Tourist in Your Hometown: Jess & Bailee

Today I'm going to introduce you Jess & Bailee!

Both lived in Southern California. 

Jess still enjoys exploring San Fran, 

while Bailee traded in the coast and warm sun,

for snow and beautiful walks through the Swedish countryside.

If you ever find yourself in the Bay Area or Sundsvall, Sweeden, 
they have you covered!

Hey there! I'm (also) Jess, the girl behind the blog Foreign Room. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and am passionate about iced coffee, puppies, and adventuring. You hardly ever find me without my camera or my dog by my side.

I am so happy that Jess asked me to participate in this series because appreciating your surroundings is a concept I really believe in as a broke college student with more dreams than dollars available to make them all happen. Aside from road trips and a couple big excursions I have splurged on, most of my adventuring is local and is what I often blog about.

For your enjoyment, I have planned what I believe to be a pretty epic day here in the Bay Area.

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Start off with breakfast at: 900 Grayson, Berkeley

I went here for the first time recently and will definitely be making the trek out to Berkeley again sometime soon for another visit! I'd say you would probably be happy with anything on their menu, but I recommend not wasting any time and going straight for the chicken & waffles, The Demon Lover. Be sure to spring for syrup AND gravy. You're welcome. Get here early though, as it fills up very quickly.

Go for a hike at: Lands End, San Francisco

To walk off your chicken & waffles, why not take a hike with stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and Golden Gate Bridge? Enjoy the ride from Berkeley over the recently rebuilt Bay Bridge to SF for this hike along the coast. This is one of my favorite places for a long walk, and they are off-leash dog friendly. (I posted about this place here)

Have a picnic at: Dolores Park, San Francisco

Since by now I am sure you have worked your appetite back up again, head over to Dolores Park in the Mission District for a picnic. For all you foodies out there, take your pick, as there are tons of places to grab something to-go and enjoy your meal in the park with a view of downtown. This is also a great place to sit and people watch among the San Franciscans (hipsters) reading, napping, and (most likely) smoking pot in the park.

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Go thrifting at: Mission District, San Francisco

See some more of this culturally rich area of the city by hitting up the local thrift stores along Mission and Valencia streets. There is a nice variety of Good Will type stores and more refined secondhand stores. If thrifting isn't your thing, this area is also loaded with unique coffee shops.

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Take a drive: Over the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco

Hop in the car and take a drive over the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. Though this landmark may seem cliché, even after living here for nearly eight years, I am always in awe of it. Hopefully it will be a clear day so that you can see the ocean to the west and the vast bay to the east, but even on a foggy day, it is still a sight to be seen!

Have dinner at: Pizzeria Picco, Larkspur

Since you are now in the North Bay, in Marin County, enjoy a scenic drive a couple cities up to Larkspur for dinner at Pizzeria Picco. Order anything because it is all wonderful, but I highly recommend The Marin and a classic Margherita with a made-to-order Cesar salad on top. Also, sit inside if you can to get a look at the behind the scenes action, AND (this may be the most important part) be sure to finish your meal off with their Strauss vanilla soft serve with caramel and sea salt on top. Your stomach will never be happier. (I posted about this place here)

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See the view at: Twin Peaks, San Francisco

And to finish off this perfect day, drive back over the Golden Gate Bridge and into the city to catch the view from the top of Twin Peaks. This popular look out point will give you the most amazing view of the entire city and most of the Bay Area. Do bundle up, as it tends to be very windy here on a clear night!

What I love most about living in the Bay Area is the the variety of places, cultures, and people to be seen. This day I have outlined is easily one I would enjoy at any time, or would take a visitor on for a not-so-touristy look of San Francisco and the surrounding cities. I hope you enjoyed it and are adding these places to your list for your next trip to SF!

Please do come over to my blog to say hi!

xoxo Jess

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Hello! I am Bailie from The Hemborg Wife where I blog about life in Sweden as an American. Today I wanted to share a few things from the town I currently live in because looking at sunny pictures of my hometown in California would be torture right now with all the snow that is outside my window!

Sundsvall is a town in Northern Sweden that is home to around 50,000 people of which quite a few are students like my husband. These are the top things to do in our city in my opinion:

1. Paddle Races or Medelpaddeln in Spring - Each year groups of students form teams, dress up, and then paddle a stretch of river in races. All the onlookers have big picnics and drink tons while they watch the competitors struggle to stay in their canoes and win.

2. Barista - These is my favorite place to get a coffee and pastry in town. They have special booths that are almost like beds with a table in the middle so you can relax with your drink after a boring school lecture. Or if you want they have hanging seats that are a bit like cocoons if you want to read a book and sip a fair trade latte.

3. Side Lake or Sidsjön - This lake is an easy walk from our apartment and is great for a rest after studying for finals. In winter there is a ski slope right by it so you can have amazing views while skiing.

4. Enjoy the snow - There is no way to survive here with the 5 or 6 months of winter if you do not just go ahead and embrace all the snow!

You can find Bailee at: Blog | Bloglovin | Twitter