Left Our Hearts in San Francisco

Paris may be the "City of Love", but it didn't have anything on San Francisco on Valentine's Day.

Valentine's morning found me soundly sleeping in the guest bedroom at my mother-in-law's home in the Bay area of Northern California. Not exactly the most romantic (or private) setting, but who cares when you're awakened with a beautiful bouquet of a dozen of the most amazing roses you've ever seen! After a quiet breakfast (and lots of kissing), JP informed me that I better dress warmly because the boat can be chilly this early in the morning. "Boat?", I replied. "What boat?" He just smiled.

Ever since my first houseboat trip when I was 13, I've loved the water. For the past few months, I'd casually been mentioning that I would love to go sailing sometime. Well, what could be a more romantic time than Valentine's Day?

Though not a sailboat, the Ferry Boat Ride we took from Vallejo to San Francisco was still fun and romantic. Large enough for 200 passengers, these ferries make the hour-long trip several times a day for business and for pleasure. With an onboard snack stand and an amazing view you can sit back, relax, read the paper or take a nap.

We began our siteseeing at Pier 39, famous for it's unique shops and restuarants. One of the major attractions is the Seal Docks. Several years ago, seals started showing up around the pier and were getting injured by the daily boat traffic. In order to provide a safe sanctuary, the marina positioned several docks in a safe harbor for the seals to relax and sunbathe. Loud, playful and adorable; they make for great entertainment.

Across the street from the pier is the oldest continuously running business in San Francisco: Boudin Bakery, home of the famous Sourdough bread. We stopped for a snack at the cafe, then opted for the bakery tour that ended in The Tasting Room where we were able to sample several of the breads with a variety of delicious toppings!

As we continued our meandering along the pier, a boat captain invited us on an hour-long tour of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. We couldn't say no to the price (only $10/person) and happily joined the other 40 guests aboard. Viewing the famous Golden Gate Bridge from below is quite an experience. It definitely puts its size in perspective. We also enjoyed amazing views of the San Francisco skyline.

Although we didn't stop and go ashore, we did tour around the island of Alcatraz. There are several boat tours that go directly to The Rock and let you go inside the famous prison. Not exactly romance material, JP and I were happy to simply float by on our boat.

As the sun was setting over the bay, we rode the ferry back to Vallejo. A delicious meal was waiting for us at Palmeros, a fabulous Mom-and-Pop Italian restuarant in the quaint town of Benicia. It was the perfect ending to a wonderfully romantic day.