Spring is here, and while Berkeley is quite beautiful, sometimes you just want to spend a day away. This might not be so easy on a student’s budget, but look no further, I have some ideas on how to take a day trip to San Francisco while ballin’ on a budget. 

Hot girl walk across the Golden Gate Bridge 

Since we’ve already borne through the first few weeks of the spring semester, you’re probably ready to switch up your routine of working out in the Recreational Sports Facility or hiking the Fire Trails every weekend. You may have already driven across the Golden Gate Bridge, but have you walked across it? It’s a 4.7-mile walk from San Francisco’s Crissy Field all the way to Sausalito, with 1.7 of it being on the bridge! We’re used to admiring the Golden Gate Bridge from Berkeley, but this is the perfect opportunity to enjoy it from right underneath. Before you head onto the bridge, I recommend grabbing a coffee from Round House Cafe to power your multi-mile commute. Meander down the bridge, taking in the sights and catching up with your friends. Pro-tip: If you have long hair, make sure to bring a hair tie or claw clip to prevent your hair from becoming a tangled mess in the Bay wind! Once you reach the other side, head over to Golden Gate Market for some sandwiches or Barrel House Tavern for a sit-down lunch overlooking the water. After refueling, wander around Sausalito’s downtown waterfront areas, window-shopping at the different stores and enjoying the town’s quaintness.  

Coffee or matcha shop hop

I don’t know about you, but it’s gotten to the time of the semester when the Berkeley cafes just aren’t cutting it anymore. So, if you have some light homework to finish but want to get out of Berkeley, take the BART to the Mission District and head to Stonemill Matcha. As someone who only started loving matcha once I came to campus, I like to say that you can take the Golden Bear out of the Berkeley matcha scene, but you can’t take the matcha lover out of the Golden Bear. I now have to try matcha in every city I visit.

If you’re more of a coffee drinker — extra points if you love cars too — I have the perfect place for you! Check out Motoring Coffee, which offers a wide array of beverages in the presence of different featured cars, actually inside the cafe itself! Perhaps it’ll help motivate you to do your work while looking at the fine vehicles.

Take a ferry ride

Did you know that you can also ride the ferry for free with your BayPass? Take the ferry from Oakland to the Downtown San Francisco Ferry Terminal. Instead of enjoying the SF skyline from the Golden Gate Bridge, you can take it all in from the Bay itself. The ferry route takes you under the Bay Bridge, and there will be plenty of photo opportunities to put on your social media or to print out and use to decorate your Berkeley room. Once you hit land on the west Bay, walk around the Ferry Building and Pier 39, which has a ton of fun attractions you’ll have to cross off your bucket list. You can also see the Golden Gate Bridge, Bay Bridge and Alcatraz Island all from one spot at the Ferry Building. Not to mention, your ears will be blessed by the seals resting on the docks by the pier! Then, once you are ready to go back home, you can either take the ferry back to Oakland or BART straight back to Berkeley for free!

Thrift on Haight-Ashbury

Want some retail therapy but don’t want to spend a band? Check out Haight-Ashbury, an area famous for good thrifted pieces for good prices! Some of my favorite thrift stores include Buffalo Exchange and 2nd STREET, where I bought my favorite Levi’s jacket for only $20! If you’re looking for something to read — beyond The Daily Californian, of course — check out The Booksmith for some books and magazines. To capture this venture and keep it in your pocket or post it on your college wall, Club Photomatica has several photobooths where you can take photo strips for $7. Haight-Ashbury is right next to Golden Gate Park, so you can enjoy the landscape and reconnect with nature after exploring SF’s materialistic world. 

Grab dinner in Chinatown

Chinatown is the perfect district for grabbing some cheap eats. One of my favorite dim sum places is Hon’s Wun Tun House. Eat family-style with your friends to try out a few different plates! Think Din Tai Fung, but cheaper! Dim Sum Bistro is another delicious place where everything on the menu is less than $11. If you don’t want to sit inside, you can always grab takeout and eat it at a nearby park. Then, if you’re feeling like you need a sweet treat, there are so many good dessert spots, such as Golden Gate Bakery for egg tarts or Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory for some fresh, authentic fortune cookies.

Picnic by the Painted Ladies

Love to picnic on the Memorial Glade, but need some new scenery? In the heart of San Francisco reside the Painted Ladies. Have a picnic on the grass at Alamo Square, enjoy the view and people-watch amid SF’s hustle and bustle. There’s a Trader Joe’s a few blocks away, so you can pick up some snacks with your friends for you all to munch on. Relax and enjoy the spring sunshine; you deserve it.

You truly can’t go wrong with daytripping into San Francisco. Whether you’re looking for a long, beautiful walk along some of the most famous U.S. landmarks or stuffing your face with $10 xiao long bao in Chinatown, each experience will be memorable from your years as a Golden Bear.