I lived in San Francisco from birth to age 18. So I really only know the city as a kid! If you ask me for city recommendations, I can tell you where the best birthday parties were held in the 90s and the where to find the sickest punk rock shows of the early 00s. Sure, I visited some Top Tourist Destinations as a kid…but I didn’t exactly appreciate them. I had plenty of walks up memory lane on this trip but the ultimate verdict is: it’s pretty rad to explore San Francisco as an adult! Surprise!
With that in mind, let’s continue from yesterday’s SF clichés…
The Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
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I used to come here as a little kid and run around the stepping stones and throw pennies into the ponds with my best friend, Helena. I knew nothing about the park’s history, aside from the fact that Helena’s little brother had fallen off a path and into the water once! Visiting with a fella who is both passionate about Buddism and scenic photography made for a very different visit. We sat staring at koi fish, trying to get the perfect shot for long enough to have made my eight year-old self die of boredum.
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I had no idea the garden was created in 1894 as part of the California Midwinter International Exposition. Nor did I know that the original landscape architect and caretaker, Makoto Hagiwara, lived on the property while maintaining the garden until his family was forced into internment camps in 1942. You can learn more on the Japanese Tea Garden website.
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My mom never let me get the treats they serve at the teahouse, so without her around to stop me, we got lunch and ate it overlooking the beautiful scene. A childhood dream come true.
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Muir Woods, Marin County
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This incredible national park is breath-taking with towering, splendid redwoods, some over a thousand years old. On my visit in 2018, I appreciated the magnificence of the nature the park conservancy fights so hard to preserve. My last visit before this time was probably around 1998. All I remembered about Muir Woods was big trees and being bored. A lot changes in 20 years! Though, not from a redwood’s perspective!
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Sonoma County, Wine Country
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As the current legal drinking age is 21, it’s not surprisingly that I’d never been wine tasting in California’s wine country before. It was a blast, amazing wine and finally hot weather! It was almost 40 degrees hotter than in San Francisco just an hour away.
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We visited Preston Farm and Winery and Bella Winery which featured a cool and dark wine cave. I’d recommend both!
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Ah, such a great trip! I’m fully enveloped by NYC hustle and bustle, it’s hard not to miss the chill California vacation life. I’ll have some final vacation minutes tomorrow and get back to NYC next week, I promise!
I’d love to hear if you’ve ever been to any of these 3, or experiences you’ve had with re-visiting places you’d only been to as a child before!
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