San Francisco

We started the day by taking the bus to Alamo Square. We had thought of taking the cable car but the line was just incredibly long it'd be a waste of a precious beautiful day standing in line. It's sunny and warm, it's hard to believe it's winter. We spent some time at the park enjoying the panoramic view of the city's downtown. Afterwards, we took a walk to Pacific Heights.

On a clear day, Pacific Heights offers panoramic views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the San Francisco Bay and the Alcatraz.

After that we continued walking to the pier. Of course we had to enjoy another round of crabs and hot clam chowder.

Grand Hyatt Union Square

When checking in, I didn't expect much after our hotel experience in Tahoe. After all, the rate I got was lower than that in Tahoe. However, I was pleasantly surprised when we were asked if we'd like to stay on the higher floors for a slight fee. At least, they gave us an option.

The room is modern, with a panoramic view of the city and the San Francisco Bay from a floor-to-ceiling window. 

The hotel is ideally located on Union Square, so getting anywhere is a breeze. Using public transport is more convenient here. If you drove here, you can park at the garage next door. You'll get a discount as a Hyatt guest. Alternatively, you can always valet ;)

We enjoyed dinner and a night view of the city at the Grandviews Restaurant. The restaurant boasts a fantastic view overlooking San Francisco. Even if you are not staying at the hotel, do come and have a meal here. The food is pretty good and you won't be disappointed with the view. 

This is the awesome view from our hotel room. This morning, the fog is pretty thick but slowly dissipates through the day. You can barely see the top of the pyramid-shaped Transamerica Building as it is partially covered by the fog.

Fisherman's Wharf

We used to come once in a while just for the crabs, especially when we have visitors. Leaving LA after Subuh, we will arrive in time for lunch. 

Naturally, this is the first stop upon our arrival in the city. We ordered the Dungeness crab, clam chowder served in sour dough bowl, deep-fried calamari and a salad to share. Even these, we had trouble finishing. The serving size in the US is huge, so if you want to play it safe, don't order too much. You can always add on later.

Afterwards, we took a stroll around. The weather was nice, slightly windy. You won't see a lot of locals here.

If it's your first time, do visit the Alcatraz. You can get the tickets online. Otherwise, it's likely to be sold out.