Some of our favorite things to see and do in the Bay Area

Published April 9, 2019

We have a reasonable number of friends and family come to stay and we often end up scrambling for suggestions (in fact we have friends on the way over as I write this). To try and avoid that in the future and for the benefit of others, here’s our curated list of places and things we like to do! I’ve purposely left out many of the classic tourist destinations but you should absolutely do those too!

Hiking

Palomarin Trail: Coastal hiking near Bolinas with ocean views and lakes along the way. This is also a starting point for the longer hike to Alamere Falls - check the park’s route and tide guidance before setting out.
Oakland Redwood Forest: Redwood Regional Park is a great escape in the Oakland hills, with shady trails through towering redwoods. It’s easy to forget how close you are to the city.
Muir Woods: An impressive old-growth redwood forest in Marin with easy paths through the trees and longer hikes into the surrounding hills. A good option for visitors who haven’t seen California’s redwoods before; check parking arrangements ahead of time.
Stinson Beach: Just past Muir Woods and you’re at Stinson Beach.
Inspiration Point, Tilden Park: A good starting point for a walk along Nimitz Way, a paved trail with wide views across the East Bay hills. You can keep it short or head further out if you’re feeling energetic.
Briones Regional Park: Rolling hills and open countryside between Orinda and Martinez, with plenty of trails to explore. A nice contrast to the redwood forests, although the exposed stretches are better tackled on a cooler day.
Lands End: A coastal walk at the northwestern corner of San Francisco with great views towards the Golden Gate Bridge. Combine it with a look around the Sutro Baths ruins for a good half-day outing.
Stanford Dish: Near Stanford University this is a very light paved hike/run with a nice backdrop.
Lake Chabot: A reservoir near Castro Valley with waterside trails and picnic spots. Good for a relaxed walk, or you can venture into the surrounding hills for something a little more demanding.
Ross, Marin: Natalie Coffin Greene Park is a starting point for walks towards Phoenix Lake. A nice combination of woodland and water, with longer routes into the Mount Tamalpais watershed.

Food

Chez Pannise: Famous Berkeley restaurant founded by Alice Waters and known for its involvement in the organic food movement and helping define Californian cuisine. The restaurant must be booked weeks in advance (cancellations possible) and has a set menu that ranges from $60-110 or so. The “cafe” is a la carte, easier to book and also excellent.
Lo Coco’s: Excellent family run and authentic Sicilian cuisine with locations in North Berkeley and Piedmont Avenue, Oakland. Great food at reasonable prices.
Great China: Downtown Berkeley modern and upscale Chinese restaurant. Great for larger groups with round Lazy Susan tables.
Yank Sing: Based in San Francisco, this is a relatively upscale Chinese restaurant with two locations (the Rincon Center location also has a takeout). Great for dim-sum.
Cheeseboard Pizza or Sliver: Cheeseboard is Berkeley’s famous pizza restaurant on Shattuck Avenue in the “Gourmet Ghetto”. You often see lines going around the block and a jazz band playing inside, they have one pizza each day and it’s always vegetarian. It’s a unique sourdough style and I like it. Sliver was founded by some Cheeseboard employees has similar pizzas but a slightly more commercial approach with multiple locations.
Top Dog: This is a solid hot dog joint with two locations in Berkeley, well known by anyone who’s gone to school here. The Durant Avenue branch is open late.
Artichoke Pizza: This is a takeout pizza joint on Durant Avenue. It’s open late every night and does excellent slices - especially their signature Artichoke Pizza.
Jasmine Blossom Thai: This is one of our favorite Thai restaurants and we’ve tried most of them! Based in Emeryville, it’s clean and comforting inside. The food is excellent and the prices are around $10-15 for a main dish.
Cha-Ya: Vegetarian Sushi restaurant on Shattuck Avenue in North Berkeley. I’ve never had sushi quite like this and it really is tasty and very well presented. Cash only and feels somewhere between a restaurant and canteen inside.
Tony’s Pizza: A North Beach pizza destination with a menu spanning Neapolitan, New York and other styles. A good place to compare a few different pizzas if you’re going with a group.
In-n-Out: You can’t visit California and not go to In-n-Out. Classic American burger chain with friendly and clean service, a limited but excellent menu with a few hidden extras.
Chick-fil-A: Another American classic, famous for it’s Chick-fil-A Sandwich and very friendly service. The closest one is in Walnut Creek but worth a drop in if you’re going shopping.
Comal: Upscale Mexican restaurant in downtown Berkeley with decent food at fair prices. Nice atmosphere in here and a nice area out back for drinks.
Benchmark Pizza: Excellent Neapolitan Pizza restaurant in Kensington that is reasonably priced, family friendly and has good ambiance.
Crepevine: A solid brunch spot with outdoor seating and locations in Rockridge and Berkeley.
Rangoon Ruby: Burmese restaurant in downtown Palo Alto, great quality food and a decent atmosphere. Can get busy so reservations recommended.
Sotto Mare: Authentic Italian seafood restaurant in North Beach, San Francisco. Fast although sometimes pointed service, gets busy so reservations recommended especially to get a table upstairs or outside.
Skates on the Bay: On a stilted building in Berkeley Marina, this is a solid seafood restaurant but the best thing is the view - try to book early to get a window table.
Kokkari Estiatorio: Fantastic Greek restaurant in San Francisco. High quality food, excellent ambiance and prices to match. Reservations recommended.
Burma Superstar: Burmese restaurant in Temescal, Oakland. Superb food, famous for their Tea Leaf Salad. They don’t take reservations over the phone so you often see a big crowd of people outside.
Hog Island Oyster Co in Tomales Bay: If you’re in to Oysters this could be for you, and rather than go to the SF branch, best to make a trip to Tomales Bay where they farm them.
Chez Maman: Cute French restaurant in Dog Patch with excellent food and service. I’ve only ever had the burger here but it’s one of the best.
House of Prime Rib: Another San Francisco classic, if you’re in to Prime Rib it doesn’t get much better and you’re guaranteed to leave full. They also have fish dishes for pescatarians. Reservations required.
Madera at Rosewood: This is an upscale Michelin starred restaurant in the Rosewood Hotel on Sandhill Road (Menlo Park, South Bay). Excellent food, service and views.
Nick’s Pizza: Hole in the wall pizza joint in Bushrod, Oakland (where I live!) - great authentic sour dough crust pizza at great prices!

Drinks

Eureka: American style pub with a good selection of beers, wines and spirits. They have a “steal the glass” event every Wednesday where for one beer, you get to keep the branded glass when you’re finished. Solid pub style food here too.
Drakes Dealership: This is quite a unique pub in Oakland, converted from a used car dealership. It is a large space with indoor and outdoor sections and an excellent lively vibe.
Rosewood: If you want to see where VCs, lawyers and startup executives let off some steam this is a good place to come. Thursday night’s have an interesting history too.
Beer Barron: Solid bar in Rockridge, Oakland.
Freehouse: Right next to Berkeley campus, a pub with great ambiance in an older building. Outdoor seating is nice too with decent food.
The Big Five:
The Claremont: The historic hotel in the Berkeley hills is a nice spot for a drink with views across the Bay. More of a dressed-up hotel bar than a neighborhood pub, with prices to match.
The Starry Plough: A long-running Berkeley pub with live music and a distinctly local feel. Check the calendar for Irish music, dancing and other performances before choosing a night.
Novela: A book-themed cocktail bar in San Francisco with colorful bookshelves, literary-inspired drinks and punch on tap. A fun option if you’re after something a little different from a standard bar.
The Tonga Room: A wonderfully over-the-top tropical bar inside the Fairmont in San Francisco, complete with an indoor lagoon, simulated rainstorms and a band on a floating boat. Go for the atmosphere as much as the drinks.
Sens Bar: Mediterranean restaurant and bar above the Embarcadero with a terrace overlooking the Bay. A good option for drinks and a bite to eat near the waterfront.

Things to see

University of California, Berkeley campus: Berkeley has an awesome campus with varied architecture and landscape. Be sure to check out the campanile (you can go up it for great views at the top and to watch the carillon being played), the business school, Sproul Plaza (site of the Berkeley Free Speech Movement), the T-Rex in the Valley Life Science Building and the Bancroft Library.
Stanford University campus: In contrast to Berkeley, Stanford’s campus is vast, a little more homogenous, immaculate and filled with gems. It’s a perfect campus to walk or cycle around. Check out the Rodin Sculpture Garden, the Chapel, the Graduate School of Business, the Oval, the Art Gallery and of course the Main Quad.
Filoli: This is a stately home in Woodside (South Bay) set over 16 acres. Take a walk around the garden, the house and go on a hike.
Lindsay Wildlife Center: This is a wildlife rehabilitation center in Walnut Creek with a museum. You can see many animals including owls and birds of prey.
Oakland Zoo: A good family outing in the Oakland hills, with animals ranging from giraffes to grizzly bears. Allow time to explore rather than trying to squeeze it into a quick stop.
California Academy of Sciences: An aquarium, planetarium, rainforest and natural history museum all under one roof in Golden Gate Park. Plenty to keep both adults and children occupied, and easy to combine with a walk in the park.
The Exploratorium: A hands-on science museum at Pier 15 on the Embarcadero, full of things to touch, test and figure out. Just as much fun for curious adults as it is for children.
Treasure Island: Great views of San Francisco. Also some great restaurants/cafe’s here.
Coit Tower: The tower on Telegraph Hill has panoramic city and Bay views, plus murals depicting life in California in the 1930s. A nice addition to a walk around North Beach if you don’t mind the climb up the hill.
Alcatraz: Just be sure to book early!
China Town: Choice of both San Francisco and Oakland China towns.
Chabot Observatory: Friday night star gazing.
Laurence Hall of Science: This is a science museum up in the Berkeley Hills and close to Lawrence Berkeley Labs, where the first cyclotron was developed and Berkelium was discovered. The views here are killer too.
SFMOMA: A large modern and contemporary art museum in downtown San Francisco. Check the exhibitions before going and give yourself a few hours rather than trying to see everything in a rush.
Lunch in North Beach: San Francisco’s Italian neighborhood is a good place to wander, find some pasta or pizza and stop for a coffee. Easy to combine with Coit Tower or a walk through Chinatown.
Explore the Mission: Go for the murals, taquerias and shops, then find a spot in Dolores Park if the weather is good. It’s a different side of San Francisco from the waterfront and downtown tourist stops.
De Young Museum: An art museum in Golden Gate Park with varied collections and rotating exhibitions. The observation tower is worth a look for its views over the park and city.
Palace of Fine Arts: A grand domed rotunda and colonnades beside a lagoon in the Marina. More of a place to stroll and take photos than a full-day attraction, and easy to combine with nearby Crissy Field.
Legion of Honor: An art museum in Lincoln Park with European paintings, sculpture and an impressive classical building. Pair it with a walk at Lands End for a mix of art and coastal scenery.

Shop

Livermore Premium Outlets: Now called San Francisco Premium Outlet mall even though it’s nowhere near, this is a huge outlet mall complex with about every shop you can imagine. You can probably get all of your shopping done here.
4th Street, Berkeley: This is an upscale shopping area in West Berkeley. They have an Apple Store here, an Amazon 4-Star shop, Sephora, the Berkeley Vivarium, Anthropologie, Soul Cycle, Warby Parker and more.
Walnut Creek: Downtown Walnut Creek has turned in to an excellent shopping destination with plenty of shops along the lines of 4th Street (above).
Stanford Shopping Mall: Another upscale shopping mall with some of the high end brands. Very close to Stanford University.
Westfield San Francisco: Just off Market Street in San Francisco, this is a large shopping mall with a good variety of shops and a large food court in the basement.
Union Square: Many of the expensive fashion shops are dotted around Union Square with several flagship stores on Union Square itself such as Nike, Neiman Marcus and Apple.
The North Face Outlet: Based in Berkeley, the North Face Outlet can be hit or miss but you can sometimes find a great bargain.
Costco and Walmart: I love shopping at these places, mainly because of the breadth of items and the every day low prices.

Things to book

Theatre & Performances: Berkeley Rep, Shotgun Players, Orinda Theatre, Zellerbach Hall & Cal Performances, Berkeley Jazz School, Fox Theatre.
Music: Greek Theatre, Bill Graham Auditorium, SF Symphony, UC Theatre, Cal Performances, StubHub
Sport: SF Giants, Oakland A’s, Cal Football, 49ers, Cal Basketball, Bank of the West Classic (Tennis)

Events

General: There are no end of talks, meetups and conferences happening throughout the Bay Area. If you’re interested be sure to check university events pages, MeetUp (the app), Eventbrite, Facebook events, the Commonwealth Club.
Alameda Antiques Fair: First Sunday of the month
Oakland Art Murmur: First Friday of the month
Sonoma Raceway: If you haven’t seen drag racing before it’s well worth watching! Check out their events calendar to see what’s going on.

Day trips

Cycle across the Golden Gate Bridge: If you like cycling, this a must. There are several variations but the best is starting at Embarcadero, cycling along the waterfront, past Fisherman’s Wharf and Fort Mason, up and across the bridge, through Sausalito and then on to Tiburon. Either from Sausalito or Tiburon you can catch a ferry back to Embarcadero and return your bike if needed. With stops and lunch it can take a whole day. You could also add in Angel Island by ferry too.
Drive to Napa: If you want to see wine country a Napa tour is a great place to start. Napa Valley is actually quite big so you may only want to fit in two or three wineries. There are some great tours, some of which you have to book in advance, others that are more commercial and you can just show up. Napa is about 1hr drive from Oakland and occasionally longer on the way back around 5pm with traffic.
Drive to Sonoma: Similar to Napa but perhaps less commercial, Sonoma has some great wineries and is home to the raceway.
Drive to Santa Cruz: A classic California beach town with a seaside amusement park right on the sand. Spend some time at the Boardwalk, walk by the ocean and leave room for a relaxed lunch.
Silicon Valley Tour: Walk around the Googleplex, have your photo taken by the Facebook like sign, go to the Goole and Apple visitor stores, check out the Computer Science Museum and drive by the garage where HP was founded. Also check out Stanford University while you’re there.
Half Moon Bay: A good coastal escape with long beaches, walks and a small downtown to explore. Bring a layer even when it’s warm inland - the coast can feel like a different season.
Cycle from Napa to Yountville: This is a nice bike ride that goes past many wineries and avoids most of the traffic.
Cycle from Oakland/Berkeley to Treasure Island: You can now cycle from Oakland/Berkeley to Treasure Island using the pedestrial/cyclist part of the Bay Bridge. It’s a nice cycle ride with some great views and there are good places to eat on Treasure Island.
University of California, Davis: A spacious campus in a bike-friendly college town, with an arboretum that’s well worth a wander. Combine a campus walk with lunch downtown for an easy day out.
University of California, Santa Cruz: A campus spread through redwood forest and open meadows above Santa Cruz. Quite different from Berkeley or Stanford, and worth exploring alongside a visit to the university’s arboretum.

Longer trips

Yosemite: About 4 hours drive
Lake Tahoe: About 4 hours drive
Los Angeles: About 6 hours drive with a stop
Big Sur: Dramatic coastline south of Carmel, with cliffs, redwoods and plenty of places to stop and take in the scenery. Best enjoyed without rushing; check road and park conditions before planning your route.
Monterey and Carmel: A good weekend combination: the aquarium and waterfront in Monterey, then the beach, shops and galleries in Carmel. The coastal scenery is a big part of the attraction, so leave time for a walk.
Mendocino: A small coastal village north of the Bay Area with galleries, places to eat and walks along the headlands. A good choice for a quieter weekend with plenty of ocean scenery.
Redwood National and State Parks: Further up the Northern California coast, these parks combine enormous old-growth redwoods with wild coastline. Worth allowing a few days for the journey and walks through the forest rather than treating it as a quick stop.

Vinyards

Peju: A Rutherford winery with attractive gardens and a range of tasting experiences. A nice stop on a Napa trip; book ahead so you can choose the tasting that suits your group.
Chateau St Jean: A Sonoma Valley winery in Kenwood with a historic chateau and landscaped gardens. The setting is part of the appeal, so allow a little time to enjoy it alongside your tasting.
Hendry Winery: Based near downtown Napa and started by George Hendry, a physicist who graduated from Berkeley and worked on early Cyclotrons. He has a scientific approach to wine making and his tour is an excellent one, be sure to book.
Thomas Fogarty Winery: Based in Woodside in South Bay this winery was founded by legendary namesake cardiothoracic surgeon and prolific medical device inventor (including the Fogarty Embolectomy Catheter). I haven’t visited this one yet but it’s next on my list!
Hall: A St. Helena winery known for Cabernet Sauvignon and contemporary art around the property. A good option if you’d enjoy combining a tasting with something a little more visual.

Parks

Golden Gate Park: A huge park with gardens, museums, lakes and plenty of space to wander or cycle. Pick a few things to see rather than trying to cover it all; the Japanese Tea Garden is a good starting point.
Crissy Field: A flat waterfront walk with beaches and great views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Good for a relaxed stroll or picnic, although it can get windy.
Memorial Glade: A broad lawn in the middle of Berkeley campus, near the libraries. A nice place to sit with a coffee or a picnic and take a break from walking around the university.

Cafes

Cars

Cars and Coffee: Informal car meets where owners bring everything from classics to modern performance cars and chat over a coffee. A good way to indulge an interest in cars without buying another one - check local listings for the next meet.
Test drive a Tesla: If you haven’t driven an electric car, a demo drive is a good way to experience the acceleration and different approach to controls. Book through Tesla and check the requirements for your chosen location.
Sonoma Raceway: A proper motorsport venue in wine country, with racing, drag events and driving experiences. Check the calendar before heading up so there’s something on that interests you.