First Church of Christ, Scientist
Berkeley
Bernard Maybeck’s impressive 1910 church uses concrete and wood in its blend of arts-and-crafts, Asian and Gothic influences. Maybeck was a professor of…
Must-see attractions in The Bay Area
San Francisco
Although membership is reserved for Master Masons, visitors can freely access this prime specimen of Scottish Rite architecture, and take a peek at its…
The Marina, Fisherman’s Wharf & the Piers
You'd expect to see this rustic Arts and Crafts–style building on the slopes of Tahoe, not Pacific Heights, but this Episcopal church is full of surprises…
San Francisco
See what the Castro's creative community has been dreaming up lately at this art space showcasing local neighborhood talent. Gallery shows here are the…
San Jose
This leafy square in the center of downtown was part of the original plaza of El Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe, and is the city's oldest public space…
Berkeley
The frenetic energy buzzing from the university’s Sather Gate on any given day is a mixture of youthful posthippies reminiscing about days before their…
Marin County
All along the coastline you’ll find cool old battery sites – abandoned concrete bunkers dug into the ground with fabulous views. Evocative Battery…
Marin County
Several blocks west of downtown is Old Mill Park, perfect for a picnic. Here you’ll also find a replica of the town’s namesake sawmill, and a small…
African American Museum & Library at Oakland
Oakland
Part of the Oakland Public Library, the AAMLO consists of a non-circulating library with huge collections on African American history and culture in…
San Francisco
Built in 1892 by an attorney who wanted sunnier weather than swanky Nob Hill afforded, this gorgeous Queen Anne mansion went uninhabited after its…
San Jose
With a permanent collection of 20th-century works and imaginative changing exhibits, the city’s central art museum is worth a quick look. The main…
Marin County
East of Hwy 101 is the hulking mass of San Quentin, California’s oldest and most notorious prison, founded in 1852. Johnny Cash recorded an album here in…
The Peninsula
Right on the bay at the northern edge of San Mateo, 5 miles south of San Francisco International Airport, this is a popular park and windsurfing…
Oakland
Put down that video-game console, cast aside your latest iPhone app and return to the bygone days of pinball play. Lose yourself in bells and flashing…
San Jose
This science and creativity museum has hands-on displays incorporating art, technology and the environment, with plenty of toys and cool play-and-learn…
Marin County
Formerly the terminus for a 3000-person ferry to San Francisco and a railroad that once reached north to Ukiah, this late-19th-century building showcases…
Marin County
The saloon of the 1866 steamer sailing ship PS China was brought to this site when the ship was decommissioned in the late 1800s. Since then it's served…
Marin County
Past the town of Inverness, Pierce Point Rd splits off to the right from Sir Francis Drake Blvd. Drive along it to find this small park, which has…
The Peninsula
Located where a branch of the San Andreas Fault meets the ocean, this city park with landmark offshore rock formations is the closest spot to the…
San Francisco
Sonnets dot the flower beds in this romantic gated garden, home since 1928 to more than 200 flowering plants mentioned in Shakespeare's writings. With all…
Cathedral Basilica of St Joseph
San Jose
At the top of the Plaza de Cesar Chavez, the pueblo’s first church was originally constructed of adobe brick in 1803. It was replaced three times due to…
Oakland
This beautifully refurbished 1914 beaux-arts building is a downtown landmark. This was the first high-rise government building in the country, and when it…
The Peninsula
This is one of the coast’s popular clothing-optional beaches. Park across the road and cross Hwy 1 very carefully to the beach. It's located just south of…
Marin County
This courtyard complex of five galleries exhibits local artists and showcases the region’s history. Look for the weathered Bolinas highway sign affixed to…
Richardson Bay Audubon Center & Sanctuary
Marin County
This beautiful 10.5-acre waterfront nature reserve is centered around a magnificent lemon-yellow 1876 Victorian mansion. The reserve is home to a huge…
The Marina, Fisherman’s Wharf & the Piers
A quiet alternative to adjacent Lyon St's social and fitness scene, Baker St's 200 steep, narrow steps between Broadway and Vallejo St are dense with…
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
For great Market St views of old and new SF, enter through Crocker Galleria, take the elevator to the top and then ascend the stairs, or enter Wells Fargo…
San Jose
The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum is the centerpiece of this peaceful park, west of downtown San Jose. Meditate as you stroll the walking labyrinth and…
The Peninsula
Trails climb from Montara State Beach to access the undeveloped 4000-acre park of Rancho Corral de Tierra, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation…
Marin County
The town began with this mission, founded in 1817, which served as a sanatorium for Native Americans suffering from European diseases. The present…
Marin County
Red Rock Beach is around 1 mile south of Stinson Beach. It’s clothing-optional and attracts smaller crowds, probably because it can only be accessed via a…
Marin County
At Fort Barry, refurbished barracks have been converted into artists' work spaces that host open studios with artists-in-residence, as well as talks,…
Marin County
Meander by tide pools along the coastline at Agate Beach, around the end of Duxbury Point. Low tide is best. Collecting rocks, shells or marine life is…
Sausalito
Near the ferry terminal, the plaza has a fountain flanked by 14ft-tall elephant statues from the 1915 Panama–Pacific International Exposition in San…
Marin County
About 2 miles west of Hwy 101 along Conzelman Rd is Hawk Hill, where thousands of migrating birds of prey soar along the cliffs from late summer to early…
The Peninsula
At Coyote Point Recreation Area, this innovative small museum has science and wildlife exhibits for kids and adults.
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
Enjoy knockout vistas of the Financial District and Transamerica Pyramid from atop a slender art deco skyscraper. Take the elevator to the 15th floor.
Berkeley
This park, just east of Telegraph Ave, is a marker in local history as a political battleground between residents and the city and state government in the…
Berkeley
Despite the title, this isn't a museum, but rather a research facility that's closed to the public. With that said, the location within the Valley Life…
Oakland
This small park doesn't have much draw on its own, but it forms the geographic heart of Oakland's Little Saigon neighborhood, and is an interesting spot…
