Bay Area

San Francisco is considered one of the greatest cities in the world for many things, including five-star dining, a happening theatre scene, and gay and lesbian culture.

Beyond the fifty square mile city, in the surrounding Bay Area, there’s so much more to explore, including Silicon Valley’s innovations, Marin’s Headlands, Napa’s vineyards, and Berkeley’s free spirit.

About the Region

It would be difficult to single out San Francisco’s most noted attraction. Certainly the steep streets, cable cars and the spectacular Golden Gate Bridge suspended above the fog rank high on the list. And the highest concentration and variety of fine restaurants and shopping centres in the country get top marks. The city’s ethnic mix is an attraction itself: there’s bustling Chinatown with the largest Asian community outside of Asia; immigrant-settled Russian Hill; and Italian North Beach with nightclubs and restaurants. For just off the boat seafood, go directly to Fisherman’s Wharf, then to Pier 39 for street performers, carousels and more. Be sure to visit the magnificent 1,000 acre Golden Gate Park, with its fascinating museums and zoo. For a spectacular look at the city, take a scenic bay cruise to Alcatraz or Angel Island.

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San Francisco offers an almost infinite variety of activities and accommodations. Here you will find world-class high-rise hotels next to intimate boutique lodging and charming bed and breakfast inns. Shop and dine at Union Square, the San Francisco Centre, Union Street, Ghiradelli Square, and The Cannery. World-class museums abound from the California Palace of Legion of Honour and the M.H. de Young Memorial Museum to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Across the Bay Bridge in the East Bay, you will discover Oakland’s unique Lake Marritt, Jack London Square, and the Oakland Museum of California; and Berkeley’s uncommon shopping districts, eminent restaurants, and the University of California at Berkeley. A little farther north, in Vallejo, is Six Flags Marine World theme park less than an hour’s drive or ferry ride from San Francisco. Napa County, just north of San Francisco, is America’s best known wine region. Many of the counties’ 240 wineries offer wine tasting and tours. Intriguing diversions include the Napa Valley Wine Train, antique shopping, gallery hopping, and fine dining in Calistoga, Napa, St. Helena and Yountville.

The South Bay features world-famous Silicon Valley, the high tech capital of the country; San Jose with its state-of-the-art The Tech Museum of Innovation, the intriguing Victorian era Winchester Mystery House, and the new Mexican Cultural Heritage Gardens and Plaza; and Paramount’s Great America Theme Park in Santa Clara.

The forested Santa Cruz Mountains separate San Francisco Bay Area from the Central Coast region. Here you can ride an old-time steam train through magnificent redwood forests on the Roaring Camp and Big Trees Narrow Gauge Railroad. Along Monterey Bay, you’ll find the sandy beaches of Santa Cruz and a century old seaside boardwalk amusement park.

Board a ferry or drive north across the Golden Gate Bridge to reach the charming bayside artisan communities of Sausalito and Tiburon. In Marin County, you can wander among towering, thousand-year-old redwood trees in Muir Woods National Monument or stroll along the isolated beaches of Point Reyes National Seashore.

Activities

	San Francisco’s reputation for world-class arts and culture started with the Gold Rush over a century ago, and continues today throughout the Bay Area with many famous museums, opera, renowned theatre, performing arts, and vibrant artist communities. Computer buffs will especially enjoy the handful of technical museums unique to Silicon Valley.
	Bay Area beaches stretch from the north-reach peninsula of the Point Reyes National Seashore to the famed big-break surf beaches just south of Santa Cruz. In between are beach towns, national recreation areas, and the urban beaches of San Francisco. There are plenty of hiking trails and places to catch a glimpse of sea lions, pelicans, and other wildlife.
	Bordered by the Golden Gate Bridge to the west, Santa Cruz beaches to the south and rolling vineyards to the north and east, the Bay Area is California’s most diverse golf region. Spend a few days on the links in this neck of the woods and you’ll encounter fairways surrounded by giant redwoods, greens overlooking the mighty Pacific, tee boxes with mountain vistas as your backdrop, and some of the best urban golf venues in the country.
	San Francisco is definitely the hub of nightlife in the Bay area, creating the infamous 'clubbers commute' bridge traffic on Friday and Saturday nights. Across the bay, Oakland is home to several famous live music venues. If you prefer lower-key entertainment options, head to San Jose and other downtown districts throughout the Bay Area.
	One of the best features of the Bay Area is the abundance of underdeveloped land in the midst of one of the largest metropolitan areas in the country. The sails of windsurfers and sailboats decorate the Bay when the wind is up. Local hikers, bikers, and campers frequent the slopes of Mount Tamalpais, Mount Diablo and other parks throughout the year.
	San Francisco’s Union Square is sure to have you shopping until you drop, with haute couture, department stores, and almost every retail chain you can think of, and it’s not all the city has to offer. Antiques, art, and unique boutiques abound in other neighbourhoods as well. In-the-know locals go east to Walnut Creek to find many of the same retailers with fewer people and more parking. Silicon Valley’s Santana Row and Stanford Shopping Center also draw the savvy shopper, as do downtown retail districts throughout the Bay area.
	Spas in the Bay Area are concentrated in three locations: San Francisco, wine country and Silicon Valley. Many luxury hotels in San Francisco feature full service spas, plus there are many independent spas that offer unique treatments. San Francisco is also home to many world-famous yogis, if you’d like to combine your yoga practice with your spa treatment. Most Silicon Valley spas can be found near major shopping centres. While wine country is home to the most destination spas that offer mineral waters, mud baths, and volcanic ash therapies, in addition to regional themed grape seed scrubs, and massage with Chardonnay or Cabernet.
	California’s oldest surviving theme park, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, offers the extra thrill of riding on the wooden Giant Dipper roller coaster, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (The creaks and groans are part of the fun!). For plenty of modern rides and animal attractions, there’s Discovery Kingdom, and younger children can join the fun at Pixieland and Gilroy Gardens.
	The world-renowned Napa Valley wine region north east of the city is truly a Mecca for food and wine lovers. Nearby, Livermore Valley is a visitor's haven offering award-winning wines and irresistable hospitality. You’ll also find an abundance of top-rated restaurants throughout the Bay Area, which seems to perpetually outdo itself on the culinary front.

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