What’s a trip to San Francisco without checking an item off my bucket list? For me, that was visiting the “Full House” house. You know the one I’m talking about, the icon that’s forever etched in TV nostalgia:

I arrived in a Waymo driverless car, something I had to try the moment I saw them buzzing around the city. I downloaded an app to order the car, and it picked me up within 200 feet of where I was standing. One thing that surprised me was that Waymo cars are Jaguars, which made for a comfortable ride. I never once felt my safety was in danger.

But there’s something surreal about being dropped curbside by a vehicle that’s driving itself, then stepping onto a real-life movie screen. The house is not located across from the park as the show’s introduction suggests, but rather on a quiet street. Signs reminded people the home itself was owned and occupied.t

As I stood there snapping photos and wrestling with the contrast between television and reality, a lovely woman from the home directly across the street waved me over and graciously invited me in for a glass of wine. For privacy purposes, I’ll call her Mary, though it’s not her real name. Being the solo adventure traveler that I am, I didn’t hesitate. And when I crossed the street, I stepped into a delightful afternoon I never could’ve planned or anticipated.

What followed was a fascinating dive into the history of the homes and the area, stories you won’t get from a quick search or a tourist map. But the most striking thing I learned is that the neighborhood surrounding the famous house used to be a primarily black neighborhood, until the city moved them all out.
That’s right—local government came in and moved the blacks to a city many are familiar with, one that’s also separated by a gorgeous structural bridge—aka, the city of Oakland, California. That shift forms a little-known part of Oakland’s early history.

Sitting in a lush private backyard garden while lazily sipping wine, I felt the hefty weight of the past. TV glamorizes a version of this place, but reality is always layered. I went to see the “Full House” house and ended up learning something much more meaningful. What started as a nostalgic trip turned into a reminder that every famous facade veils a deeper story. And sometimes, if you’re open to it, an unexpected invitation can reveal hidden truths.

Thanks for reading 🙂