Venturing
beyond San Francisco, visitors experience
a subtle transition. From lush vineyards to
a rugged coastline, surrounding communities
complement The City's many virtues.
North
Just across the world-famous Golden
Gate Bridge lies Marin County, a hill-coated
haven combining the quaint and alluring with
the mighty and majestic. The Alexander Avenue
exit off Highway 101 leads to Sausalito, a
charming Mediterranean look-alike nestled
along an inviting shoreline eight miles north
of San Francisco. Rustic houses cascade down
deep slopes to the bay, overlooking shops
and open-air restaurants. Ferries from San
Francisco make frequent crossings to Sausalito,
as well as the nearby towns of Tiburon and
Larkspur.
San Rafael, Marin's largest city, is 17 miles
from San Francisco. Points of interest include
the Marin Civic Center, designed by Frank
Lloyd Wright. The terrain becomes more challenging
at Mt. Tamalpais State Park, a 6,220-acre
adventure 15 miles from San Francisco off
Highway 101. Two miles beyond Mt. Tam, off
Highway 1, rests Muir Woods National Monument,
a 550-acre preserve of old growth coast redwoods,
some as high as 252 feet and dating back 1,000
years. It's another 18 miles along Highway
1 to Point Reyes National Seashore, a 67,000-acre
ocean park packed with diversions. The visitor
center at Bear Valley is a good starting point
for seashore explorations and features a life-size
model of a Miwok Indian village.
Farther north, stretching 400 miles to the
Oregon border, the small seaside towns of
Bodega Bay, Jenner by the Sea, Sea Ranch,
Fort Ross, Mendocino and Fort Bragg recall
bygone eras. Many a glass has been raised
amid the sprawling countryside of the historic
Sonoma and Napa wine country, one hour north
of San Francisco. The incessant sipping can
be traced to more than 300 wineries.
Three routes make for pleasant exploration:
U.S. 101 north from Santa Rosa, Highways 12
and 121 through Sonoma County, and Highway
29 north from Napa. While traveling 101 north,
be sure and stop in Petaluma, home to charming
Victorians, Adobe State Park (California's
largest) and paddlewheeler riverboat cruises.
East
The East Bay communities of Oakland, Berkeley
and Alameda spring up across the eight-mile
San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, offering
a fascinating mix of culture and history.
Jack London Square and Village is a captivating
collection of shops and restaurants on Oakland's
western waterfront. Lake Merritt in The City's
downtown corridor is ideal for jogging enthusiasts
and midday daydreamers. Berkeley, a well-known
liberal stronghold, is home to the University
of California, offers unique shopping, trend-setting
restaurants and world-renowned cultural and
performing arts. Joe DiMaggio's hometown of
Martinez and the quiet communities of Benicia
and Vallejo, the latter home to Six Flags
Marine World, are within 45 minutes of San
Francisco.
In the Tri-Valley area near Dublin, Livermore
and Pleasanton, 15 award-winning wineries
make this one of the most accessible areas
for wine adventures. Lake Tahoe, a four-hour
drive, is the most coveted jewel in the stunning
Sierra Nevada mountains. Accessible via Highway
50 or 80, it's a skier's paradise with breathtaking
scenery and exciting nightlife, including
gambling (on the Nevada side of the lake).
Yosemite National Park in the heart of Mariposa
County just four hours southeast of San Francisco
is an all season center for recreation and
getaways. Giant glaciers, granite cliffs and
magnificent waterfalls encircle visitors.
South
Nature paints an especially alluring portrait
south of The City; charming resorts spring
up along California's majestic Highway 1 coastline,
while equally enticing escapes await inland.
Pacifica, a charming coastal community just
three miles down Highway 1, offers miles of
hiking trails. Picturesque seaside towns that
include Half Moon Bay and Princeton-by-the-Sea
encourage romantic getaways.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row and
the 17-Mile Drive along Pebble Beach are musts
for Monterey Peninsula visitors. Carmel is
tucked away under a blanket of trees; its
downtown shopping sector resembles a peaceful
turn-of-the-century marketplace. A short distance
beyond Carmel lies the gorgeous grandeur of
Big Sur, a good argument for applying the
brakes.
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