Working Remotely in San Francisco, CA
This is part of my remote work travel series where I review places I visit as a digital nomad. Check out the rest of my posts and follow me on Instagram, YouTube, Substack, or on TikTok for more travel content! This post contains affiliate links*, meaning I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting my blog!
Before this trip, I didn’t have a very sunny impression of San Francisco. The few times I’ve been here, I assumed SF was just like LA: unable to help the growing homeless population, rife with crime, and a wreck from how tech companies have taken from the city without giving back.
…and, that’s not inaccurate. And the unfortunate truth of modern coastal cities? Staying in certain neighborhoods can change your entire experience of a city.
In this blog, I’ll make my case for Pacific Heights, the one area in San Francisco where digital nomads and travelers alike will have the best experience in the city (and understand why the golden gate was once so golden.)
Where to Stay in San Francisco, California for Digital Nomads + Outsite Pacific Heights Review
In the past, my partner Kyle and I rented out Airbnbs in Oakland when we visited the Bay. We worked remotely from a gorgeous cottage in the Oakland hills last summer, which was its own peaceful adventure. As a memoir ghostwriter and novelist, nothing makes me happier than writing amidst plants with a nice view of the skyline out the window.
This time, however, Kyle uncovered some new co-living spaces for digital nomads, which is how we ended up booking a room at Outsite’s Pacific Heights location.
Outsite* is a new-ish co-living company that we discovered (and I’m not sponsored by them as of this post!) and they specialize in providing flexible accommodations in shared houses for digital nomads and remote workers.
I was a bit hesitant about booking a room in a shared house at first: I have not had the best experience with roommates in the past, so I wasn’t sure what we’d be getting into. But in reality, Outsite is awesome and the community they’ve cultivated has been part of the fun so far. It’s been great to meet fellow digital nomads and remote workers, and everyone has been nice and super respectful of each other — this isn’t a hostel, and it feels more “professional” than what I assume a shared Airbnb would feel like. There’s a community manager that helps new members get settled, and the common areas get cleaned every week.
We spent around $4,000 for the largest room with sunny, panoramic windows, a huge king bed, a nice desk, a walk-in closet that dwarfed our tiny carry-on suitcases, and a gorgeous bathroom with a jacuzzi tub, and a dual shower and dual vanity. We shared the kitchen with the other members of the house, but had our own dedicated shelves in the fridge and cabinets for our food items.
But the real draw of this place is the neighborhood: Pacific Heights is known for Billionaire’s Row, and all the fancy shops, restaurants, and trendy workout gyms that go along with “rich people” neighborhoods. This neighborhood is also walking distance from the Presidio, a nature reserve (and former military base!) with stunning trees, greenery, and walking paths.
The views, fresh air, and insanely walkable neighborhood put into perspective for me why people live in San Francisco. I get it now.
So, if you’re going to stay in the city, I recommend booking a space like Outsite that’s affordable but puts you right in the center of a great neighborhood like Pacific Heights — you won’t regret it.
RELATED: The Best Travel Cards for Digital Nomads
What to Eat in San Francisco for Digital Nomads and Vegans
San Francisco is a paradise for vegans. It’s second only to NYC, which has some epic vegan food. However, some of the best vegan food we had was not at vegan restaurants, so you have to do some digging. My top picks in or near the Pacific Heights/Japantown area are…
AvoToasty (pictured above!). Can I make avocado toast and PB&J at home? Yes. Yes I can. Does that mean I’m not going to visit AvoToasty? Nope. I love this little coffeeshop with an array of different toasts, even though it’s a bit overpriced and impractical. We came here twice, one on a rainy day, and the turmeric latte kept me going through the torrential downpour. This is also a great post-workout spot as it’s right next to all of the hip workout spots on Union Street near the marina.
The Japan Center. There are so many great boba places (like Yi-Fang!) and snack shops in this indoor mall. You can find fresh onigiri, mochi, and other bites as well as sit-down restaurants and ramen places. Some are vegan, some aren’t, but it’s all tasty.
Mensho Tokyo. THIS PLACE has the vegan ramen that will re-arrange your DNA. We got the creamy vegan ramen option and I don’t know what trickery or virgin sacrifice was made to make it creamy without any dairy. You have to stand in line here — no reservations — so get here early. Mensho is in the Tenderloin District, so you probably should get an Uber here instead of walk the streets.
Om Sabor. This vegan “pop-up” restaurant is in a bar near Hayes Valley, but it’s worth the stop. If you’re looking for a vegan taco Tuesday spot, Om Sabor is for you. They’ve also got great mocktails. My only complaint is that the music is pretty loud here, so it’s hard to have a conversation (am I getting old?) so either get here early before the bar becomes too crowded, or pick another spot for dinner.
Wildseed. We had brunch and dinner here — it’s that good! Even our non-vegan friends dug this place. Wildseed is on the bustling Union street which has a ton of cute wine shops, gelato places, and other sweet finds. Save time to wander after your meal.
Rich Table. This is another not-exclusively-vegan and more “vegetarian-friendly” place to eat, but it’s worth the splurge. You have to try their “donuts” — a savory, fluffy take on the traditional dessert that will blow your mind. The fresh crudite platter and all of their desserts were amazing (but not vegan-friendly.)
Bodega. This is another great food pick that is unfortunately located in the Tenderloin District, but this small Vietnamese eatery will blow your mind. Their vegan dishes are great — and be sure to tell the server if you’re vegan, because they can customize some options for you. But the winning dish (which I don’t think was strictly vegan) was their mochi cake dessert. Incredible, and worth cheating on your veganism for.
Bansang. This Korean tapas spot has so many clever vegan/vegetarian dishes, and we were blown away by how tasty this place was. We actually came here twice if that shows you anything.
State Bird Provisions. Okay, this pick is not very vegan-friendly, but we loved some of the creative dishes here. Most of your meal is served “dim-sum style” which means servers come around with carts and you pick and choose what you want to eat. We loved dishes like the garlic bread (surprise, surprise) and there were some other picks that were good, but overall this is probably suited for non-vegan folks. I’m including it on this list because I think it’s worth the trip but not one of my top favorites.
Baia. While this didn’t blow me away, this vegan restaurant was still pretty rad — and their “mozzarella sticks” impressed. A nice atmosphere and worth the trip, but put this lower on your list.
Nari. This trendy new restaurant is next to the Japan Center and not exclusively vegan, but it had some inventive dishes. We got the eggplant curry, which was amazing — but very spicy. If you don’t mind some spice, this is a great pick for vegans, but otherwise stay away.
We were able to walk to almost all of these restaurants from Pacific Heights, which shows you just how walkable this area is.
What to Do in San Francisco for Digital Nomads
There is so much to do in San Francisco, so pick your poison. Here are some of my recs in or near Pacific Heights:
Go to a tech roast show. In the world of tech where $400k total comp is normal, ex-tech comedians take the stage to roast their well-off audience. This was a fun time, 10/10 recommend: just get there early as they pack the theater. Get tickets.
Walk the Presidio, wander the Golden Gate Park, or ride a bike over the Golden Gate Bridge. There are so many parks and coastlines in San Francisco worth wandering around. Pick a patch of green and explore, or go rent a bike and traverse the Golden Gate Bridge at sunset.
Take an art class. Go on a platform like Airbnb Experiences or search art studios to see if they’re doing one-off classes. The art scene in SF is subsidized by all the tech people who need hobbies (same thing goes for bouldering gyms!) and we took a Kintsugi pottery class that was at an open-to-the-public event at The Commons.
Do an escape room at the Palace of Fine Arts. Palace Games hosts world-famous escape rooms. You need a small group to be able to do these, but they’re worth the effort. Houdini is my favorite room, and it has a ton of puzzles for the worthy competitor.
Even though we spent an entire month in San Francisco, we just scratched the surface of the city — and will definitely be back soon!
What’s Next for Amy
If you haven’t heard, I’m writing a novel and publishing it chapter-by-chapter for y’all to enjoy, critique, and tell me what you want to happen. It’s an experiment of “building in public” I’m embracing, and I’m curious how the project will evolve. Subscribers will have access to the full book and exclusive content on what it’s like behind-the-scenes of writing a book.
I’m also gearing up for a trip to NYC soon, where I’ll be working remotely for a month and speaking at another conference. After that, I’m planning a trip to Valencia, Spain, and then maybe will head back to SF again. The nice thing about being a digital nomad is that life is flexible: I can book a last-minute trip and it fits perfectly into my schedule of doing Whatever I Want (TM) — a big perk.
In my work sphere, I’ve had a blast writing some cool projects for both my copywriting clients, and I’m putting the finishing touches on two amazing books I’ve been working on as a memoir ghostwriter.
And then I’ve got my own book that I’ve been writing for the last year — a nonfiction how-to book on what it takes to be a six-figure freelance writer, with personal essays on what my journey has been like and the lessons I’ve learned.
In summary? Lots of pen-to-paper time, travel, and hitting “publish” on some things beyond blog posts and Twitter threads.
Thanks for following along, friends!
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