Exploring the Bay Area, and especially San Francisco, is one of my favorite things to do.

There are so many places of interest, including tourist attractions, treasures known only by the locals, and historical landmarks.  A day trip doesn’t have to cost money. There are plenty of ways to enjoy the day, for people with the most liberal budget to those with no budget!  Still, I don’t get a lot of chances to get out into the community I love.  The Bay Area is particularly busy on the weekends.  Families flock to their favorite spots on Saturday, and there is never a shortage of people.  That presents some special challenges for my family.  Saturdays are hard.  The weather has been strange the last few months, so that’s made it even harder to get out as a family.  Going out with my husband as a couple is even harder.  Between our busy personal schedules, parenting responsibilities, and special challenges, we haven’t spent much time alone lately.  On Monday, President’s Day, everything just aligned perfectly! My husband woke up pretty early, as he usually does, and asked me if I wanted to go for a drive.  I didn’t hesitate to accept his offer.  I put on a pair of jeans and we were out the door moments later, just the two of us.  Our time was somewhat limited, but I didn’t think about that. I was just happy to hang out and get out!

Our round-trip included a drive on the Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge.

We stopped at Treasure Island to enjoy the view.

We also made a quick stop at Battery Mendel

I love living in the Bay Area and I never get tired of day trips to San Francisco.

It wasn’t a full day out, but it was just enough to clear my mind and share a few fun and stress-free moments with my husband. We also stopped at the Piers to get some clam chowder and walk around.  Again, I thought about the fact that I’ve never been to Alcatraz.  I have to do that in the near future.  Traveling is hard for our family right now.  Luckily, I live in one of the most amazing places in the world.  Where else can you Ride the Duck?! Our day trip reminded me just how much there is to do around here.  I’m making it a priority to explore and enjoy my local community a lot more this year.

Want some more ideas for exploring the Bay?  Check out my friend, Lizzie Bermudez, host of Bay Area LIFE, Sundays from 6:30 to 7:00 pm on ABC7.

What are your favorite places to visit in San Francisco?

By:  Alicia Gonzalez