Westerly Trip

Last year Meghan found out her friends were getting married in Cleveland. I mentioned that I'd never been to Chicago, she's always wanted to visit Vancouver, the rest is history. We'd done a number of weekend trips for weddings and summer spots and even a week long excursion to Kiawa Island in September, but this would be our first real vacation together.

Chapter 1, Trip Planning

General busyness and my procrastination could not stop Meghan from finding great prices on flights and researching all of the spas west of the Hoover Dam. Our route had us flying from Boston to San Francisco, driving through a number of destinations up the west coast, flying from Seattle to Chicago, driving to the wedding in Cleveland and, finally, flying home from Akron.

Chapter 2, San Francisco
(May 16 - May 18)

After a late flight, we start our first morning of vacation a bit bleary-eyed and in search of some nourishment. It happens that my friends Srinivas and Rajani are layed over in San Francisco before heading to Hawii. Timing is perfect and we catch breakfast with them in Union Square.

Next we check our things into Hotel Des Arts and quickly get comfortable. Not one to dally, Meghan plots a course through the north eastern neighborhoods of the city. As we hike up Grant Street into Chinatown we quickly gain an appreciation for the topography of San Francisco. With some help from the bus we find our way through Washington Square to Fisherman's Wharf. A quick walk up Beach Street takes us past the SS Jeremiah O'Brien, break dancers, live music in the Maritime National Park and into Ghiradelli Square (thanks for the recommendation Tony & Caitlin!)