. And for anyone reading this, there's no need to wait to replicate my exact experience, for this romantic city constantly hosts mixed-medium cultural events throughout its parks, historic venues, and local hotspots.

In the emotionally elevated wake of the concert, we decided to, once again, hit the streets in search of food and libations. San Francisco is always happy to oblige in these departments and demonstrates its superior melting pot ways in the process. Its Chinatown is one of the oldest and most substantial in the nation, and its nearby Japantown is a novelty that not many cities can claim. We ended up stopping by a Latino deli, an Irish pub (in honor of Glen Hansard), and capped it all off with some late-night sushi.

Though physically zapped from all the excitement, I awoke mentally charged to take on another part of the city. Thus, I laced up my sneakers and joined the hundreds, if not thousands, of morning joggers along the Bay Trail — waving to my peers, the sea lions, the Fort Mason hostel I stayed at almost a decade ago, the notorious island prison, and the rusty-red suspension bridge that never gets old. The resulting runner's high complimented the previous day's dopamine dump, further solidifying the magic of San Francisco.

Denouement

Just as there are numerous compelling stops to be made on the northside of San Francisco, the southwestern spillover is equally as scenic and occupying. One state beach after another begs for a surf, swim, or stretch break. Given the Sunday traffic (everyone, it seems, was itching to enjoy the perfect October weather somewhere along the coast), we pushed past Pacifica and onwards to Half Moon Bay. The late-morning's moderate UV safely tanned our bodies while we watched ocean acrobats mount one cresting wave after another. During the afternoon, we retreated to the Shoppes at Harbor Village. And by sunset, we were bidding farewell to another memorable chapter of our cross-country road trip from the banks of Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park. In the end, San Francisco went from being my least-anticipated location to one of my favorite slices of the entire Pacific Coast. I'd call that a very happy accident.