‘If You're Going To San Francisco…'

... be prepared to shake up your world view. A city of dreams and activism, its history, colourful Victorian homes, undulating geography, and proximity to the sea and mountains, make it a must-visit destination

- Michelle Hardie

I had never been in a Cadillac before. Oversized, powerful and smelling of ambition, the beast roared to life as we swung on to the US-101 motorway, my bum sliding over the polished leather seat. I was being driven to my home for the next four days, in the heart of San Francisco, by a Mongolian driver with forearms the size of large hams. This was the metaphor for things to come. I was in the USA and for the first time! I sat back to enjoy being looked after for four days by Airbnb. They had invited media from across the globe to celebrate 10 years of being in business, and Getaway was on the guest list.

It was a 20-minute drive to Geary Street and en route I began to spot some of the city’s famed attractions, such as Twin Peaks (sadly, no relation to the cult TV series) to my left, a 25-hectare park filled with walking trails and sweeping views of the Bay Area. I made a mental note to try and get there – so much to see, so little time. To my right, was the watery expanse of San Francisco Bay and glimpses of majestic Oakland Bay Bridge, which connects to the city of Oakland, east of San Fran. ‘And Golden Gate Bridge?’ I asked the driver. ‘You have to go that way to see it,’ he said in broken English, waving his arm northwest.