An Epic San Francisco Bachelorette

When my sister got engaged last February, I knew my key duty as Maid of Honor would be throwing an unforgettable bachelorette party for my forever best friend. Out of sheer excitement, I began planning almost immediately. Tahoe, Sacramento and Santa Cruz were all initial location suggestions but they were quickly replaced by San Francisco. About 3 and a half hours away from our hometown, I wanted to ensure the getaway was long enough to make lifelong memories but short enough to be affordable for our girl gang of 15. If you’re looking to do the same, here’s how I accomplished both!

Budget was a definite consideration being in one of the most expensive cities in the United States, so I began the search for hotels that were safe, beautiful and wouldn’t charge for rollaway beds. Eventually, I landed on the The Westin St. Francis in Union Square. Our group split the cost of each room, so it wasn’t too pricey and we were located right smack in the middle of the action. Success!

Vibrant fresh orchids in the hotel lobby

In order to pull off some element of surprise, I requested that the girls leave one room free when we arrived, so I could decorate before we hit the town. Using decor I brought from home and a few items from Target’s tropical collection, I snuck into the unoccupied room and got busy while the girls ate a light lunch and started mixing cocktails. So much fun! My sister’s face was priceless when she saw the touches of sparkle and color I added to the space. It was the perfect bright backdrop for our silly pre-going out photoshoot.

Those of you who have been to a bachelorette (or bachelor party) know how creative and fun party favors can get. I decided to keep things classy and useful in post-weekend recovery. After scoring on glass mason jars at Target in the dollar section, I filled them with mini Origins Face Masks, scrunchies, Arbonne Fizz sticks for an energy boost, mints and a couple of Tylenol packs. Everyone immediately put their brightly colored tie on their wrist and tucked the other goodies in their purses for later.

Early on, it was decided that we would rock brightly colored wigs for a quirky twist on the evening. If you want to make a statement upon any club entrance, I highly suggest it. Plus, it’s a way of going almost incognito for the night because as we all know — what happens at a bachelorette stays there…and lives forever on everyone’s smart phones. Thanks technology!

The first place we donned our zany looks was Jones. We dined al fresco on the garden patio and enjoyed signature cocktails alongside tasty eats. Tucked hidden in the heart of Union Square, it was the perfect start to our long evening out on the town.

Shoutout to the amazing team at Jones. They recommended we go to Playland Bar, only a short walk away for dancing and drinks. We had a great time mingling with the locals and showing our stuff on the dance floor. It was so much fun in fact, that we spent the majority of our evening there! After a couple of hours, we left and continued exploring other exciting spots in the neighborhood, like Bar Fluxus complete with a rotating dance floor. Yes, please! The reaction to our wigs was priceless and set the scene from start to finish. We happily made our way back to the hotel after a full evening of entertaining memories.

On our way out of the city, we detoured to the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center and Round House Cafe, featuring postcard worthy views of the world famous landmark. The restaurant cooks up a mean breakfast sandwich and strong coffee — crucial with a long drive ahead and late night behind. My sister and I have been coming to San Francisco for many years but this was the first time we made it a point to see the bridge from a closer perspective than the highway. Gazing up at the iconic red arch high above the sparkling bay from the coastline is definitely worth the visit.

When I asked my sister if she had a good bachelorette, her answer was “It was exactly what I envisioned. And more!” San Francisco never fails to deliver a great time. This celebration was no exception. Next up, the wedding! And I couldn’t be more thrilled.