🇬🇧 London Stansted → 🇺🇸 San Francisco · 2 weeks

Walk or cycle across the Golden Gate Bridge from the south side — start at the Welcome Center car park before 9am to avoid tour groups, then continue into Sausalito (45 minutes) and catch the Sausalito Ferry back to the Ferry Building for $15. Better than any tour.

Hit the Mission District on a Saturday morning — the 24th Street corridor between Valencia and Mission has San Francisco's best taquerias. La Taqueria at 2889 Mission Street is widely considered the city's finest; expect a queue but it moves fast.

Hike the Lands End Trail in the early morning for the most dramatic coastal views in the city — the ruined Sutro Baths sea pools at the end are free, eerie, and largely unknown to visitors. The trail takes 90 minutes.

Ride the Powell-Hyde cable car (not the F-Market historic streetcar — that's the tourist trap) all the way to Ghirardelli Square at the waterfront — the downhill run on Hyde Street with bay views is the genuine San Francisco postcard moment, and it's $8 each way.