anchored & adrift has temporarily relocated from Washington, DC to San Francisco for one month. In this Destination Deep Dive series I share what not to miss in SF from my after work and weekend adventures.
Sunshine, clear skies, and warm weather make for a good weekend. Add an all-terrain adventure and you’ve got a great one. Yesterday, I headed to East Bay to meet a friend and Oakland resident for an insider look at life on the other side of the Bay Bridge.
Start: Ferry Building, Gate E
I prefer to stay above ground as much as possible when visiting a new city, so I opted to take the F Market street car to the Ferry Building instead of BART. Every Saturday, the Ferry Building has an extensive farmer’s market on the Gate E side, with the buzz of activity spreading around and throughout the building. Grab a coffee (Blue Bottle of course) and breakfast while you wait for your morning Oakland/Alameda ferry of choice.
Buy a ticket from the Bay Crossings Store (tickets cover the fare for any boarding time), found in the middle of the Ferry Building, or buy a ticket onboard. Buying in advance gives you a chance to choose prime seating on deck on a nice day instead of standing in line for a ticket below deck.
Then, lining up at least 10 minutes in advance lets you convert your advance ticket buying initiative into good seats- and keep an eye on your ride.
The ferry circulates between four stops: the Ferry Building, Alameda, Oakland, and Pier 41.
Oakland, Emeryville, Berkeley
Where to go: Jack London Square, Lake Merritt, Cholita Linda, Temescal Alley, Inspiration Point, Ici ice cream
Oakland gets a mixed reputation, but it is mainly east Oakland that is home to some of the more unfortunate happenings. The ferry landing area, Jack London Square, and the central area around Lake Merritt, were beautiful, clean, and full of energy as people enjoyed the beautiful Saturday outdoors. A car, however, seems to be a basic need to get from point A to B.
Lunch and shopping in the Temescal District, a recently gentrified area, will be both satisfying and disorienting. Cholita Linda has the best fish tacos I’ve tasted in my attempts to understand California’s obsession with Mexican food, and their strawberry aqua fresca was also delicious. After lunch, the neighboring small shops filled with crystals, plants, and herbs for holistic medicine made me aware of my own lack of zen. And spending power.
A quick zip through Emeryville brought us to Berkeley, which, as my guide so wonderfully gave me the terminology for, is decidedly “crunchy.” Crunchy is an overall term for organic and all-natural loving hippie-era holdovers and the similarly-inspired next green generations. Berkeley is also collegiate, depending on your location, given UC Berkeley’s massive presence.
Next, a drive through north Berkeley will put you on track for Inspiration Point, a lookout point in Tilden National Park at the very top point of a Bayside hill. The view includes sprawling views of untouched California countryside rolling toward the north, and as you drive back down you will encounter views over the entire Bay Area. If you’re feeling woodsy-crunchy, a variation on your new terminology, come in your hiking gear and follow Nimitz Way from Inspiration Point. However, we had urban-crunchiness to attend to and headed down to UC Berkeley territory for a delicious and in-demand dessert.
Northern Californians, I’ve observed, are very good at standing in lines. Almost as good as the Northern Europeans. In Berkeley, the line was for Ici ice cream, a shop that changes its flavors every day and shares the day’s menu on a chalkboard sign hung in a tree outside the shop. According to my guide’s insider info, there is always a line, no matter the hour. I tried their Earl Gray ice cream on a cone- delicious! Eat your treats while browsing Collector Art Shop next door, which welcomes ice cream and pets, for some San Francisco art and gifts that will (like the shops in Temescal) push the limits of your spending power. The prices are understandable though- most of the goods I encountered today are from local craftsmen and are truly unique, beautiful pieces.
End: Ferry Building, Market
The ferry back will take you first to San Francisco’s Pier 41, adjacent to the over-the-top Pier 39, providing panoramic views of SF’s core city skyline and the maritime traffic that defines the Bay. While no jacket is needed on a 72F degree day, a light windbreaker and a hair tie are otherwise essentials to enjoy the ride from the top deck.
Once you return, the farmer’s market will be shut down, but most of the vendors inside the Ferry Building will still be open (and less crowded). Time to pick up any items you eyed earlier but weren’t sure on or didn’t want to carry around East Bay!
anchored & adrift 