San Francisco Bay Area

San Francisco’s reputation for world-class arts and culture started with the Gold Rush over a century ago, and continues today throughout the Bay Area with many famous museums, opera, renowned theater, performing arts, and vibrant artist communities. Computer buffs will especially enjoy the handful of technical museums unique to Silicon Valley.

Bay Area beaches stretch from the north-reach peninsula of the Point Reyes National Seashore to the famed big-break surf beaches just south of Santa Cruz. In between are beach towns, national recreation areas, and the urban beaches of San Francisco. There are plenty of hiking trails and places to catch a glimpse of sea lions, pelicans, and other wildlife.

September 2008 marked the reopening of the beloved California Academy of Arts and Sciences in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Nearby, young scientists will love the Exploratorium , and just across the Golden Gate Bridge is the Bay Area Discovery Museum , a Mecca for the under-8 set. There are thrills galore at the Bay Area's three main amusement parks: Six Flags Discovery Kingdom , California's Great America , and the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk . Other highlights include Pier 39 , the San Francisco Zoo , Oakland Zoo and San Jose's Tech Museum of Innovation .

Bordered by the Golden Gate Bridge to the west, Santa Cruz beaches to the south and rolling vineyards to the north and east, the Bay Area is California’s most diverse golf region. Spend a few days on the links in this neck of the woods and you’ll encounter fairways surrounded by giant redwoods, greens overlooking the mighty Pacific, tee boxes with mountain vistas as your backdrop, and some of the best urban golf venues in the country.

San Francisco is definitely the hub of nightlife in the Bay area, creating the infamous “clubbers commute” bridge traffic on Friday and Saturday nights. Across the bay, Oakland is home to several famous live music venues. If you prefer lower-key entertainment options, head to San Jose and other downtown districts throughout the Bay Area.

One of the best features of the Bay Area is the abundance of undeveloped land in the midst of one of the largest metropolitan areas in the country. The sails of windsurfers and sailboats decorate the Bay when the wind is up. Local hikers, bikers, and campers frequent the slopes of Mount Tamalpais, Mount Diablo and other parks throughout the year.

San Francisco's Union Square is sure to have you gawking and shopping 'til you drop, with haute couture, department stores, and almost every retail chain you can think of, and it's not all the city has to offer. Antiques, art, and unique boutiques of every type abound in other neighbourhoods as well. In-the-know locals go east to Walnut Creek to find many of the same retailers with fewer people and more parking. Silicon Valley's Santana Row and Stanford Shopping Center also draw the savvy shopper, as do downtown retail districts throughout the Bay area.

Spas in the Bay Area are concentrated in three locations: San Francisco, wine country and Silicon Valley. Many luxury hotels in San Francisco feature full-service spas, plus there are many independent spas that offer unique treatments. San Francisco is also home to many world-famous yogis, if you’d like to combine your yoga practice with your spa treatment. Most Silicon Valley spas can be found near major shopping centres. Wine country is home to the most destination spas that offer mineral waters, mud baths, and volcanic ash therapies, in addition to regional-themed grape seed scrubs, and massage with Chardonnay or Cabernet.

The world-renowned Napa Valley  wine region north east of the city is truly a Mecca for food and wine lovers. Nearby, Livermore Valley  is a visitor's haven offering award-winning wines and irresistible hospitality. You’ll also find an abundance of top-rated restaurants throughout the Bay Area, which seems to perpetually outdo itself on the culinary front.