Bay Area
California’s Bay Area centers on San Francisco and extends to Northern California’s major wine regions, Silicon Valley’s tech centers and the quirky city of Berkeley.
Drive or bike along the San Francisco shoreline where ocean meets bay. Sunbathe and put your toes in the water at Golden Gate State Park. Hike to Lands End’s windswept cliffs to view the Golden Gate Bridge standing over the water or disappearing in fog. Discover 200 years of military history in the Presidio grounds. Shop and dine near Ghirardelli Square and along Fisherman’s Wharf.
Inland, watch cars navigate the twisting turns of Lombard Street, ride a cable car up and down the city’s famous hills, see the architecture of the Victorian Painted Ladies row houses and huge mansions of city celebrities in Pacific Heights. Immerse yourself in Asian culture in Chinatown. Relive hippie counterculture history in Haight-Ashbury and gay activism in the Castro District.
Take a boat north to Alcatraz, once an inescapable prison and now a fascinating park. Travel across San Francisco Bay to the Marin Headlands for hiking and ocean views. See the houseboats of Sausalito and the giant redwoods in Muir Woods. Continue north to Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino to visit vineyards that produce 50 percent of California’s delicious wines.
East of San Francisco are Oakland and Berkeley. Stop at the Oakland Museum of California on pretty Lake Merritt. Walk to Jack London Square to learn about one of the nation’s great authors. Stroll around the campus of University of California, Berkeley and stop at its botanical garden. Enjoy views from Tilden Park or watch boat traffic at Berkeley Marina.
Travel south to the newer construction in and around Silicon Valley tech centers. Watch the 49ers play football at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. See and smell the Municipal Rose Garden in San Jose.
Throughout the Bay Area enjoy a Northern California lifestyle of good food, relaxed living and healthy outdoor recreation.