Marin County
Below the north tower of the Golden Gate Bridge, at Fort Baker, this excellent hands-on activity museum is designed for children. Multilingual exhibits…
Must-see attractions in The Bay Area
Marin County
Above Rodeo Lagoon, this animal rescue center rehabilitates injured, sick and orphaned sea mammals before returning them to the wild, and has educational…
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
Get in on the ground floor of the next SF art movement at this public showcase for local talent, with past exhibits ranging from Susan O'Malley's silk…
Marin County
Formerly Point Reyes Bird Observatory, Point Blue's Palomarin Field Station has bird-banding and netting demonstrations, an unstaffed visitor center and a…
San Francisco
Leave it to San Francisco to plant a dell that's totally punk rock, featuring spiky, in-your-face neon blooms cultivated by the city's many hardcore…
San Bruno Mountain State & County Park
Excelsior
Look at a driving map of the Bay Area and you may wonder at an odd island just south of San Francisco where roads are absent. This is San Bruno mountain,…
San Francisco
No first-time loop through the Castro would be complete without a peek at this window display featuring trans Barbies and Billy Doll, a gay alternative to…
Berkeley
Telegraph Ave has traditionally been the throbbing heart of studentville in Berkeley, the sidewalks crowded with undergrads, postdocs and youthful…
San Francisco
Since 1899, this has been Golden Gate Park's home where the buffalo roam – though technically, they're bison. SF's mellow, well-fed herd rarely moves –…
Marin County
File past guard shacks with uniformed mannequins to witness the area’s not-too-distant military history at this fascinating Cold War museum staffed by…
The Peninsula
Pretty sand beaches speckle the coast, though one of the most interesting places to stop is Pebble Beach, a jewel less than 2 miles south of Pescadero…
California College of the Arts
The Mission, Dogpatch & Potrero Hill
A generous endowment and whip-smart curators allow the Wattis Institute to take on ambitious, sweeping shows – for example, an exhibition reimagining…
The Peninsula
About 5 miles south of the town of Pacifica, this wide-open crescent is a local favorite for its pristine sand. Inland the park encompasses McNee Ranch,…
The Peninsula
Busy Half Moon Bay is bordered by this 4-mile-long, crescent-shaped beach. Stop by the park visitor center (open weekends only) at the parking lot to…
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
'If, as they say, God spanked the town/For being over-frisky/Why did He burn His churches down/And spare Hotaling's whiskey?' This saloon-goers' retort…
The Peninsula
A campus landmark at the east of the Main Quad, the 285ft-high Hoover Tower offers superb views. The tower houses a university library, offices and part…
Marin County
As Dillon Beach isn't technically part of the Point Reyes National Seashore, dogs are welcome here. It's a long drive from anywhere and through the tiny…
Berkeley
In North Berkeley discover the Berkeley Rose Garden, with its eight terraces of colorful explosions. Here you’ll find quiet benches and a plethora of…
The Marina, Fisherman’s Wharf & the Piers
Your chariot awaits to whisk you and the kids past the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz and other SF landmarks hand-painted on this Italian carousel twinkling…
Marin County
This lovely white-sand beach is the island's best and it's easy to reach. It's fairly sheltered but can still get a little windy; the riptides can be…
Sausalito
One of the coolest things in town, fascinating to both kids and adults, is the Army Corps of Engineers’ solar-powered visitor center. Housed in one of the…
The Peninsula
At Moss Beach, this marine reserve protects tide pools teeming with sea life. Walk out among the pools at low tide – wearing shoes that you can get wet –…
Marin County
Shhhh. The trail to this secluded beach with jaw-dropping views out to Alcatraz Island, the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco is mostly grown over; few…
Berkeley
At the Berkeley Marina, this is one of the coolest play spaces in the Bay Area – a free outdoor park encouraging creativity and cooperation where…
Berkeley
With a stainless-steel exterior wrapping around a 1930s printing plant, this museum holds multiple galleries showcasing a limited number of artworks, from…
The Peninsula
With driftwood scattered on the sands near San Gregorio Creek, this mile-long beach where Spanish explorer Gaspar de Portolà camped in 1769 makes a pretty…
The Peninsula
Touted as the largest computer-history exhibition in the world, this museum has rotating exhibits drawn from its 100,000-item collection. Artifacts range…
The Peninsula
The Cantor Center for Visual Arts is a beautiful large museum originally dating from 1894. Its collection spans works from ancient civilizations to…
Marin County
At this often-windy long white spit of sand, you can expect to see harbor seals bobbing in the surf, gray whales with their calves (in spring) and a bevy…
Marin County
This fine 19th-century example of Carpenter Gothic architectural style can be seen from almost anywhere in Tiburon. Hiking trails lead from above it onto…
Marin County
Ferries arrive and depart at this lovely sheltered cove and it's here you'll find the visitor center (with a tiny museum), cafe, tour departures, marina,…
Marin County
At the western end of Bunker Rd sits Rodeo Beach, partly protected from wind by high cliffs. It's known to locals as 'Fort Cronkhite' for the old military…
San Francisco
The scenic route down from Ina Coolbrith Park – via steep stairs, past gravity-defying wooden cottages – is so charming, it looks like something from a…
Marin County
About 6 miles northeast of San Rafael, this is a pleasant place to stop for a picnic or short hike. From Hwy 101, take the N San Pedro Rd exit and…
Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life
Berkeley
This museum boasts a fine collection – almost 15,000 pieces – of art and cultural artifacts sourced from across the Jewish diaspora, particularly Jewish…
The Marina, Fisherman’s Wharf & the Piers
Two blocks of Lyon St, between Broadway and Green St, are flanked by forests and glamorous mansions – including Senator Dianne Feinstein's – and offer jaw…
Marin County
Stinson Beach (3 miles long) is a popular surf spot, with swimming advised from late May to mid-September only. For updated weather and surf conditions…
San Jose
A cutting-edge gallery highlighting themes by both established and emerging Latino artists, MACLA is one of the Bay Area's best community arts spaces,…
Leather and LGBTQ Cultural District
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
San Francisco's Leather and LGBTQ Cultural District became official in June of 2018. District boundaries include Howard St (northwest), 7th St (northeast)…
The Peninsula
At Intel's headquarters, this museum has displays on the birth and growth of the computer industry with special emphasis, not surprisingly, on microchips…
