Girls Weekend in San Francisco Thanks to Miles and Points (Free Flights & Hyatt Hotel Stay!)

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Thanks to miles and points, I was able to meet my best friend in San Francisco for a girls weekend.  And because of perks on some top rewards credit cards, both of our flights AND the hotel stay were covered using miles & points!

2 Round-Trip Flights With Chase Points and Free 2-Night Hyatt Stay

My friend Liz (team member Keith’s wife) transferred Chase Ultimate Rewards points to her Southwest account to book a round-trip flight from Los Angeles to San Francisco.  Southwest has no blackout dates!  So it’s really easy to use points to save on Southwest airfare.  

Meanwhile, I used 25,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to book a round-trip flight from Aspen to San Francisco with a quick layover in Denver.  I easily transferred them from my Chase Sapphire Reserve® card to my United Airlines account.  I had lots of award flight options for 12,500 miles each way.  Plus, thanks to the Sapphire Reserve card, I have TSA PreCheck and didn’t have to wait in any airport security lines.

We stayed at the Hyatt Centric Fisherman’s Wharf, which is located near many of central San Francisco’s top attractions, including Pier 39, Ghirardelli Square, and the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park near the North Beach Neighborhood.

Liz and Keith both have The World Of Hyatt Credit Card, which comes with a free night certificate each year to use at a Hyatt Category 1 to 4 hotel.  They each redeemed their certificate, which meant we were able to get 2 free nights at the Hyatt Centric Fisherman’s Wharf, which is a Category 4 hotel.  Paying cash for the same weekend stay would have cost more than $600!

The hotel has a great hotel gym with cardio machines, including exercise bikes, treadmills, and ellipticals.  It also had free weights, mats, and exercise balls.  They had fresh cold towels in the gym to use after or during a workout, which were quite refreshing! 

I’m all about good hotel gyms and that’s typically my first stop after checking in.  This one was great and had everything we needed!

We walked a ton and explored all different parts of the San Francisco.  I’ll share a few highights! 

Favorite San Francisco Bars

San Francisco is known for its fun nightlife and lively bar scene.  And it is the perfect place to head out on the town with your girlfriends! 

Blondies has some of the best martinis in the city.  Their claim to fame states ‘serving the Best Martini since 1991’ and they might just be right!  With literally 15 martini garnishes and over 20 classic martinis to choose from, you can get pretty experimental at Blondies.

I recommend heading over for happy hour or a night cap, because they keep the martinis coming until 2:00 am.

El Techo is another hot spot known for its awesome Latin American street food and great drinks.  It has some of the best views around and is one of the most popular rooftop bars in the city. 

They’ve also got a pretty legendary happy hour from 4:00 to 6:00 pm Monday to Friday with $4 beers, $5 snacks, and $7 margaritas that are to die for!  Also, if you’re hungry, definitely try their Platano shared dish.

Restaurants to Visit in San Francisco

We loved eating at Gracias Madre, an organic, vegan Mexican cantina in the Mission.  The cauliflower was amazing and the bowls were off the charts.  They also served fresh lime margaritas, which I would highly recommend.

State Bird Provisions was also great.  It’s an American restaurant on Fillmore Street, which serves dim-sum style.  It has unbelievable food and an amazing atmosphere.  Hot tip: Make a reservation because tables fill up fast!

Favorite San Francisco Shopping Spots

We went shopping on Fillmore Street, which was super fun, hip and trendy.  It has a lot of high fashion shops, designer labels, perfume stores, cute boutiques, and a bunch hip places to eat brunch or lunch.  

We also checked out Union Square, which is home to all the big name brand stores and luxury shops like Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, and Bloomingdales. 

Things to Check Out in San Francisco   

An awesome activity to try is renting bikes and taking them across the Golden Gate Bridge!  There are loads of bike companies all over the city that rent bikes, and it’s one of the best ways to see the city and the harbor.  Plus, who doesn’t want to say they road across one of the most famous bridges in the world? 

Remember watching Full House as a kid?  Same!  You can go visit the historical landmark where the famous opening shot was filmed and the colored houses still stand.  There’s a park right in front of the houses where you can hang out and eat lunch, snap photos, and rest your feet after a long day of walking.

I would also recommend checking out Lombard Street which is one of the most vertically endowed streets in San Francisco.  It’s a hilly street with Victorian mansions that has big curves winding all the way up it.  It’s been called “the crookedest street in the world,” and rightfully so.  You will have to check it out to believe it!

The weekend trip was a total success!  And thanks to points, we didn’t have to spend any money traveling or for lodging.  We used the savings toward eating out and exploring!

What are your favorite things to do and places to eat in San Francisco?  Comment below!