Travel with the Family

Jason's family was kind enough to extend me an invite to join them on this family trip to San Francisco, CA. My first thought was how incredibly sweet of them. Second, can Jason and I even go. Third, was my love for this city. I had the good fortune of visiting ole San Fran, with my child hood best friend back in 2005. I was there for two weeks for work, she came up to visit me and we made a vacation out of it. I had fallen in love and could not wait to go back. 

Can you guess the picture that was taken in 2005 and then again 2012? Negh, I did not think so. Ha, it was great to be back. 

We flew Virgin America and that airline has certainly grasped the new age of flying. They have purple LED lights throughout the plane. There is a digital flat screen on the back of each seat, just a few touches and you have order placed, and delivered. They were having a special promotion and we got to have free Wi-Fi and use the Google chrome notebook they were handing out. I found humor in watching the hesitation and caution in people at the terminal to go check one of the computers out when they used the "it is free" to promote. We learn quickly in life that nothing is ever free, but this really was. Everyone was settled on the aircraft, seats were comfy and a flawless flight to start the trip off with. Jason's nieces were 100% set with all this to keep them busy for the next three hours. Every parent wants air transportation like this when traveling with the little ones. We were good to go. 

It always amazes me when you visit a city again and again and you did as much as you possible could the first time, but you go back to almost the exact same area and see how much you missed and get an entire new experience. This is the beauty in travel. I usually scan over my pictures and or credit card charges to figure out where all I went on a trip, however one of the biggest lessons I learned from this trip is that when you travel with family you are not exactly as in control as you may normally be. I know I do not have every place listed that we ate and visited, but this is the majority of the for a first time for sure.

• Caffe Puccini - Little Italy -sidewalk with heaters, J was kind enough to take an hour to pick out for our last lunch, I wanted just the "right" place
• Ghirardelli We went twice, once for shopping and looking - Second to get some sweets
• Cellar 360 -Wine tasting in Ghirardelli square
• Fishermen's Grotto #9 -Lunch with a view
• California Academy of Science -Amazing
• @ Far East Cafe -China Town 
• Buena Vista - Irish coffee's and delish lunch
• Jacks Pub - making friends with fellow travelers
• Fisherman's Warf - Finally got to see the famous Sea Lions
• Alioto's waterside cafe - Our first stop for some much needed lunch and seafood 
• Trolley - got passes and rode them all over the city

The weather was beautiful definitely a lot cooler/windier than it was in October when my first visit occurred. I got a little glimpse of what family travel can be like. There is one thing you are guaranteed when traveling with Jason's family. That is that you will have some yummy food and that we did for sure. I am more in love with this place than I was before and cannot wait to go back and do more new things.