Nikita Khrushchev called it the most beautiful city in the United States, while Ashleigh Brilliant noted that “there may not be a heaven, but there is San Francisco.” Anthony Bourdain said that anyone who doesn’t have a great time in San Francisco is pretty much dead to him.

But the best way to sum it up is through Rudyard Kipling’s quote: “San Francisco has only one drawback – it’s hard to leave.” And it’s true!

One of my favorite ways to ‘travel’ without actually buying a plane ticket is to read books about that place. Get wrapped up in a juicy fiction novel, flip through the photos of a coffee table book … heck, you can even get lost on the streets of a tourist guide (hey there, Lonely Planet!) or fill in the blanks of a coloring book. Continue reading →