San Francisco is a vibrant, eclectic city known for its famous landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island. With its hilly streets, diverse neighborhoods, and incredibly rich cultural scene, it offers a unique blend of natural beauty and urban energy. From the historic cable cars to trendy districts. It seems there's always something exciting to explore, new restaurant to try and a hidden gem around every corner waiting to be discovered. Whether you're into art, food, or outdoor activities, the city has something for everyone.

The city has long been a vibrant hub for music lovers, with its rich musical history, iconic venues, and diverse sounds. From the psychedelic '60s to the current indie, hip-hop, and electronic scenes, San Francisco has always had a rhythm all its own. Whether you're into live performances, discovering underground artists, or simply soaking up the city’s musical atmosphere, there’s always something rockin’ in the Bay Area.

A sleek upscale hotel in the heart of San Francisco.

I’d been to San Francisco before for work, but I never had the chance to truly experience it as a tourist—just relaxing and soaking it all in without the usual hustle. This time, though, I finally got to do just that. It was an amazing experience! Even with a short visit, I managed to make the most of my time and really enjoy everything the city has to offer.

I stayed at the lovely Grand Hyatt San Francisco in a city view room to treat myself a little and start my exciting weekend getaway.

The hotel is set in the heart of downtown, in Union Square and offers great views of the skyline —one of my biggest obsessions when traveling to big cities— so I usually choose hotels that offer this benefit. And wow! I made a good choice since it seems that from every window you can enjoy a different angle from the city.

Shopping is just a few steps away and you can find all the designer stores, as well as the other international brands such as Zara and H&M. Starbucks is right in front of the lobby, so you can also easily get your morning coffee fix if needed.

I found very convenient to be able to walk to the Museum of Modern Art and enjoy the amazing displays they have. On this occasion I learned about how graphic design and music collaborate together to make both industries powerful and showcase the legendary musical heritage of the city in the ‘‘The Art of Noise’’ special exhibition.

The lobby of the hotel offers a nice artistic space that integrates the city into the property very naturally. OneUP restaurant is in the second floor of which I wasn’t really able to enjoy fully due to my short stay, and OneUP Lounge a fancy cocktail room with delightful style.

You can also find a small but well stocked coffee shop where you can get fruits, bagels, yogurt, juices and things breakfast.

The rooms are spacious, filled with natural light, modern, clean, easy, with breathtaking views of the city. The bathroom is oversized and offers good quality amenities such as Balmain.

I am very much into my workouts nowadays because they help me stay focused on the important things of my life and stop overthinking rubbish, I never missed a day at the gym and I must say this one in particular is a total motivator to stay active —most enjoyable workouts ever due to the astonishing views of the Transamerica Pyramid, my now favorite building in San Francisco. They have all the equipment you need to get going with your usual workouts.

Getting Around.

After my morning routine, I was ready to head out and have a look at one of the main characters in the Bay Area. I took an Uber to the Golden Gate Overlook located about 30 minutes away in traffic around 3pm in the afternoon, it was a place to really walk around and see the bridge from all its different angles from center to the right. They had picnic areas, and it was a lovely place to bike or run. It started raining intermittently so the bridge was covered in fog by sections and it moved as time passed. A fun fact is that the fog is consistent and its actually more like a co-protagonist, it has life of its own for sure as it’s been named Karl by locals, it even has its own Instagram account @karlthefog. I do have to say that some of my favorite shots of the bridge were the ones that involved some fog on it.

Weather on this trip was kind of on and off, sometimes sunny and sometimes rainy; this is what is actually known of this city, so if you come here get ready for unexpected changes throughout the day.

Travel & Music, my type of trend.

Sun is starting to set, so I rushed to my next rendezvous and the actual reason why I was visiting the city: music. I heard a couple of my favorite bands were going to have an exclusive stand alone concert in Golden Gate Park and I really had to take myself there no matter what.

By the looks of me, you would never really guess my taste in music. And though as Ive gotten older I have started to listen to a wider variety of genres, what I really like is alternative rock, grunge, hard rock, indie, progressive, new wave, punk, metal, classic rock, you name it; usually in English and as long as I can understand the lyrics —unless we are talking about Napalm Death with their famous and quite deep song, if you ask me, with the lyrics: ‘‘you suffer but why?’’ —I dig it.

Since my early 20s I got hooked in this travel trend of choosing a band I want to see a show of, and going into that city for that reason.

A study by The International Music Summit (IMS) estimated that music tourism is a $25.6 billion industry globally. In 2023, the U.S. Travel Association highlighted that more than 30% of travelers planned trips specifically around music festivals or concerts. UK Music's 2023 report highlighted that in 2022 music tourism in the UK contributed around £5.8 billion to the economy.

A 2023 Eventbrite report indicated that 68% of Millennials and 58% of Gen Z are more likely to plan travel around attending festivals, concerts, or other live events. This age group remains one of the primary drivers of the music tourism market, seeking experiences and social connections.

The average spending per international festival-goer is estimated at $1,200–$2,500 USD, depending on the festival's location, exclusivity, and duration. This includes travel, accommodations, food, and entertainment.

I would only see these numbers going on the rise for 2024 and 2025 since every renowned band decided they would do a come back during these years. I mean Oasis finally reuniting after 15 years has created a frenzy worldwide and all of their concerts are sold-out. And what about Bad Bunny’s strategy of supporting his home country’s economy by bringing all of his fans into Puerto Rico, as every single one of his concerts will be given there? I think that’s genius and we can all agree that music moves the masses.

Back to Golden Gate Park, the bands that I really wanted to see were The Mars Volta, Deftones and System of a Down, and man this was one of the wildest concerts I have ever been. There were around 50,000 people who got together to enjoy the acclaimed bands. Majority of attendees were there for System of a Down who were closing the show.

Me personally, I was there for Deftones, they played them all! ‘‘Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)’’, ‘‘My Own Summer’’, ‘‘Digital Bath’’, ‘‘Diamond Eyes’’, ‘‘Change (In the House of Flies)’’, ‘‘Rocket Skates’’, '‘Lotion’’, ‘‘7 Words’’ and even ‘‘Cherry Waves’’ that I wasn’t expecting.

By the time that SOAD was coming up everyone was super hyped, we were all able to enjoy the hits and so much more “BYOB’’, ‘‘Chop Suey!’’, ‘‘Aerials’’, ‘‘Toxicity’’, ‘‘Sugar’’ and ‘‘Know’’ that I was a little surprised since they haven’t played that since 2018 and gets me all the flashbacks, definitely a goose bump moment and a show for the books!! Amazing performances.

The experience ended heading out for merch, though hundreds of people beat me to it so I bailed; never seen so many adults vomiting, and had to pay a $100 USD Uber for a 15 minute ride back to the hotel (what?).

A perfect Sunday.

Next day I headed to the Port of San Francisco to meet my lovely long-time friend Nati for a perfect Sunday date. We took a ferry to a cute getaway from the city.

Sausalito is a picturesque waterfront town just north of San Francisco, known for its stunning views of the bay, the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island and the full city skyline. Its charming streets are lined with colorful houseboats, boutique shops, and art galleries, creating a laid-back vibe. Whether you're strolling along the marina, enjoying fresh seafood at a local restaurant, or soaking in the views, Sausalito offers a serene escape from the hustle of the city. It's a popular spot for day-trippers and offers easy access to hiking trails, making it a perfect blend of natural beauty and small-town charm.

We lunched by the water, in a restaurant called Scoma’s and sipped through our cocktails in an outdoor table. Menu was light on vegan options, but the tempura portobello mushrooms had a good rating.

We walked around this upscale town and had a little sorbet. There are pretty shops, art galleries, jewelry, wine and restaurants all around.

The Marina District

On the last day, we explored the Marina District, a vibrant and scenic neighborhood, known for its stunning views.. It's located on the northern waterfront, and much of its charm comes from its combination of beautiful homes, trendy boutiques, and outdoor spaces.

A highlight of the Marina is Crissy Field, a former military airfield turned into a park next to the beach, perfect for walking, biking, or simply enjoying a picnic with views of the Golden Gate. The Palace of Fine Arts, a beautiful structure is another standout in the area, with its grand columns and serene lagoon filled with turtles providing a picturesque backdrop.

The Marina has a relaxed, yet sophisticated vibe. It’s a place where you can find upscale cafes, restaurants, and wine bars along Chestnut Street and Union Street, but it still has a laid-back feel with plenty of green spaces and water activities.

We tried a plant-based restaurant called Wildseed in Union Street, which had home made sodas of the most delicious flavors. The other plates were certainly creative, out of the box and well performed. I ordered a ginger-turmeric soda and a burger, however, I was truly tempted to order all dishes in the menu as everything sounded so so good.

Later, we drove around Lombard Street which is famous for being the "most crooked street" because of its unusual, winding design, which was intended to reduce the steep incline of the hill for vehicles to safely navigate…but not really :)

We also went to have a look at the Painted Ladies which are a group of iconic Victorian houses located along Steiner Street at Alamo Square Park in San Francisco. They’re instantly recognizable thanks to their beautifully vibrant, multi-colored exteriors, which often feature a mix of pastel hues like lavender, pink, yellow, and turquoise. If you are a millennial, you will also know these houses since the Tanner's lived here in the show Full House.