Things to do in California
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FEATURED
Yosemite National Park and Giant Sequoias Trip
14 hours (Departs San Francisco, California)
by Viator
Take time out for a day trip into the wild beauty of Yosemite National Park from San Francisco. Enjoy the beautiful countryside and discover the raw beauty of…Not LP reviewed
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Zatar
Zatar’s mishmash Mediterranean–Middle Eastern cooking spans Morocco to Iran. We like the bold spicing, homemade Iranian bread and fresh ingredients – many from the restaurant’s own organic garden – but the food’s pricey and a tad precious.
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Wood Tavern
The daily-changing New American brasserie-style menu features what’s in season, with earthy, soulful dishes like pan-roasted lemon-rosemary chicken, chopped salads, cheese boards, charcuterie plates and a damn good burger. Very local, happening crowd. Make reservations.
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Shan Dong
Hand-cut sesame noodles, giant pork buns, fresh dumplings – you can’t go wrong at this authentic Mandarin hole-in-the-wall with plastic chairs and fluorescent lighting. This is the real deal, so don’t expect fortune cookies, which are American in origin.
reviewed
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Julia Morgan Theatre
To the southeast of People's Park is the beautifully understated, redwood-infused 1910 Julia Morgan Theatre, a performance space (formerly a church) created by Bay Area architect Julia Morgan, who designed numerous Bay Area buildings and, most famously, the Hearst Castle.
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La Arcada
Near Figueroa St, this historical red-tile passageway was designed by Myron Hunt (builder of the Rose Bowl in LA) in 1926. It's filled with boutiques, restaurants and whimsical public art - check out the back pocket of the window washer to see what's on his reading list.
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Liars' Bench
Placerville's bars are akin to the neighborhood watering holes in the Midwest: they open at 06:00, get an annual cleaning at Christmas and are great for people who want to soak up local color. The Liars' Bench has a classic old martini sign beckoning like a neon siren.
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À Côté
Small plates are the specialty at this foodie-scenester restaurant, and they’re deliciously creative – our favorite is the knock-out lobster-corn fritters. Great cocktails. Women can sport high heels without standing out; men can wear jeans and blend in.
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UC Berkeley Art Museum
A campus highlight with 11 galleries showcasing a wide range of works, from ancient Chinese to cutting-edge contempor-ary. Across the street, its world-renowned Pacific Film Archivescreens little-known independent and avant-garde films. Both are scheduled to move to a new Oxford St location by 2014.
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Tiki Ti
This garage-sized tropical tavern packs in showbiz folks from neighboring KCET TV station, grizzled old-timers and local scenesters for sweet and wickedly strong drinks (try a Rae's Mistake, named for the bar's founder). The under-the-sea decor is surreal. Cash only.
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Empire Grill & Tap Room
The local yuppies favor this lively hangout that got play in Po Bronson's novel The First 20 Million is Always the Hardest. You can get pizza, sandwiches and sturdy meat-and-potato platters on the shady patio and wash it down with something from the 25 taps.
reviewed
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Medjool Sky Terrace
SF's best open-air rooftop bar has knockout views of vintage Mission street marquees, Mediterranean small plates and basic but tasty cocktails (cash-only). Go early for sunsets and prime spots by heat lamps; instead of heading into the downstairs restaurant, take the hotel elevator to the top floor.
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Sojourner Café
Vegetarians rejoice - the food is fab and the menu extensive at this upbeat, mostly veggie café, which gets creative with vegetables, tofu, tempeh, chicken, fish, rice, seeds and other healthy ingredients. Outdoor seating, too. The tempeh taco salad is delish.
reviewed
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Northwestern Usa
22 days (San Francisco)
by Intrepid
Relax seaside in Mendocino, Be dwarfed by giant redwood trees, Stare into the abyss of Crater Lake, Take the chance to explore the massive Oregon Dunes by…Not LP reviewed
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Pancho Villa
The hero of the downtrodden and burrito-deprived, delivering a fresh, heaping condiments bar and tinfoil-wrapped meals the girth of your forearm. The line moves fast going in, and as you leave, the door is held open for you and your newly acquired Pancho's paunch.
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Badlands
The Castro's long-standing dance bar gets packed with gay college boys, their screaming straight girlfriends and chicken hawks. If you're over 30, you'll feel old. Weekends, expect a line.
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SB Roasting Co
Lads with laptops fill the tables in this exposed-brick, industrial space. Poets? Day traders? Hackers? Who knows. All come for the potent java - this place roasts its own coffee - and casual vibe. Try a 'flattened' bagel for 75¢. One block off State St.
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Open Air Bikes
Road cyclists should check out Open Air Bikes for rentals, sales and accessories. The helpful staff has loads of information on local rides. Road bikes rent for about around US$75 per day, with costs decreasing the longer the rental. It's about $210 per week.
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La Taqueria
Rabble-rouser, are you? Ask a group of San Franciscans where to get the best burrito in town, then as voices rise, quietly slip off to La Taqueria. There's no debatable saffron rice, spinach tortilla or mango salsa here – just perfectly grilled meats, flavorful beans and classic tomatillo or mesquite salsa wrapped in a flour tortilla. They're purists at La Taqueria – if you don't want beans, you'll pay extra because they pack in more meat – but add-ons of spicy pickled vegetables and crema (Mexican sour cream) are true burrito bliss.
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Roadtrip America Eastbound
22 days (San Francisco)
by Intrepid
Traverse the States from San Francisco to New York City, Discover some of America's best national parks, Drive through Death Valley, Roll dice in Las Vegas, Be…Not LP reviewed
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Li Po
Beat a hasty retreat from Grant Ave souvenir shops to the retro red booths where Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac debated the meaning of life and literature under the patient gaze of the golden Buddha by the bar. Enter the faux-grotto doorway and try not to bump your head on the red lanterns as you place your order: beer or Chinese mai tai, made with baiju (rice liquor), better known as white lightning.
reviewed
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Greens
Career carnivores won't realize there's no meat in the hearty black-bean chili with crème fraîche and pickled jalapeños, or that roasted eggplant panino (sandwich), packed with hearty flavor from ingredients mostly grown on a Zen farm in Marin. On sunny days, get yours to go so you can enjoy it on a wharfside bench, but if you're planning a sit-down weekend dinner or Sunday brunch you'll need reservations.
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Underdog
For cheap, organic meals on the run in a bun, Underdog is the clear winner. The roasted garlic and Italian pork sausages are USDA certified-organic, and the smoky veggie chipotle hot dog could make dedicated carnivores into fans of fake meat.
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Doc's Clock
Follow the siren call of the dazzling neon sign into this mellow, green-certified dive for your choice of 14 local craft brews, free shuffleboard, Pac-Man, tricky old pinball games and easy conversation. Happy hours run 6pm to 9pm daily and all day Sundays, and the first Saturday of the month is 4pm to 8pm Doggie Happy Hour, with proceeds to support city dog rescues.
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Font's Point
Font's Point offers a spectacular panorama over the Borrego Valley to the west and the Borrego Badlands to the south. Walking the 4 miles to the point is a good way to really be amazed when the desert seemingly drops from beneath your feet.
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Kona Club
Despite the tiki bar’s return to vogue, there ain’t many around, which is why we love Kona. Think low-fi tiki – no pineapple-shaped glasses or torches, but rattan walls, a good pool table and paper cocktail umbrellas compensate.
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