CA Trip: San Francisco Day 1

We took a hop on hop off bus tour today around the city. Started at 9am got back to the hotel around 3pm. We stopped for Dim Sum for lunch.

Aunt Beth is here!!!

Mommy and Ally on the top of the double decker bus.

San Francisco streets

I like the juxtaposition of the copper flat iron building with the modern skyscraper.

There were signs like this all around this particular neighborhood.

San Francisco City Hall has the 4th largest dome in the world.

Then we hopped off to see the “Painted Ladies” aka the Full House Tv show house.

Ally Photo shoot time 

Then back on the bus. Thru Haight Ashbury to the Golden Gate Bridge.

The sun burned off the clouds and it was gorgeous. Very windy on the upper deck of the bus but lots of fun.

On the way to our restaurant for lunch we stopped at a Cookie Dough stand! It was crazy. Yummy but weird.

Dumplings first. Beth ate her whole one in one bite!

We all used chopsticks. Or tried to!

After lunch we Ubered to the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Company.

Then it was back to the hotel where we relaxed in the courtyard.

CA Road Trip Day 5: Redding to San Francisco

After our rafting day yesterday I encouraged Becky and Ally to sleep in. I got up early as usual, ate breakfast at the hotel and went to Target to pick up a few things for the rest of the week. 

Our first stop was the sundial bridge in Redding. 

Ally looks 15. I can hardly believe it. She loves how she looks and for that I am glad and grateful.

Then it was a long 2 hour 30 minute drive to get to our next stop.

The Jelly Belly Factory!

Ally was not pleased to have to wear this hat on the tour.

But she loves Jelly Belly jelly beans and everyone had to wear one and she cheered up when she got her free sample of cherry jelly beans, and ate my sample too. 

I don’t like jelly beans.

The tour was pretty interesting.

Of course we bought some to take with us. Ally and Becky has fun selecting their own bag of flavor selections. 

Then it was on to San Francisco! Another hour plus in the car.

This time over the Bay Bridge.

We checked into our final hotel of the trip. And we have an amazing view of Alcatraz from our balcony.

And the city in the other direction:

We decided to take one last road trip adventure in our rental car and drive down Lombard Street. Famous as one of the most crooked streets in the world.

Ally was pretty amazed that people lived on the street and she admitted she would not want to learn to drive on the steep hills of the city.

It was a quick adventure and then time to return our car.

Our car kept track of the time in the car! 21 hours and 40 minutes for 763 miles. Maybe not epic to some people but it was for the 3 of us. We are all so glad we did this! 

We agreed I should have my picture taken with our trusty rental car: the White Ford Edge. 

Aunt Beth arrived last night and today we start San Francisco adventures!