California Vacation Planning &#187; San Francisco Bay Area Vacation and Travel Guide

San Francisco Vacation Ideas

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San Francisco Bay Area Tourist Maps

California Tourist Guide — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 19:39:31 +0000

Click to enlarge

Northern California’s “Bay Area” is quite large — about 100 miles north-to-south and 50 miles east-to-west — and most tourism resources sub-divide the area into smaller regions, as we have on the San Francisco Bay Area tourist map to the right.

Bay Area tourism revolves around The City of San Francisco, itself, which you will note is its own region on our map — even though it’s only about seven miles square. San Francisco is, of course, an oft-cited “Favorite Tourist Destination,” and your Northern California vacation wouldn’t be complete without taking in at least some of what this great city has to offer. (You’ll want to check out the San Francisco landmarks, to be sure, and San Francisco food tours rarely disappoint!)

North of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, you’ll find Marin County, and the East Bay is (you guessed it) to the east. The area directly south of San Francisco is known as The Peninsula, while the Silicon Valley/San Jose area stretches inland and further south, all the way to Gilroy, the “Garlic Capital of the World.” The southerly extension ends at the beach towns of Santa Cruz and nearby Capitola, and then the Bay Area extends inland a bit to include Watsonville’s own little agricultural wonderland (where you can attend a “Strawberry Festival” in August). Each of these smaller Bay Area regions has its own tourist attractions and experiences to enjoy, as well as its own array of tourism resources (hotels, resorts, restaurants, etc.).

The City of San Francisco is very dense and is best taken in on foot. Our favorite (self-guided) walking tour of the city is the Barbary Coast Trail, which starts at the Old Mint building (on 5th, just south of Market Street) and traverses through Union Square, Chinatown and North Beach before terminating at Fisherman’s Wharf. (Check out that link for a map, but you can also purchase an MP3 audio guide there that provides a fascinating historical commentary to listen to as you walk.)

Marin is most often taken in by car, going to Mt. Tam(alpias), Muir Woods, Stinson Beach and Point Reyes. You can also catch a ferry to Sausalito from San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf or the Ferry Terminal (at the foot of Market Street), and you can take a wonderful walking / biking tour of downtown Sausalito (map and five-mile loop tour). Be sure to stop and see the Bay Model (item 9 on the map) — it’s unique and very cool!

Tourist maps for the East Bay tend to focus on Berkeley, especially the downtown area (map) and locations in and around the University of California’s Berkeley campus (campus map and self-guided tour). Also, if you’re visiting Oakland sometime between May and September, you might want to check out these free walking tours of the area.

While maps of the Peninsula, Silicon Valley and San Jose may be a bit harder to find, here is a fun tour of Palo Alto — the focus of which is the city’s quirky trompe-l’oeil murals. If you make it to Palo Alto, be sure to check out the building at 165 University Avenue, which served as the original headquarters for several now-giant companies like Google, Logitech and PayPal. (It’s easy to see why it’s fondly referred to as “the good karma office,” eh?) And, if you’re in that area, you may also want to make time to tour the Stanford University campus. (Here’s a map to the campus’ extensive collection of outdoor sculptures. Don’t forget your camera!) This page provides a good overview of San Jose’s buildings and history, which you can combine with this map for a do-it-yourself walking tour of California’s third largest city (trailing Los Angeles and San Diego).

Last, the city of Santa Cruz has mapped out five self-guided historical walking tours for your downloadable convenience. And, be sure to check out these Santa Cruz area beaches when you’re there!

Photo of “some red bridge” (San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge) by burge 5000 via flickr (Creative Commons) and Photo of Berkeley’s Chez Panisse restaurant by ulterior epicure via flickr (Creative Commons).

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San Francisco Culinary Vacations

California Tourist Guide — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 06:40:51 +0000

If you fancy yourself a foodie – or even if you just like eating – you would be hard-pressed to find a better place for a culinary vacation, holiday or getaway than the gastronomic mecca of San Francisco. From wine, chocolate and cheeses to fruits from the earth and from the sea, the California Bay Area is known around the world for offering off-the-chart culinary experiences.

In part, the genesis of San Francisco’s rich culinary tradition can be traced to its geographic location and easy access to the very best ingredients. If you were to stand atop San Francisco’s highest building (the Transamerica Pyramid, which admittedly would be very difficult to stand atop), a turn of your head would present the Pacific Ocean, the Napa-Sonoma Wine Country and California’s Central Valley.

While contributions the first two of those make to the overall dining experience are obvious, some may not realize the latter – California’s Central Valley – is known as “America’s salad bowl” for the abundance of fruits and vegetables that are grown there. In total, California farmers and ranchers produce more than 400 different commodities, and each has its own culinary merits. These commodities, in turn, inspire and supply a stable of talented, creative and visionary chefs. The symbiosis between the Bay Area’s growers, food purveyors and chefs is truly a beautiful thing.

As odd as it may seem, the California Gold Rush had a hand in creating San Francisco’s culinary prowess, too. As dreams of opportunity and prosperity brought immigrants to the state in the mid-1800s, those new residents’ different backgrounds – representing ethnic cultures from all over the world – laid the foundation for a unique culinary diversity that is still very much apparent today.

There are many ways to enjoy a San Francisco culinary vacation, and probably the easiest is to just do a little research and pick out a few restaurants to try while you are here. You may want to check the California Restaurant Weeks article to see if your trip coincides with any of those dining opportunities.

You may also want to do a search for the type of food you enjoy the most and the area of the city where you plan to stay – e.g., do a search for “San Francisco Union Square Italian restaurant” (without the quotation marks) — and then check out some of the results.

There is a no shortage of San Francisco celebrity chefs, of course, but you definitely don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to get a good meal in the city. In fact, making an effort to include some of the more economical food providers in your research is a “must-do” from this writer’s perspective. You might even want to check out the fare offered by San Francisco taco trucks that typically keep in contact with their customers and broadcast their whereabouts via twitter.com. You can also find good food bargains at the Ferry Building Farmer’s Market, as Anthony Bourdain describes in this video:

Photo of peppers of all colors at the San Francisco Ferry Building Farmer’s Market by maveric2003 via flickr (Creative Commons).

Related posts:

Ferry Building Marketplace
North Beach / Little Italy
Chinatown
The Mission
Berkeley’s Gourmet Ghetto

Note: Information in this article was accurate
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change constantly. Please confirm details
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San Francisco Food Tours

California Tourist Guide — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 05:18:50 +0000

There may be no better way to learn about the cultural diversity of San Francisco neighborhoods than to sample their culinary delights. Indulging in The City by the Bay’s food, culture and history will give you insight into its popularity both as a place to live and as a tourist destination.

San Francisco food tours are a great way to participate in — and not just observe — The City. Many different companies offer guided tours, but if you’re food-savvy, you may just want to set out on your own to discover and savor at your own pace. For those still getting their foodie footing, though, the tours are entertaining, educational and well worth the cost. That reminds, though: whichever way you choose, you should wear comfortable shoes… and elastic waist pants also might be a good idea.

There are several different food tour destinations sure to enhance your San Francisco Bay Area vacation or visit. The hardest part is deciding where to start! Some of your options are set out below so you can read through them all or click on a link to skip to a particular destination:

Grab your best appetite, and let’s get going!

Ferry Building Marketplace food tour

San Francisco’s Ferry Building Marketplace is one of the best places to get a taste of San Francisco’s exciting local food culture, and it is extremely easy to visit. At the center of the city’s transit hub, it is accessible by the ferry system, BART and MUNI, whose historic trolley cars (the F-line) even stop directly in front. There are over 50 shops in the venue’s marketplace, a large percentage of which are unique to the San Francisco Bay Area. There is also a fabulous farmer’s market hosted here year-round on Tuesdays and Saturdays, with Thursday and Sunday markets added seasonally. Be advised it’s quite popular – approximately 10-15,000 faithful shoppers attend each week!

North Beach / Little Italy food tour

This is another San Francisco “epicurean hot spot” that’s easy to visit and enjoy. (Do note that its day and night-time vibes are as different as, well, night and day, especially on the weekends.) When you stroll around San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood during daylight hours, you may feel as if you’ve been magically transported to Italy. While the number of Italian-Americans living there has decreased substantially over the last 30 years, many Italian restaurants, cafes and bakeries still line the neighborhood’s Columbus Avenue and Washington Square area. You can’t miss the neighborhood’s imposing Sts. Peter and Paul Church (where Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe had wedding photos taken after marrying at San Francisco City Hall), and be sure to check out Caffe Trieste, where Francis Ford Coppola wrote the Godfather III script. They roast their own coffee on the premises, so be sure to have a cup of coffee, too, while you’re there. (You can read more about North Beach and the next two neighborhoods discussed below in our San Francisco Neighborhoods article.)

Chinatown food tour

San Francisco’s Chinese enclave is fascinating and, for some, a bit overwhelming at the same time. In addition to serving as home to one of the largest Chinese communities outside of Asia, San Francisco’s most densely populated neighborhood (and one of the most densely populated areas in the United States) is also a major tourist attraction. It can be crowded, to be sure, but its tantalizing flavors and aromas just as surely invite your visit and then linger in your memory. Saturday is probably Chinatown’s busiest day, when you’ll find a bevy of produce and live markets lining Stockton Street between Columbus and Broadway during the afternoon. Whatever the day, there are plenty of restaurants – offering everything from delicate dim sum and classic Cantonese cooking to spicy Szechuan dishes and traditional rice porridge. (Don’t miss the video of a Chinatown fortune cookie maker at our San Francisco Neighborhoods article.) Foodies will probably want to stop in The Wok Shop to peruse the vast assortment of Asian-kitchen implements and accessories – everything from steamers to clay pots to tea sets and more!

The Mission food tour

San Francisco’s Mission District is known for the colorful murals that decorate its buildings, but it is also known as a place to enjoy colorful Latin culture and fabulous food. You’ll find enough taquerias, pupuserias and bakeries to whet and satisfy even the most robust appetite! (A pupusa, by the way, is Salvadoran corn flour flat bread and usually topped with cheese, beans and/or bacon.) For dessert, consider the truly unique ice cream at Humphry Slocombe’s or the knockout pastries available at Knead Patisserie (at the rear of the Local Mission Eatery on 24th Street at Folsom Street).

Berkeley’s Gourmet Ghetto

This North Berkeley neighborhood (more formally referred to as North Shattuck) is considered the birthplace of California cuisine – it is here that Alice Waters began Chez Panisse in 1971, deftly marrying French recipes with California ingredients. The Gourmet Ghetto is not all about Chez Panisse, however, not by a long shot. In fact, it is nothing short of culinary connoisseur nirvana! Just a sampling of the “don’t miss” Gourmet Ghetto establishments: Saul’s Deli (just the thought of Niman Ranch pastrami on organic ACME rye bread makes my mouth water), Café Gratitude (if amazing raw foods are more to your liking), Love At First Bite Cupcakery, the Cheeseboard Collective (a neighborhood staple since 1967 and at this location since 1975), the Juice Bar Collective, Vintage Berkeley wine shop and the very first Peet’s Coffee & Tea, which opened here in 1966. Just so you know: that’s not a comprehensive list. There are many more restaurants and the Epicurious Garden, as well, a food hall sometimes referred to as “the Ferry Plaza Lite.” You will likely end your Gourmet Ghetto culinary adventure with the words, “I will never eat again,” but you will… so maybe stop by Gregoire for some delicious (albeit pricey) gourmet takeaway?

That is just a sampling of the San Francisco Food Tours available to you to investigate on your own or enjoy with a guide. And, no, we didn’t forget about San Francisco Chocolate or San Francisco Bay Area cooking classes. We’ll just have to cover them in separate articles!

Photo of peppers of all colors at the San Francisco Ferry Building by jenster181 via flickr (Creative Commons) and Photo of Mission Pie in San Francisco by sarah sosiak via flickr (Creative Commons).

Related posts:

San Francisco Bay Area Vacation Ideas

Note: Information in this article was accurate
when it was published, but hours, prices, etc.
change constantly. Please confirm details
with local contacts before traveling.

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San Francisco Landmarks

California Tourist Guide — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 03:19:06 +0000

You can’t talk about The City’s landmarks without first talking about the geography that gives rise to them – figuratively and literally, in some cases – namely, its hills and its islands.

Depending on the source, you might read that San Francisco has 43 named hills (from “Hills of San Francisco,” a compilation of San Francisco Chronicle articles published in 1959) or 53 (from a 2004 San Francisco Chronicle article by Tom Graham) or even 74 (from a list compiled by Dave Schweisguth, who has stood atop all 74 of them). Most commonly, however, people talk about “seven hills,” which refers to Nob Hill, Rincon Hill, Russian Hill, Telegraph Hill, Mount Davidson, Mount Sutro and Twin Peaks.

The first four in that list are discussed in our San Francisco Neighborhoods article, and the last three are covered in the “San Francisco Landmarks – The Icons” section below. (You can click on that link to be delivered to “The Icons” section immediately.)

Similarly abundant, are the islands located in the San Francisco Bay, with one recent book, The Islands of San Francisco Bay, putting the tally at 48. The five discussions below will introduce you to the most prominent ones.

San Francisco Landmarks – The Islands

Alcatraz – This island has served as a military fort (1850s), the site of the first west coast lighthouse (since replaced by the current lighthouse) and the birthplace of the Native American “Red Power” movement (1969-71), but “The Rock” is best remembered as the former federal prison that once incarcerated gangster Al Capone. The island also features gardens, tide pools, bird colonies and spectacular bay views. It is open every day of the year except Christmas and New Year’s Day. (parksconservancy.org/visit/alcatraz/)

Angel Island – This San Francisco Bay state park is a 740-acre mountainous island offering a variety of activities (hiking, biking, camping, picnicking and tram tours) along with panoramic vistas of The City skyline and the entire Bay (Golden Gate Bridge, Marin and Mt. Tamalpais). A clear day on the island is referred to as a “five bridge day,” when from the top of Mt. Livermore hikers can view the Golden Gate, Bay, Richmond/San Rafael, San Mateo and the Dumbarton bridges. The island is open to the public from 8:00am to sunset all year round, and the Immigration Station Detention Barracks Museum is open during the summer season, April-November. Year-round, daily ferry service is available from Tiberon and San Francisco; ferry service from Oakland is available during the summer season. (angelisland.org)

The Farallon Islands – This pristine biological treasure-trove archipelago is about 27 miles away from The City and is a National Wildlife Refuge. Its 211 acres of rocks, towering to 350 feet on the southern island, are sometimes referred to as “California Galapagos” because of their ecological significance. While the islands are not open to public access, wildlife can be observed, studied and photographed at a distance from boats, and whale watching and saltwater fishing is offered in nearby waters. (farallones.org)

Treasure Island – Constructed as a late-1930s WPA project of quarried rock and bay-dredged landfill, this 400-acre man-made island was the site of the 1939-40 Golden Gate International Exposition, a world’s fair that celebrated the area’s two new bridges – the Bay Bridge (opened in 1936) and the Golden Gate Bridge (opened in 1937). Someone has assembled a delightful collection of old postcards from the fair here.

Thereafter, the U.S. Navy, deeming it an ideal location for Pacific theater access, established Treasure Island Naval Station (which also included a portion of Yerba Buena Island) in 1941. In 1996, the naval base was decommissioned and opened to public control. Presently, Treasure Island is on the brink of becoming San Francisco’s newest residential neighborhood.

Yerba Buena Island – Known by many different names throughout the years (including Seabird Island, Wood Island and Goat Island), this island is presently best known as the location of the Yerba Buena Tunnel which runs through its center and connects the western and eastern spans of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.

San Francisco Landmarks – The Icons

The Bay Bridge – When constructed in 1936, this was the most expensive man-made structure ever built and the longest steel high-level bridge in the world. The bridge connects San Francisco to Oakland by way of Yerba Buena Island, and the portion that spans the 1.78 miles between San Francisco and the island is really two suspension bridges with a concrete pier in the middle supporting one end of each. The Yerba Buena Tunnel remains in the Guinness book of World Records as the largest diameter bore tunnel in the world, measuring 76 feet wide by 56 feet high. An important thing to remember about the Bay Bridge: try to avoid it between 3 and 7:00pm.

Cable Cars – San Francisco is home to the world’s last permanently-operational, manually-operated cable car system, and no visit to San Francisco is complete without taking a ride on a clanging cable car. Operating as part of The City’s “Muni” (San Francisco Municipal Railway) system, there are three cable car lines: (1) Powell-Hyde is the most scenic, offering magnificent panoramic views of The City and bay; it begins at Aquatic Park and ends up a bit past Union Square at Powell & Market; (2) Powell-Mason runs over Nob Hill and turns around in Fisherman’s Wharf; this is the line you want if you’re headed for North Beach, Chinatown or the Cable Car Museum; and (3) the California line runs from California & Market in the Financial District to Van Ness Avenue. (sfcablecar.com)

Coit Tower, North Beach – Atop Telegraph Hill, this curious 210-foot structure offers magnificent views of The City (especially at sunset) and includes a mural created as part of Roosevelt’s Federal Art Project that wraps around the ground floor’s circular walls and depicts the effects of the Depression on the Bay Area.

Ferry Building Marketplace, The Embarcadero – This is a terminal for ferries that travel across the San Francisco Bay and a shopping center. It was built in 1898 and survived both the 1906 and the 1989 earthquakes with minimal damage. Until the completion of the Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge in the 1930s, it was the second busiest transit terminal in the world, second only to London’s Charing Cross Station. In 2004, the building was renovated and now serves as an upscale gourmet marketplace and office building in addition to its ferry terminal duties. San Francisco’s largest farmers market is held there on weekends and Friday nights.

Fisherman’s Wharf and Aquatic Park Historic Landmark District – While this area might now be more aptly described as “a San Francisco tourist attraction” rather than a landmark, its history dates back to the Gold Rush when Italian immigrant fishermen based their fishing fleets here. In addition to housing a couple of the more “light-hearted entries on this list of San Francisco museums (specifically, Musée Mécanique and Ripley’s Believe It or Not), the area still celebrates its nautical history at the nearby San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, where you’ll find the Maritime Museum (a late-Art Deco building with incredible WPA Project murals that were recently restored – click here for Maritime Museum photos and hours of operation) and the Hyde Street Pier (where an impressive fleet of historic vessels are moored).

Fort Baker – The gateway to the Marin Headlands and other Bay Area national parklands, Fort Baker is surrounded by more than 75,500 acres of open space and offers easy access to beaches, mountains, trails, and historic sites. In 2008, Fort Baker became a first-class destination for renewal and discovery, thanks to a unique partnership of private, public and nonprofit organizations (the National Park Service, the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and Fort Baker Retreat Group LLC). The property features a hands-on children’s museum and learning center (the Bay Area Discovery Museum), a first-class lodge (Cavallo Point), an institution dedicated to dialog and action on global environmental issues (the Institute at the Golden Gate) as well as a very active U.S. Coast Guard station and a small yacht harbor. (fortbaker.net)

Ghirardelli Square – Located on the west side of Fisherman’s Wharf (one block west of the Beach and Hyde Streets cable car turnaround), Ghirardelli Square became the home of Ghirardelli Chocolate in 1895. It was declared an official San Francisco landmark in 1965 and has been granted National Historic Register status. Today, Ghirardelli Square is a dining and retail destination, popular with both residents and visitors. (ghirardellisq.com)

Fort Mason – Situated on 13 waterfront acres with a stunning view of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, this former military installation and historic landmark has been converted to public use as part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Two dozen nonprofit organizations call the center home, including theaters, museums, a music school, a maritime library, a radio station, a gourmet vegetarian restaurant, several environmental groups and a bookstore.

Golden Gate Bridge – Opened in 1937, this is perhaps the best-loved symbol of San Francisco and is visible from almost every high point in The City. It is widely considered one of the most beautiful examples of bridge engineering, both as a structural design challenge and for its aesthetic appeal, and was declared one of the modern Wonders of the World by the American Society of Civil Engineers. You can drive (tolls are collected only in the southbound lanes), bike or walk across the bridge. On a nice day, the half-hour walk is an outstanding experience as it allows you to take in the enormity of the bridge and its spectacular views. (goldengatebridge.org)

Golden Gate Park – This 1017-acre urban oasis is home to over one million trees, several museums, a lake that allows fly fishing and a herd of bison. (You read that right!) If you’re visiting in February-March, be sure to take in the park’s tulips and windmills. Adding on the 40+ years of car-free Sundays in Golden Gate Park, Saturdays in April through September are now also car-free. JFK Drive between Tea Garden Drive (near 8th Avenue) and Transverse Drive are closed to automobile traffic from 6:00am to 6:00pm. There are ample public transportation alternatives, and you can find information on the park’s website as well as on the de Young Museum’s website. (golden-gate-park.com)

Lombard Street, Russian Hill – Known as “the crookedest street in the world” because of its eight sharp turns (built in the 1920s to allow traffic to descend the steep incline), the street zigzags around beautiful landscaping and offers a nice view of the bay. There are stairways on either side of the street for pedestrians, and the descent begins at Hyde Street.

Mount Davidson – Since 1934, a 103-foot tall concrete cross has stood atop this 925-foot high hill, San Francisco’s highest natural point. The cross is illuminated for the Easter prayer service that is held here. (mtdavidson.org)

Mount Sutro – Once named Mount Parnassus, it was renamed to honor The City’s 24th mayor, Adolph Sutro. Covered by a eucalyptus forest planted in the late 19th century, it is mostly private property owned by University of California, San Francisco. Unmarked trails leading up to the forested summit are open to visitors, but there are no views from the top.

Painted Ladies, Alamo Square – The term “painted ladies” is trademarked and describes Victorian buildings and homes which have been painted in three or more colors that embellish or enhance their architectural ruffles and flourishes. These six, perfectly-maintained Victorians, with downtown in full view, offer a popular San Francisco “photo opp” that is also sometimes referred to as “Postcard Row.”

Palace of Fine Arts, Golden Gate Park – Originally built for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition, this is the present home for the Exploratorium, a popular science museum, as well as a 1,000-seat, continental-style theatre.

The Presidio, Inner Richmond – Now a national park, this area is distinguished as the U.S. longest-lasting, continuously used military post. Formally established on September 17, 1776, it has been used as a military headquarters by Spain, Mexico and the U.S., and it boasts military buildings in various styles (from Spanish Colonial to Georgian), some of which date from 1848. Popular with joggers and dog walkers, the Presidio is accessible by car from Arguello or Lombard streets, Marina Boulevard or 25th Avenue, or you can get through on foot or by bike at 14th or 15th avenues.

Sutro Baths ruins, Seal Rock, Cliff House Restaurant & Camera Obscura, Point Lobos – Just north of Ocean Beach, this historic landmark and tourist attraction presently includes a casual bistro, an upscale dining room and a cocktail lounge, all with intimate views of the ocean. Camera Obscura, a giant camera built based on Leonardo da Vinci’s design, produces 360 degrees of spectacular live images of the Seal Rock area. (cliffhouse.com)

Transamerica Pyramid, Financial District – Part of Transamerica Center (a complex that includes Two Transamerica Center and Transamerica Redwood Park) encompassing nearly one city block, its unconventional shape was chosen to provide an openness that allows natural light and fresh air to filter down to the streets below. (transamerica.com)

Twin Peaks – These two hills, located in San Francisco’s geographic center, have a 922-foot elevation and offer unobstructed, 360-degree, panoramic city and bay views.

All images via flickr (Creative Commons). Photo of Angel Island by Anna Majkowska; Photo of Cable Car by Fábio Gianesi; Photo of Golden Gate Bridge from Fort Mason by Shayan (USA); Photo of Palace of Fine Arts Rotunda by JBlaze B; Photo of Transamerica Pyramid by jurvetson.

Related posts:

San Francisco Bay Area Vacation Ideas

Note: Information in this article was accurate
when it was published, but hours, prices, etc.
change constantly. Please confirm details
with local contacts before traveling.

Was this article useful and/or interesting?
Would you please consider sharing it?
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San Francisco Neighborhoods

California Tourist Guide — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 03:17:27 +0000

San Francisco neighborhoods run the spectrum from stylish (Hayes Valley) to funky (Upper Haight) to posh (Pacific Heights) to historic (Civic Center) to industrial-chic (SoMa) to ethnic (Chinatown/Japantown/Little Italy) to just about everything in between.

Castro/Upper Market – You can travel from Market Street to The Castro on the Historic F-Line Trolley, and you may feel a bit like you’ve entered a different world. Widely known as the gay capital of the world, this neighborhood offers a fascinating assortment of shops, restaurants, pubs and a spectacular movie palace. At night it really comes alive, with plenty of places people of all persuasions can feel at home. The Castro is also sometimes called Eureka Valley.

Chinatown – Once you pass through the Dragon’s Gate at Grant Avenue and Bush Street, you are transported into an authentic Chinese community, complete with all the sensory stimulations and delights this culture offers – from great dim sum to ornate temples to cheap knickknacks. This is the largest urban population of Chinese people outside China, and a good deal of the Chinatown’s action takes place on Grant Avenue, San Francisco’s oldest street. Explore this city within a city on foot. (sanfranciscochinatown.com)

Did you know that fortune cookies, traditionally offered in Chinese-American restaurants at the end of a meal, are purely a U.S. invention? There’s some dispute, but it’s widely believed that they were invented in San Francisco… or maybe Los Angeles… but in California, at least, that’s for sure! When you’re in San Francisco’s Chinatown, stop by the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory, a storefront on tiny Ross Alley where some 20,000 fortune cookies a day are produced by hand:

Each February, Chinatown hosts an extravagant Chinese New Year celebration – a week of fascinating festivities that culminate with a parade that includes a block-long Golden Dragon.

Civic Center – Begun in 1913 and influenced by the City Beautiful movement of the time, this area is home to many important public and civic buildings, including the War Memorial Opera House (widely considered one of the best in the world), the city’s main library (at Grove and McAllister streets) and the Beaux Arts-style City Hall, the dome of which is 16 feet higher than the capitol dome in Washington D.C. (and, yes, that’s real gold leaf, worth $400,000 in 1999). Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe were married there in 1954, and Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk were assassinated there in 1978.

Van Ness Avenue, the city’s widest street – a product of Mayor Eugene Schmitz 1906 order to dynamite rows of Victorians to act as a fire break to save what remained of the city after the earthquake and subsequent fire – runs down the middle. You can find an excellent .pdf format (requires Adobe to view/print) map of this San Francisco neighborhood here.

Financial District/The Embarcadero – This is San Francisco’s major business district (home to Montgomery Street, “the Wall Street of the West”), and you’ll find the city’s tallest buildings (the Transamerica Pyramid and the Bank of America tower at 555 California Street) and several shopping areas here (Crocker Galleria, Embarcadero Center, Rincon Center complex and the Ferry Building). The 17th-floor, roof-top park at 343 Sansome Street offers inspiring views of the District and is a favorite destination for photographers visiting the city. A section of the Gold Rush Trail runs through this area, and this is also a great way to experience it.

Fisherman’s Wharf – Known for its historic waterfront, delicious seafood, intriguing ambiance and unique shopping, this is one of San Francisco’s most popular tourist destinations. Although the area feels steeped in history, most of the major attractions – the Cannery, Ghirardelli Square, Pier 39 – were built in the late 1960s.

Here is a handy map of the area (note the link provided there to a .pdf, printable map, as well). If you’re visiting during the winter months, a “don’t miss” is the natural wildlife sanctuary at Pier 39’s K-Dock, where hundreds of sea lions have been wintering and enjoying the Bay’s plentiful herring supply since 1990. During the summer months, most of the sea lions migrate south to the Channel Islands for breeding, but recently a small group has remained year-round.

Haight-Ashbury – Famous as the epicenter for the 1960s “hippie movement,” today this San Francisco neighborhood is largely commercial. You’ll find exclusive boutiques, trendy vintage-clothing shops and hip restaurants along side funky smoke shops, alternative book stores and offbeat gift emporiums. Known for its exceptional Victorian homes, many people like to walk past the former residences of the “Summer of Love” musicians who once lived here (the Grateful Dead at 710 Ashbury, Janis Joplin at 112 Lyon and Jefferson Airplane at 2400 Fulton).

“The Haight,” as locals refer to it, stretches 20 blocks from Golden Gate Park to Market Street and is divided into Upper and Lower portions. The Upper Haight is more upscale, while the Lower Haight is more diverse. Between the two portions, you’ll find Buena Vista Park, which was established in 1867, the first in the city’s park system. It has mature trees and offers sweeping views from downtown San Francisco to the Golden Gate Bridge.

Japantown/Fillmore – Honoring and showcasing Japanese culture, more than 12,000 residents of Japanese descent call this neighborhood home. Its nexus is Japan Center, a five-acre hotel and entertainment complex at Post and Buchanan Streets. The AMC Kabuki 8 Theatre is at the westernmost end of the center, and the Kabuki Springs and Spa is at the other end. It is also home to the Peace Pagoda, a five-tiered concrete stupa designed by Japanese architect Yoshiro Taniguchi. This symbol of eternal peace was presented to San Francisco by the people of Osaka, Japan, its oldest sister city.

Marina/The Presidio – One of our favorite of the many wonderful San Francisco neighborhoods, it sits on the site of the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition (although the Palace of Fine Arts is the only building that remains from that world’s fair). After the exposition, the area developed quickly, and it became one of San Francisco’s most desirable places to live, work and visit.

Marina Green is a favorite place to sunbathe, play team sports and fly kites, while Union Street’s (just up the hill from the Marina) converted Victorians are a shopper’s delight. On Chestnut Street, you’ll find an incredible variety of high-quality restaurants. Cow Hollow, Russian Hill and The Presidio bound the Marina District to the south, east, and west, respectively.

Mission District – This is San Francisco’s birthplace and home to its oldest standing building, Mission Dolores. Founded in 1776 by Father Junipero Serrra, you may recognize the mission’s cemetery, where many city pioneers are buried, from Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo. You’ll also find The City’s largest concentration of outdoor murals in The Mission, adorning the neighborhood’s buildings, fences and garage walls, and Precita Eyes offers the best way to experience them. If you can’t make one of their weekend tours, Balmy Alley, from 24th Street to 25th Street between Treat and Harrison Streets, features more than 30 murals. The mural on The Women’s Building on 18th Street, between Valencia and Guerrero, is also a must-see.

The Mission District is large enough to have its own sub-neighborhoods – culturally rich 24th Street is its heart; 16th and Valencia Street is the place to find nightlife and authentic Mexican food, and the Dolores Street-Valencia Corridor is considered the “hip” younger section. It’s a great place to explore, shop and eat!

Nob Hill – Sometimes sarcastically referred to as “Snob Hill,” this affluent enclave is home to some of San Francisco’s most exclusive hotels: the Fairmont Hotel, the Mark Hopkins Intercontinental Hotel, the Stanford Court and the Huntington Hotel. In addition to these grand dame hotels, Nob Hill’s noble tenants include Grace Cathedral (a replica of Notre Dame in Paris), Huntington Park (and it oft-photographed 16th-century Roman fountain replica), the Nob Hill Masonic Center (an architectural gem that hosts various musical events), the Cable Car Museum and the Flood Mansion (built in 1885-86 from sandstone quarried in Connecticut at a cost of $1.5 million, roughly $30 million in today’s dollars). The Union Square shopping district is just south of Nob Hill.

Noe Valley – This San Francisco neighborhood was named after José de Jesús Noé, the last Mexican alcalde (mayor) of Yerba Buena (present day San Francisco). The neighborhood is primarily residential, with two bustling commercial strips where you can find lots of upscale restaurants and chic clothing shops.

North Beach – This is San Francisco’s “Little Italy,” situated between Chinatown and Fisherman’s Wharf with Telegraph Hill to the east and Russian Hill to the west. Originally settled by Italian immigrants, many other working class immigrants – Irish, Peruvian, Mexican, French, Portuguese and Chinese – later made the area their home, as well. Although the Italian population has decreased over the years, it’s still an excellent place to enjoy a meal or to sip an espresso or cappuccino at one of the charming, old world cafés.

In the 1950s and 60s, poets and artists found a home in the area’s laid-back atmosphere, and it was the West coast epicenter for the Beat Generation. An alleyway off of Columbus between Kearny and Broadway is named for writer Jack Kerouac, who once lived there and frequented the famous City Lights Bookstore (Columbus and Broadway) and numerous neighborhood bars and restaurants. That’s not all of the North Beach nightlife, though. You can find topless/strip/nude clubs, too, as the area harkens back to its Barbary Coast beginnings!

Pacific Heights – One of the most affluent of the San Francisco neighborhoods, you will find some of its oldest and most beautiful architecture here. It is somewhat “off the beaten path” for other sightseeing activities, but if you have a car you might find it an interesting place to drive through and experience. Be advised that parking can be quite difficult in this neighborhood, however, and is generally limited to two-hour, street parking. If you plan to thoroughly explore the area, you should consider using taxi services or public transportation. You might want to combine a visit with shopping or dining at the area known as “Fillmore” (the section of Fillmore Street south of Jackson Street), where there’s an eclectic mix of shops and restaurants. Also note that SF Heritage (sfheritage.org) offers walking tours of the Pacific Heights neighborhood if you are interested in the stories associated with the elegant homes.

Rincon Hill – Located just south of the Financial District, the top of this hill serves as the anchorage and touch-down for the Bay Bridge. A former industrial district, it is presently transitioning into a high-density residential neighborhood.

Russian Hill – This hill is directly north (and slightly downhill) from ritzy Nob Hill, south (and uphill) from Fisherman’s Wharf and west of the North Beach neighborhood. The views are just as stunning as those of its affluent neighbor, and many people feel it has a more inviting demeanor. You’ll find charming restaurants and small businesses on Hyde Street, and Polk Street is crowded with unusual boutiques, antique shops, trendy restaurants and night spots.

There is no significant Russian presence in this neighborhood; The City’s Russian community is located primarily in the Richmond District. The name goes back to the Gold Rush-era when settlers discovered a small cemetery at the top of the hill. Although the remains were never officially identified, it was assumed that they were Russian fur-traders and sailors from nearby Fort Ross. The cemetery was removed, but the name remains.

South of Market – Also referred to as SoMa, this is one of The City’s hippest neighborhoods and is becoming a center for art and nightlife. You’ll find with a broad selection of museums and galleries, trendy nightclubs, fashionable restaurants, experimental theaters, plus a beloved baseball park – all conveniently packed into its two square miles. In addition, it is home to Sony Metreon (a mega-entertainment center – over 350,000 square feet on four levels – with 15 movie theatres, an IMAX theatre, interactive attractions, nine restaurants and many shops), Yerba Buena Gardens (5.5 acres of gardens, shopping, ice skating, bowling, a historic carousel, a technology center and outdoor performance area), Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (a multidisciplinary art center featuring visual arts, performing arts, film/video and education programs) and the Moscone Convention Center. Here is a handy map of the area.

Union Square – This urban hub is justifiably famous as a shopper’s paradise. Its flagship stores include Neiman-Marcus, Macy’s, Saks, Niketown, Tiffany’s and the original Levi’s store. More shopping opportunities exist at Market Street nearby (including San Francisco Shopping Centre across from the cable car turnaround) and at Crocker Galleria (with its block-wide arched skylight). There are a dozen hotels within a three-block walk from the square (including many that qualify as city landmarks – the Westin St. Francis, The Palace, the Sir Francis Drake and the Grand Hyatt come to mind), and the downtown theatre district as well as many fine arts galleries are also nearby. (Take note that galleries often close on Mondays and some close on Sundays, as well. Some small boutiques are also closed Sundays, though most of the stores are open.)

The square’s landmark park recently received an 18-month, $25 million renovation (reopened in summer 2002), and it is a great “people-watching” location. It occasionally offers music and dance performances, and a TIX Bay Area half-price theater ticketing booth (near the Geary-Powell corner) and a small café are also located there. The park’s towering monument, added in 1903, is topped by the bronze goddess Victory, modeled after Alma de Bretteville Spreckels, considered by many local historians to be the “great grandmother of San Francisco” and known for her enormous influence in the San Francisco art community. (There is a short biography here, if you are interested.)

Hallidie Plaza, off Market Street near the cable car terminus, provides a quiet spot to relax or enjoy a game of chess with the locals, and you will also find a Visitor’s Information Center located here. San Francisco’s only Frank Lloyd Wright building, built in 1949, is located at 140 Maiden Lane, and its gently curving ramp and luminous ceiling provide a glimpse into the noted architect’s future design for New York City’s Guggenheim Museum.

Telegraph Hill – This quiet, residential area adjoins bustling North Beach. Aside from Coit Tower, it is regarded for its gardens that flow down Filbert Street to Levi’s Plaza and well-known as the home of a flock of feral parrots (descended from escaped or released pets). The flock was popularized by a book and 2003 documentary, both titled The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill. A controversial city ordinance passed in 2007 prohibits the feeding of parrots in public spaces, a ban that was championed by Mark Bittner, the birds’ most outspoken supporter who was featured in the book and documentary. Other local conservationists also supported the ban, though some residents continue to object.

Photo of Seal at Fisherman’s Wharf by kiwanja via flickr (Creative Commons); Photo of Mission Mural by hillary h via flickr (Creative Commons); Photo of Little Italy Cafe by P_R_ via flickr (Creative Commons); Photo of View from Russian Hill by Stephanie Costa via flickr (Creative Commons); Photo of Union Square by Steve Parker via flickr (Creative Commons).

Related posts:

San Francisco and Marin County Museums
East Bay Museums (Alameda, Berkeley, Oakland and Point Richmond)
South Bay Museums (the Peninsula, Silicon Valley and Santa Cruz)

Note: Information in this article was accurate
when it was published, but hours, prices, etc.
change constantly. Please confirm details
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San Francisco Bay Area Museums

California Tourist Guide — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 02:43:30 +0000

San Francisco Bay Area museums are truly an eclectic mix. Some of the finest museums and galleries in the world reside here, and they provide a stunning diversity of artistic expression, historical reference and scientific exploration. You can learn about everything from cable cars to cartoons!

There’s a myriad of things to do in San Francisco, but do try to make time to visit at least one or two of The City’s wonderful museums. The first section below will introduce the San Francisco museums located in in the city proper and in nearby Marin County.

Thereafter East Bay (Berkeley, Oakland and Point Richmond) and South Bay (the Peninsula, Silicon Valley and Santa Cruz) museums will be discussed. If you’d like to skip immediately to those sections, you can use the links below:

San Francisco Bay Area Museums – San Francisco and Marin County

Asian Art Museum, Civic Center – With over 15,000 treasures spanning 6,000 years, this is one of the largest museums in the Western world devoted exclusively to Asian art. Admission is free on the first Tuesday of each month. (asianart.org)

Bay Area Discovery Museum, Sausalito – Located in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area at Fort Baker, this nationally recognized, one-of-a-kind, indoor/outdoor children’s museum offers a full range of programs that feature hands-on art, science and environmental exhibitions, plus performances and special events. (badm.org)

Bay Model Visitor’s Center, Sausalito – Administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, this exhibit is the only one of its kind in the world. The Bay Model, stretching over 1.5 acres, is a three-dimensional hydraulic model of the San Francisco Bay and Delta areas and is capable of simulating tides, currents and river inflows. Self-guided tours in five languages are available. (spn.usace.army.mil/bmvc/)

Cable Car Museum, Nob Hill – This is a museum, but it’s also the powerhouse, repair shop and storage facility for the city’s cable car system. The building, built in 1887, received an $18-million reconstruction in 1982-84 to restore its original gaslight- era look, to install a gallery and to add the museum. (cablecarmuseum.org)

California Academy of Sciences, Steinhart Aquarium and Morrison Planetarium, Golden Gate Park – The Academy, one of the ten largest natural history museums in the World, moved in to its dazzling new Golden Gate Park home in 2008. Its public areas are divided into three general categories: Steinhart Aquarium, Morrison Planetarium and the Kimball Natural History Museum. (calacademy.org)

Cartoon Art Museum, Yerba Buena Gardens, SoMa – With an endowment from Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz, this museum was established in 1987 and has since produced over 100 exhibitions and 20 publications. The unique institution houses approximately 6,000 original pieces in its permanent collection, and it offers a “Pay What You Wish” day on the first Tuesday of every month. (cartoonart.org)

Chinese Historical Society of America Museum and Learning Center, Chinatown – Conceived in San Francisco in Fall 1962, the Society is the first such Chinese American historical society in North America. The museum was opened in the historic Julia Morgan Chinese YWCA building in November 2001 and is open Tuesday-Saturday. (chsa.org)

Conservatory of Flowers, Golden Gate Park – This spectacular Victorian glass extravaganza (10,800 panes!) and living museum of rare and beautiful tropical plants (some 1,500 plant species from more than 50 countries) engages visitors physically, intellectually and emotionally. (conservatoryofflowers.org)

Contemporary Jewish Museum, Yerba Buena Gardens, SoMa – This cultural center welcomes all ages and all communities with a broad range of offerings, including art, music, film, lectures, discussions and new media presentations, as well as hands-on art-making workshops. (jmsf.org)

de Young Museum, Golden Gate Park – Named for early San Francisco newspaperman M. H. de Young, the museum moved to a new structure in 2005. Exhibits include “a bit of everything,” but the African and Oceanic collections and American decorative pieces, textiles and paintings from the Rockefeller Collection of American Art are especially noteworthy. (famsf.org/deyoung/)

Exploratorium, Palace of Fine Arts, Marina District – This experimental, hands-on museum is designed to spark curiosity, regardless of age or scientific familiarity. There are hundreds of exhibits to pick up, examine and discover! (exploratorium.edu)

GLBT Historical Society, SoMa – With exhibit galleries open to the public on Tuesday-Saturday afternoons, this society seeks to collect, preserve and interpret the history of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people and the communities that support them. (glbthistory.org)

Legion of Honor, Lincoln Park – Noted for its setting, this beautiful Beaux-arts building overlooks the Golden Gate Bridge and the city. Its collections include European decorative arts and paintings, ancient art, one of the largest collections of prints and drawings in the country and a Rodin’s Thinker. (famsf.org/legion/)

Marin History Museum, San Rafael – This museum is housed in the Boyd Gate House, a Gothic Revival style home set in a park-like garden. It contains a detailed collection of local historical photos and artifacts and exudes Victorian charm. When the new museum facility is completed, the Boyd Gate House will be restored, furnished and maintained as an elegant 1880s period home. (marinhistory.org)

Marin Museum of the American Indian, Novato – This nationally recognized museum is part of Miwok Park, and its important art and artifacts and its Native American art and culture educational programs are often loaned to other western states museums. (marinindian.com)

Maritime Museum, Fisherman’s Wharf area – The Maritime Museum is housed in the Bathhouse Building of San Francisco’s Aquatic Park Historic Landmark District, contiguous with the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park and the fleet of historic vessels that serve as the city’s “floating museums” at Hyde Street Pier. Built in 1939 as a City of San Francisco and WPA joint venture, the bathhouse building was designed in the Streamline Moderne style (late Art Deco) to look like ocean liner. While the boat-like structure is, in and of itself, strikingly beautiful with its gorgeous Sargent Johnson carved-slate fronting panels (he was one of only two African-American artists to work for the WPA) and fabulous mosaics out back, the murals it houses are even more so. Sea-themed and flowing with intricate coloration, this is indeed a breathtaking public art display and, from our perspective, not to be missed on your San Francisco getaway or vacation. (nps.gov/safr/historyculture/bathhousebuilding.htm)

Musée Mécanique, Fisherman’s Wharf Pier 45 – This collection of old-time, penny-arcade relics, many of which were scavenged from the city’s Playland at the Beach amusement park that closed in 1972, can be enjoyed by kids of all ages. Admission is free, and the 200 antique, coin-operated entertainment machines typically take 25-50 cents to operate.

Museum of African Diaspora, SoMa – Open Tuesday-Saturday afternoons, this international museum is committed to showcasing the “best of the best” from the African Diaspora and organizes collaborative ventures with institutions of similar vision from around the world to facilitate its mission. (moadsf.org)

Museum of Performance & Design, Civic Center – Formerly the San Francisco Performing Arts Library & Museum, this is the first international arts institution devoted to the celebration of the performing arts and theatrical design. The facility features world-class collections, exhibitions and presentations by and about leading artists. The museum is currently located in the Civic Center’s Veteran’s Building. (mdpsf.org)

Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum, Fisherman’s Wharf – This “museum” is two floors and over 10,000-square feet filled with the strange and the unbelievable! (ripleysf.com)

San Francisco Fire Department Museum, Western Addition – Indoor, self-guided tours are offered Thursday-Sunday and allow you to view antique engines and fire fighter artifacts. (sffiremuseum.org)

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, SoMa – Located in an iconic building (designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta) since 1995, the museum shares important works by Jackson Pollock, Richard Diebenkorn, Paul Klee, Marcel Duchamp, Ansel Adams and others. Closed on Wednesdays and opening/closing late on Thursdays, free admission is offered on the 1st Tuesday of every month. (sfmoma.org)

San Francisco Railway Museum, SOMA – This small museum features exhibits on the antique streetcars and national landmark cable cars that continue to run along the city’s major arteries. The museum is located at the Steuart Street F line stop, catty-corner from the Ferry Building. Admission to the museum is free. (streetcar.org/sfrm/)

San Francisco Theological Seminary, San Anselmo – Founded in 1871 in San Francisco as Presbyterian City College, the seminary was gifted this 14-acre hilltop in 1870. Building fund donations allowed the campus to open in 1892, and it consists of numerous historical buildings, chapels and “castles on the hill” Victorian homes, one patterned after the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. A self-guided walking tour has been published by the San Anselmo Historical Society and is available at various places in the town for $5 or can be downloaded in .pdf format (requires Adobe Reader to view/print) or as a .mp3 audio file here. (sfts.edu/nc)

The Society of California Pioneers, SoMa – Established in 1850, this group maintains a library and museum with a rotating schedule of stimulating, cross-disciplinary exhibitions featuring California art, history, and culture. (californiapioneers.org)

Strybing Arboretum, Golden Gate Park – A 70-acre botanic garden with more than 7,500 varieties of plants and seemingly endless paths that traverse among duck ponds, blooming trees and redwoods. There are also smaller, specialized gardens with names like the “Garden of Fragrance” and the “Shakespeare Garden,” the latter of which contains every flower and plant mentioned in the Bard’s plays. (sfbotanicalgarden.org)

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Yerba Buena Gardens, SoMa – An eclectic and wide-ranging slate of exciting exhibitions, performances, films and educational programs is offered at this venue. (ybca.org)

Zeum, Yerba Buena Gardens, SoMa – This community-based art and technology museum’s mission is to foster creativity in young people, and it offers high-quality, interactive experiences to achieve that goal. (zeum.org)

San Francisco Bay Area Museums – East Bay (Alameda, Berkeley, Oakland and Point Richmond)

African-American Museum and Library, Oakland – The second-floor museum regularly hosts traveling and original exhibitions that highlight the art, history and culture of African Americans, and the non-circulating reference library’s collection includes around 12,000 volumes by or about African Americans. (oaklandlibrary.org/aamlo)

Golden State Model Railroad Museum, Point Richmond – Only open on Sundays, April-December, if you’re an enthusiast, it may be worth planning your visit around their schedule. The museum consists of 10,000 square feet of O, HO and N scale model railroading, including three large model railroads constructed and operated by the East Bay Model Engineers Society. (gsmrm.org)

Oakland Aviation Museum, Oakland – Open Wednesday-Sunday, exhibits share aviation and space history with displays of historic aircraft and photos, aviation memorabilia, model planes and war artifacts. (westernaerospacemuseum.org)

Oakland Museum of California, Oakland – Opened in 1969, this is one of the most architecturally interesting museums in the country with galleries, terraces, patios, sculpture gardens and ponds. Exhibits portray California’s natural wonders, events, eras and people who have shaped the state. Important Note: The museum enters a two-phase, four-year, $53M renovation on January 2, 2008, which will begin with the closing of the Art and History Galleries. Please contact the museum for further information. (museumca.org/)

Pardee Home Museum, Oakland – A centerpiece of the Preservation Park Historic District, this architectural treasure was built in 1868-69 by Enoch Pardee, who came to California during the Gold Rush and became a San Francisco eye doctor thereafter. He was also politically active as was his son, George Pardee, who is fondly remembered as the “earthquake governor” for his remarkable leadership during the state’s 1906 devastation. George’s wife, Helen, was a prodigious private collector, and her abundant treasures are on display in the home. (pardeehome.org)

Takara Sake Museum, Berkeley – This museum chronicles the sake-making process and the U.S. sake-making history. An educational video is also available in the facility’s tasting room. (takarasake.com)

University of California, Berkeley – This school hosts many outstanding museums, including Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive, one of the nation’s largest university museums and one of the few presenting a full range of visual culture (bampfa.berkeley.edu) and the Berkeley Natural History Museums consortium, which includes the UC Botanical Garden, the Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology, Lawrence Hall of Science, The Museum of Paleontology, The Essig Museum of Entomology, the University and Jepson Herbaria and the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology. (bnhm.berkeley.edu)

USS Hornet Museum, Alameda – Opened to the public as an aircraft carrier museum since 1998, this National and State Historic Landmark earned nine battle stars for her WWII service and earned later renown as the ship that retrieved the Apollo, first-men-on-the-moon astronauts in 1969. (uss-hornet.org)

USS Potomac, Oakland – Open Wednesday-Sunday, this former Presidential Yacht and “floating White House” of 32nd U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt is now a National Historic Landmark maintained as an active memorial to his presidency. (usspotomac.org)

San Francisco Bay Area Museums – South Bay (Peninsula, Silicon Valley and Santa Cruz)

Cantor Arts Center, Palo Alto – Located on the Stanford University campus and formerly the Stanford University Museum of Art, the center includes 24 galleries plus sculpture gardens, terraces and a courtyard – all with free admission. One of the center’s highlights is the Rodin sculpture garden, 20 bronzes that include some of the artist’s most famous. In total, the Cantors donated 187 of Rodin’s works, making this the third largest Rodin collection in the world after the Musée Rodin in Paris and the Rodin Museum in Philadelphia, PA. (museum.stanford.edu)

Children’s Discovery Museum, San Jose – This museum’s warm and inviting environment encourages children to make connections among ideas, people and cultures through interactive exhibits and programs. (cdm.org)

Computer History Museum, Mountain View – One of the largest collections of computing artifacts in the world is housed here in a presentation that focuses on the impact that technology has had on human civilization. (computerhistory.org)

History Park, San Jose – This indoor/outdoor museum is arranged to appear as a small 1900s U.S. town. It consists of 29 historic buildings and other landmarks that have either been moved from their original San Jose locations or replicated, including a half-height, to-scale recreation of the San Jose Electric Light Tower that made the city “the only electrified city west of the Rocky Mountains” in 1891. Selected buildings are staffed by volunteers on a rotating weekend schedule, and they also operate a vintage trolley over the length of the park. (historysanjose.org)

Pez Museum, Burlingame – The only place in the world to see an example of every Pez dispenser ever made! In 2004, the museum was expanded to include the Classic Toy Museum, featuring favorite bygone toys, including Mr. Potato Head, Tinker Toys, Lincoln Logs, Ant Farms, Erector Sets, Colorforms and View-Masters. (spectrumnet.com/pez/)

Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum & Planetarium, San Jose – Architecturally inspired by the Temple of Amon at Karnak, you will find the largest collection of Egyptian artifacts in the western U.S. here amongst visually stunning grounds with park-like landscaping. (egyptianmuseum.org/)

Santa Cruz Harley-Davidson Museum, Santa Cruz – This museum-store attracts thousands of enthusiasts each year. Freestanding exhibits house vintage motorcycles, memorabilia and photos. (santacruzharley.com)

Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History, Santa Cruz – Displays of American Indian artifacts, rocks, fossils, a touch tidepool exhibit and specimens of local flora and fauna are featured here, and you can “visit” Santa Cruz habitats like woodlands, chaparral, grasslands and a variety of marine environments. There is also a large cement whale located out front that children enjoy climbing on. (santacruzmuseums.org)

Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History, Santa Cruz – This museum has four galleries on three floors with exhibits, family activities, tours, educational programs, historical archives, plus three historical sites: the Octagon Building, Evergreen Cemetery and the Davenport Jail. (santacruzmah.org)

Santa Cruz Surfing Museum, Santa Cruz – Its location at Lighthouse Point on West Cliff Drive affords a spectacular view of Santa Cruz, the Monterey Bay and internationally renowned surfing hotspot Steamer Lane, and its displays chronicle 100 years of Santa Cruz surfing history. (santacruzsurfingmuseum.org)

San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose – A contemporary visual arts center whose acclaimed special exhibitions and permanent collections range across modern masterworks to the newest frontiers of art. (sjmusart.org)

Seymour Marine Discovery Center, Santa Cruz – This facility reflects the world of scientists – organized around how they work and with an interior similar to the labs and seawater aquaria where they work. The center also serves as a base for docent-led tours of the Long Marine Lab facilities, the Younger Lagoon Natural Reserve and the adjoining marine sanctuary’s shores, and its abundant outdoor spaces include an 87-foot long, 18-foot tall blue whale skeleton. (seymourcenter.ucsc.edu)

TheTech Museum of Innovation, San Jose – This innovative, contemporary museum explores technology and how it affects our lives. Four major theme galleries showcase everything from robotics to earthquakes and satellites to Silicon Valley.

Photo of Cable Car Museum by cloneofsnake via flickr (Creative Commons); Photos of Conservatory of Flowers and Legion of Honor by David Paul Ohmer via flickr (Creative Commons); Photo of San Francisco Museum of Modern Art by acaben via flickr (Creative Commons); Photo of Oakland Museum by Brooke Anderson via flickr (Creative Commons); Photo of Cantor Center by web_guy94301 via flickr (Creative Commons); Photo of Rosicrucian Museum by W! via flickr (Creative Commons); Photo of San Jose Museum of Art by Jonny Brownbill via flickr (Creative Commons).

Related posts:

San Francisco Bay Area Vacation Ideas

Note: Information in this article was accurate
when it was published, but hours, prices, etc.
change constantly. Please confirm details
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Best Santa Cruz Area Beaches

California Tourist Guide — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 00:00:57 +0000

Santa Cruz beaches make this Bay Area city the perfect destination for a beach trip or a beach vacation. The famous Santa Cruz Boardwalk and amusement park provides fun for the entire family, and the beach next to the Boardwalk is clean and well-kept. Surf shops, restaurants and oceanfront hotels huddle around downtown Santa Cruz, and there is enough to do and see to fill several days of vacation, especially if you enjoy “funky stores” and the vibrant Santa Cruz “music scene” — all within walking distance of the beach.

If you travel south on Rt. 1 from Santa Cruz beaches, you will find other offerings in Capitola (which has a nice beach next to the wharf with nearby restaurants and free parking) and two pristine state beaches, Seacliff State Beach and New Brighton State Beach. Continuing south into Monterey County, it’s just one long white beach — easily accessible from Beach Drive — with free parking and beachfront amenities galore.

If you are a surfer, the Santa Cruz area will likely provide the best rides in this part of California. West Cliff Drive, on the west side of the Santa Cruz Harbor, has a breakwater which converts the prevailing surf into extremely ride-worthy waves, and surfers can pick up unusually high waves which run for hundreds of yards before either breaking or dissipating into Santa Cruz harbor. While this is technically a rocky coastal area and not really “Santa Cruz beaches” in the purest sense, surfers can walk down stairways to enter the water safely from several spots on West Cliff Drive, and non-surfers can observe the action from Lighthouse Field State Beach at the end of West Cliff Drive.

Heading north from Santa Cruz, traveling up Rt. 1, you pass miles of undeveloped coastline, coastal farms and several unmarked roads that take you down to wonderful, pristine beaches, most without any amenities. A favorite Santa Cruz County beach is Bonny Doon in Davenport, CA. Parking is easy, right along Rt. 1, and the beach is lovely and totally isolated. A few things to note: (1) because of the isolation Bonny Doon is popular with naturalists; (2) it’s unwise to leave valuables in your car when parked here; and (3) this part of the coast is often foggy, cold and even if it’s warm swimming is not recommended. Still, it’s a gorgeous beach and well worth a stop.

As you travel further north toward Half Moon Bay, you’ll pass Pigeon Point Lighthouse, Pescadero State Beach and Martin’s Beach. Half Moon Bay is a seaside town with a wonderful state beach, coastal trail, campgrounds and several oceanfront hotels, inns and lodges — everything from the palatial Ritz Carlton resort to some less expensive lodging choices. There are also some wonderful restaurants in Half Moon Bay and nearby Moss Beach, many of which source their food from the local farms and fisherman. Moss Beach, by the way, has a more compromised access to the beach itself and offers more of a “retreat” than a beach experience.

Surfers who have made their way up from Santa Cruz beaches will probably want to stop at the famous “Mavericks” surfing area on the north side of Half Moon Bay, although they may not want to surf there. During winter storms, especially, the surf at Mavericks can be extremely very challenging and dangerous.

Photo of Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Amusement Park by Donnaphoto via flickr (Creative Commons).

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Best San Francisco Beaches

California Tourist Guide — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 03:53:16 +0000

It’s too bad most people don’t think of San Francisco beaches when they plan a trip to the Bay Area. They should! While it’s not so much about “fun in the sun” here as it is at southern California beaches, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area offers some of the most amazing public beachfronts in the world, and San Francisco visitors would be remiss not to enjoy them if time allows.

Beginning where the Golden Gate Bridge lands in San Francisco and moving east, our first stop is the Marina district, one of our favorite San Francisco neighborhoods. At the Marina Green, you’ll often find people flying kites, picnicking and just enjoying a wonderful vista of the San Francisco Bay. We should note that fog can be an issue and can affect your enjoyment of San Francisco beaches, especially during the summer months. Typically it burns off by mid-day, but fog has been known to stick around in the Marina district beyond that arbitrary clearing point.

Walking west from the Marina district, past the boat marina itself, you’ll find the “Golden Gate Promenade” — a paved path through the old Crissy Field area that goes all the way to Fort Mason at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge. This is perhaps the most picturesque walk in all of San Francisco and one you’ve likely seen in films and on postcards. It’s truly breathtaking. Although swimming and surfing is allowed at San Francisco beaches, the water here is cold, so wetsuits are essential. Most people are content to simply enjoy the stunning views on foot or bicycle.

East of the Marina district you’ll find North Beach, but this is actually inland and there’s no beach there. Now it’s mostly restaurants and hotels, but Aquatic Park Beach, located just west of the Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39 tourist area, is nearby. You’ll find a small but picturesque sandy beach there and a little pier that juts out over the bay.

Moving now to the west side of the Golden Gate Bridge, you’ll find Baker Beach and China Beach just off Lincoln Boulevard. You can climb down to them on the California Coastal Trail (aka “Lands End Trail”) from Lincoln Boulevard. These San Francisco beaches are on the Pacific Ocean itself and, while typically warmer, the waters are treacherous and should be enjoyed from afar.

Follow the trail west, to the Eagles Point Overlook and further west to the tip of the San Francisco Peninsula at the famous Cliff House Restaurant. Stop at the Sutro Baths ruins as you head south and you’ll quickly land on The Esplanade and Ocean Beach — a long, undeveloped beach that offers approximately five miles of peaceful surf and sand. Surrounded by this much stunning nature, it’s hard to believe you are in the middle of a huge metropolitan area.

At the southern border of San Francisco County, near the city’s zoo, you’ll find Fort Funston – an old artillery outpost once charged with protecting the Golden Gate. It’s now a wonderful bluff and beach area, with easy parking. It’s popular with picnickers and hang gliders and also one of the area’s few off-leash beaches, so friendly canines are welcome to enjoy it, too.

On the Marin County side of the Golden Gate Bridge, there are some wonderful beaches. Check out Horseshoe Bay at the old Fort Baker (take the Sausalito exit off 101 and then turn left on Bunker Road). As you travel up Rt. 1 through Marin, there are two small beach towns worth checking out: Muir Beach and Stinson Beach. Both have motels, camping, surfing, fishing and other amenities.

Photo of San Francisco Beach by TheFriendlyFiend via flickr (Creative Commons).

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