Get Out Of Town!: San Francisco

While many Southern Californians love the hot, sunny days of summer, others view it as a good time to get away to cooler climes. San Francisco is an ideal place to cool off with top temps in the summer that average in the high 60 degrees, often with foggy days and cool nights.

Holiday weekends are the busiest times in San Francisco, but every day is full of hustle and bustle as the city’s inhabitants and workers mingle with tourists in an area just under 47 square miles on a peninsula bordered by the Pacific Ocean and the beautiful San Francisco Bay.

Driving to the city from Burbank takes about six to seven hours, if you plan to stop and eat and stretch your legs. Flights from Burbank Hollywood Airport take about 90 minutes.

San Francisco is a food-lover’s dream. Really amazing restaurants are packed into the second-most densely-populated U.S. city. Even with steep hills, much of the city is walkable and breathtakingly scenic, morning, noon or night.

Of course, ride-sharing and taxi services abound, along with a terrific public transportation system that covers the city and much of the surrounding Bay communities, including Oakland.

Hotel costs can be a bit brutal and rooms small. Be prepared for lots of taxes, fees, surcharges, etc. Want to park your car at the hotel? Be prepared for a $60 or more daily fee. Although that usually does include unlimited in and out valet service.

Whether you’re drawn to the touristy areas or the trendy local spots, San Francisco has something for every visitor. If you can, take an hour cruise around the Bay for an unforgettable view of the city, the Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Drive across the bridges, ride bikes through Golden Gate Park to the Pacific Ocean, explore the gorgeously maintained Presidio. And eat in Little Italy (North Beach) for sure. Wander about Chinatown. Maybe even plunk out a few notes on the random pianos dotting the Botanical Gardens in the Park for the special summer program, Flower Piano.

After just a few days in the city, it’s easy to see why Tony Bennett sang “I Left My Heart In San Francisco.”

Editor’s Note: While there’s always a lot going on in Burbank, myBurbank’s “Get Out Of Town!” highlights some of our favorite activities and events outside the town borders.