San Francisco

It’s completely blown out of proportion. Stay out of tenderloin and you will be fine. I was surprised on my last trip how much cleaner San Francisco has become, 4 years post Covid. Only downside is places like union square are massively different, much quieter and lots of places closed. But there is so much more to SF than union square and fisherman’s warf. More on reddit.com

let me guess you spent all your time between FiDi, Union Square, Mission Bay? ignoring the fact very few big tech companies are based in SF aside from maybe Salesforce and OpenAI FAANG are all 40miles south More on reddit.com

Personally, if I only had 24 hours I would skip museums and soak up the vibes of the city mostly outdoors. I love the ocean, so spending time at Ocean Beach and/or Lands End to soak up the Pacific Ocean would be on my do-list. For a more up-close view of the Golden Gate Bridge, either the visitor’s center from which you can actually walk into the bridge, or Tunnel Tops park where maybe you’ll just chill and enjoy the view. Golden Gate Park is our pride and joy (we love all of our parks, big and small) but given your limited time, either Twin Peaks or Dolores will give you more of a “landmark” experience. A lot of our neighborhoods have early bedtimes; more things will be open later in parts of the Mission and North Beach and the Marina District. ETA: I’m not sure if you’re able to use the Waymo app, but if you are I highly recommend the novelty of a driverless car ride at least once as well! Don’t waste an hour in line waiting for a cable car but pause to admire them or hop on board if the line isn’t long or you’re at a stop mid route. The $8 is a bit pricey, but it is iconic. More on reddit.com

Get a picnic blanket to lie on and go to Alamo Square. Bring snacks, get some coffee at Lady Falcon Coffee Truck or eat and edible and lie around. It's one of my favorite things to do here. You can forgo the edibles if you want, I still find it very enjoyable anyways. Mission District is fun - find some burritos to gnaw on, go to Smitten Icecream afterwards, visit some book stores. Dick around and find something neat - it's how I ran into Paxton Gate and found a cat skull to bring home. Chinatown but go for boba, dim sum and top it off with Chinese Mai Tais at Li Po or go to Red's Place if you're just looking for a good old fashioned Dive Bar. Try and grab a table at State Bird if you can. EDIT: Forgot to mention the Sutro Baths. Mr. Tipples is one of my favorite places to hang out for jazz nights. Gets some drinks and zerts. Sort of unconventional, but if you guys are looking to enjoy vibes, check out some local trivia nights. I enjoy the one in Sycamore (Mission District). I believe it's on Tuesdays. The few times I've gone I've always met new and friendly people. Pagan Idol and Smuggler's Cove for good Tiki drinks. Go to Smuggler's Cove early though - they get packed. More on reddit.com