One of my very favorite things to do on the weekends is to head to the farmers market. Especially in the summer. The fruits and veggies that line the tables are seriously the best. I love stocking up on my favorites and then munching on them all weekend. Eating fresh strawberries and watermelon is one of the surest signs of summer and I love savoring every last little bit.

My favorite farmers market of all time is the Saturday market at Ferry Plaza in San Francisco. It’s huge and you can find pretty much anything you’re ever looking for. From your standard fruits and veggies to local meat and seafood to nuts and dips to olive oils and obscure ingredients. Plus, all the food vendors for good snacks while you shop.

It can be a bit overwhelming so here are a few tips to make it a success.

1. Show up early. Like really early. They open at 8:00. Get there then or a few minutes before. By 9:00 the place is packed and it can be hard to get to the tables. I know it seems crazy to get up that early on a Saturday morning, but trust me, you’ll be glad you did. Plus, it’s kind of great to get up and out before the rest of the city.

2. Have a list (sort of). You don’t want to be too locked in because you never know exactly what will be available. But, if you don’t have a rough idea of what you want it might be too overwhelming.

3. Snacks! You need some fuel for all that shopping, definitely grab a few of whatever looks the best to keep you going. One of my favorites is a coffee and waffle from Blue Bottle inside. Bonus: their new(ish) design is pretty stunning, a definite treat for the eyes. 

Wearing: Dress – Old Madewell similar here, here, here, and here // Jacket: Old Anthropologie similar here // Shoes: Old Sam Edelman similar here // Sunglasses: Old Toms similar here // Necklace: Anthropologie.