The time is just flying by in our little circle of the world. Brad and I were married on March 21st and jetted off to San Francisco for our honeymoon on the 23rd. We’ve been back for over three weeks now and I can’t believe that it’s already almost May! We had the most amazing wedding (more on that later, when we get our photos back from our favorite Apryl Ann) that was 100% us, but really, the fun part is the honeymoon.

We were in San Francisco for 8 days, and have so many recommendations and tips from our adventure that are worth sharing! Without further adieu:

The Holt’s Top Things to Do in San Francisco:

1. Wake up early, for breakfast at Mama’s Diner.
1701 Stockton St | San Francisco, CA 94133
This is probably one of the more “tourist-y” places to grab delicious food, but oh my goodness, guys. The Mama’s Cristo will change your life. Open from 8am to 3pm, this place pretty much always has a line. It’s a small diner with about 15 tables inside, but trust me, it’s worth the wait. We actually went twice, once at 10am (plus an hour wait) and once at 8am (first group to get in!). I had the chocolate cinnamon french toast the first time we went, which was magical, but the Mama’s Cristo just can’t be beat. Cash only, or debit with a small fee.

2. Drive out to the Muir Woods, and afterward, keep driving.
1 Muir Woods Rd | Mill Valley, CA 94941
Just a short drive away from the city there are redwoods. Real redwoods. It was serenely peaceful (once we got past the stroller-friendly pathway). We were expecting to do some legitimate hiking here, but it’s surprisingly non-athletic folk friendly. You can stay on the flatter trails and still enjoy the scenery if you’re traveling with little ones, but we found a couple more challenging trails that actually gave us a bit of huffy breathing and let us feel like we were being ultra-adventurers – crossing over split trees and hanging out with the chipmunks.

After you enjoy the woods, hop on Highway 1 and just drive along the coast for a while with your windows down. This was the first time in a long time that Brad and I could really enjoy being alone, with no responsibilities in sight, so maybe that’s why I thought that drive was so gorgeous, but man. It’s gorgeous. We stopped at the Muir Beach Overlook to take in the ocean, then continued on up to Point Reyes.

[No photo available here because sangria happened.]

3. Get dinner at Cha Cha Cha, but only with a half pitcher of sangria.
1801 Haight St | San Francisco, CA 94117
Best sangria ever. And amazing tapas too. Need I say more? We left full of food and giggles.

4. Visit the California Academy of Sciences.
55 Music Concourse Dr | San Francisco, CA 94118
I enjoy museums, but I usually get pretty antsy quickly. However, this place is seriously a blast. There’s a 4-story bio-dome rainforest that I could hang out in all day if it wasn’t, you know, a rainforest. Butterflies fly around you with birds up above. It’s awesome. There’s even an earthquake simulator. Confirmed, science is cool.

5. Take the Alcatraz Night Tour.
Pier 33, Alcatraz Landing | San Francisco, CA 94111
With the night tour, the ferry circles around the entire island, which gives you an amazing view of the city and Alcatraz. The history behind this place is super interesting, and the audio tour is surprisingly great. You’re basically led around the prison via headphones by recorded interviews from former prisoners and guards. During our visit, the Ai Weiwei Exhibit was on, which meant we got to take a super dark, semi-creepy walk to one of the recreation buildings to see the art. Pro tip: bring a jacket. It’s chilly out there!

6. Shop at Stuff.
150 Valencia St | San Francisco, CA 94103
This place is a two-story mecca of mid-century furniture and knick knacks. There were so many things we wanted but didn’t need. We ended up buying a brass middle finger statue, because why not? Statues, lamps, rugs, dishes, artwork – you name it, they have it. It was a perfect way to spend a rainy morning.

7. Grab a sandwich at Ike’s Place.
3489 16th St | San Francisco, CA 94114
It’ll change your view on sandwiches. Their menu consists of over 100 options, and they all sound amazing. Want mozzarella sticks with that? Great, they come directly on your ‘wich. Cash only, so make sure you have some of that. Luckily, there’s a Chase just up the street.

8. Check out the Farmer’s Market on a Saturday morning.
5 The Embarcadero | San Francisco, CA 94105
Some of the freshest goods I’ve ever seen. Plus Blue Bottle Coffee is there, so that’s always helpful.

9. Tour Anchor Brewing Company.
1705 Mariposa Street | San Francisco,CA
We skipped wine country this time around since we tend to pick beer over wine. To avoid missing out on the alcohol-filled entertainment, we were sure to pick up a few brew tours along the way. Anchor was my favorite by far. Book a couple weeks in advance, because I hear they sell out often. I learned a lot about making beer on this tour and it was pretty awesome to see such a huge facility that still considers themselves a small brewery (AKA cares about the quality of their beer). You get to try 6 beers along the way, so catch an Uber.

10. Get lost.
Seriously. We walked about 8 miles a day on this trip. Wandering, exploring… Every corner you turn here you’ll find something you want to check out. Have a rough plan and see what you find in between. We found so many yummy restaurants that weren’t on our list while we were out and about. We also managed to walk right through Alamo Square Park and by the Painted Ladies. We probably wouldn’t have even seen those if we had driven everywhere! Bring some walking shoes – you won’t regret it.

*Photography is a mix of Brad’s and my own. He’s my husband so I’m allowed to steal all his photos now.