Arriving in San Francisco feels like coming home (though I live in Arizona now).

It’s my favorite city in the world. I never get tired of it. The beautiful skyline, the constantly changing bay, the vibrant city life, the quirky characters, and of course the food! It’s hard to put any city above New York, Rome or Paris, but for me, San Francisco takes the prize. Whenever I get back here, it makes me feel good. I felt my heart soar as I crossed the Bay Bridge and saw the city before me.

I’m in town for our Napa Valley & San Francisco trip. It’s the first time we’re doing this one, so there’s an extra bit of excitement before the trip. Every trip is an unknown before you start. No matter how many times you’ve done a particular trip, each one is different. What will the people on this one be like? What will the weather do? What little surprises are in store for us? On this one, I’m also wondering “will they like my favorite places?” I love San Francisco and the surrounding area so much, I hope I’m able to share some of what I feel with our guests.

The downsides? Parking (difficult or expensive) and prices (sky high housing). But once you’re here, you understand why people are willing to pay so much to live here.

We stay at the Orchard Hotel, a lovely boutique hotel downtown. Dinner tonight is in North Beach, the Italian section of the city (my fave), then a cable car back to the hotel. What could be more perfect?

Tomorrow we meet the group, and begin our adventure! - Deanna