Your morning begins at Mama's on washington Square.

Gobble down your French Toast at Mama’s, a local favorite for 50+ years. Menu items include fluffy benedicts, homemade jam, fresh omelets, spicy Italian sausage, five types of French toast.

Nestled between Fisherman’s Wharf and Chinatown is a neighborhood known as North Beach. The neighborhood is San Francisco’s “Little Italy,” packed with legendary pizzerias, cafes and gelato shops.

Your first stop in the North Beach area is at the Columbus Tower. The seven-story, copper-green building at Columbus and Kearney survived the 1906 earthquake, then allegedly went on to be the place where Caesar salad was invented, the Kingston Trio recorded, Barbra Streisand sang, and Francis Ford Coppola’s American Zoetrope Studios was headquartered. The Coppola story is probably true. 

Stroll by XOX Truffles for a Latte and truffle to go. 

Visit Coit Tower. Perched atop Telegraph Hill. You can’t miss it—the 210-foot slender building is a giant among its neighbors.  You’ll want to take the elevator to the top of Coit Tower for a breathtaking 360-degree view of the city.

On the hike down, treat yourself to a slice of tiramisu at Trattoria Pinnochio, located just a few blocks away.

Then on to Chinatown for the afternoon.

Make a stop along the way to marvel at the oldest cathedral in California, Old St. Mary’s was built in 1854 by Chinese laborers using granite quarried in China and bricks shipped around Cape Horn from New England. 

From there, hop on a cable car. Ask to get off at Grace Cathedral.  

The original Grace Cathedral was destroyed in the fire following the 1906 earthquake. The Crocker family donated their fire-ravaged Nob Hill property to the church as a new location for the Episcopal cathedral. Visitors from around the world come to see the mosaics by De Rosen, the replica of Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise, the two labyrinths, the Keith Haring AIDS Chapel altar piece, the medieval furnishings, the 44 bell carillon, three organs and more.

Just around the corner is the Cable Car Museum, this is not just a fun place to learn about cable cars; it’s the actual working mechanical headquarters for the entire cable car network—and it’s free!  

Add a Stop at the Chineese Historical Society Museum, Portsmouth Square, or Buddha's Universal church before continuing on to North Beach.

San Francisco is home to the largest Chinatown outside of Asia and the oldest in America, boasting an impressive display of markets, specialty shops and restaurants. If you’re lucky enough to be there in the fall, don’t miss the beautiful Autumn Moon Festival, a celebration of harvest, bazaars, dancing and mooncakes.

Grab lunch or dinner at the Great Eastern Restaurant. Seafood fished from big tanks & dim sum bites are the main draws at this popular Chinese spot. 

And did you know the fortune cookie was first created in San Francisco? See how they get made at the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory.

With beautiful Chinese architecture, a wonderful atmosphere and the beautiful Chinatown Gate this is a great area to explore.

Start your day with a leisurely stroll, you can walk the Embarcadero from Oracle Park in SoMa all the way to Fisherman's Wharf. This flat, paved promenade gives you gorgeous views of the Bay Bridge, Treasure Island, and Alcatraz. 

 Grab breakfast at the Ferry Plaza's Farmers Market along the way.  

Continue on to Pier 39.  PIER 39 is a 45-acre waterfront complex that is a gathering place for millions of San Francisco locals and visitors. In addition to its 13 full-service restaurants, 90+ shops and popular attractions, PIER 39 is home to a five-acre waterfront park and a 300-berth marina. PIER 39 is known for its spectacular views of San Francisco Bay, including the Golden Gate Bridge, Bay Bridge and Alcatraz, as well as the world-famous California sea lions hauled out on K-Dock. 

Schedule a ferry ride over to Alcatraz Island to spend the afternoon exploring the legendary island that has been a civil war fort, a military prison and one of the most notorious federal penitentiaries.  

On your return, grab a bite for dinner at Scoma's for a pier to plate experience. Then pop over to the Iconic chocolatier Ghiradelli Chocolate Experience to finish out the day.

At the northwestern corner of San Francisco, there is a series of stunning views at every turn in this wild and windy trail. Hillsides of cypress and wildflowers, views of shipwrecks and access to the ruins of Sutro Baths in the Sutro Historic District, pocket beaches, and a new Lookout Visitor Center.  This is the perfect spot for a breakfast picnic and maybe a glimpse of the sea life from the San Francisco Bay.

if your time permits, take a tour over the Golden Gate Bridge on the hop on hop off tour bus, see the sites you may have missed on prior days. enjoy the ride before heading home from your ultimate San Francisco weekend getaway.