46 Best Sights in The Bay Area, California

Excellent tide-pooling can be had along the 3-mile shoreline of Duxbury Reef; it's one of the largest shale intertidal reefs in North America. Look for sea stars, barnacles, sea anemones, purple urchins, limpets, sea mussels, and the occasional abalone. But check a tide table ( usharbors.com) or the local papers if you plan to explore the reef—it's accessible only at low tide. The reef is a 30-minute drive from the Bear Valley Visitor Center. Take Highway 1 South from the center, turn right at Olema Bolinas Road (keep an eye peeled; the road is easy to miss), left on Horseshoe Hill Road, right on Mesa Road, left on Overlook Drive, and then right on Elm Road, which dead-ends at the Agate Beach County Park parking lot. Avoid areas rich with fragile Monterey shale, which are prone to erosion from human disturbance. It is illegal to collect anything from this protected marine area.

A wonder of arches, circles, skylights, and an eye-catching blue roof just 10 miles north of Mill Valley, the Civic Center was Frank Lloyd Wright's largest public project (and his final commission) and has been designated a national and state historic landmark. It's a performance venue and is adjacent to where the always-fun Marin County Fair is held each summer. Ninety-minute docent-led tours begin Friday mornings at 10:30 am.

The only fully restored site of its kind in the United States, the museum at SF-88 provides a firsthand view of menacing Cold War–era Hercules and Ajax missiles and missile-tracking radar, the country's last line of defense against Soviet nuclear bombers. It's worth timing your visit to take the guided tour, which features period uniforms and vehicles and includes a visit to the missile-launching bunker. On the first Saturday of the month the site holds an open house during which Nike veterans describe their experiences.

Few streets in the Bay Area can match the dramatic scenery of Stanford’s entrance from downtown Palo Alto. For about ⅔ mile, palm trees line the street, which runs in a direct straight line towards Memorial Church. The Santa Cruz Mountains emerge on the horizon, and it all looks as if it was framed intentionally for postcards. Palm Drive runs into a giant grass area called the Oval, named for its distinct shape, which revolves around flower plantings shaped as an "S" for Stanford. On sunny days, Stanford students are always out in force studying on the grass or playing Frisbee. It can appear like a university admissions brochure in real life.

In operation since 1870, this lighthouse—which was decommissioned in 1975—occupies the tip of Point Reyes, 21 miles from the Bear Valley Visitor Center, a scenic 40-minute drive over hills scattered with longtime dairy farms. The lighthouse originally cast a rotating beam lighted by four concentric wicks that burned lard oil. Keeping the wicks lighted and the 6,000-pound Fresnel lens soot-free in Point Reyes's perpetually foggy climate was a constant struggle that reputedly drove a few attendants to madness.

The lighthouse is one of the best spots on the coast for watching gray whales. On both legs of their annual migration, the magnificent animals pass close enough to see with the naked eye. Southern migration peaks in mid-January, and the whales head back north in March; see the slower mothers and calves in late April and early May. Humpback whales can be spotted feeding in the summer months.

Parking is limited, and there's a quarter-mile one-way path from the parking lot to the visitor center. Once there, it's time to decide if you have it in you to walk down—and, more importantly, up—the 308 steps to the lighthouse. The view from the bottom is worth the effort, but the whales are also visible from the cliffs above the lighthouse. Keep in mind that the lighthouse steps are open only during visitor center hours. Winds can be chilly, and food, water, gas, and other resources are scarce, so be sure to come prepared.

One of the Bay Area's most spectacular treasures and the only national seashore on the West Coast, the 71,000-acre Point Reyes National Seashore encompasses hiking trails, secluded beaches, and rugged grasslands, as well as Point Reyes itself, a triangular peninsula that juts into the Pacific. The Point Reyes Lighthouse occupies the peninsula's tip and is a scenic 21-mile drive from Bear Valley Visitor Center.

When Sir Francis Drake sailed along the California coast in 1579, he allegedly missed the Golden Gate Strait and San Francisco Bay, but he did land at what he described as a convenient harbor. In 2012 the federal government recognized Drake's Bay, which flanks the point on the east, as that harbor, designating the spot a National Historic Landmark.

The infamous San Andreas Fault runs along the park's eastern edge; take the Earthquake Trail from the visitor center to see the impact near the epicenter of the 1906 earthquake that devastated San Francisco. A half-mile path from the visitor center leads to Kule Loklo, a reconstructed Miwok village of the region's first known inhabitants.

You can experience the diversity of Point Reyes's ecosystems on the scenic Coast Trail through eucalyptus groves and pine forests and along seaside cliffs to beautiful and tiny Bass Lake.

The 4.7-mile-long (one-way) Tomales Point Trail follows the spine of the park's northernmost finger of land through the Tule Elk Preserve, providing spectacular ocean views from high bluffs.

The heart of the Stanford University campus is its distinct Richardsonian Romanesque quad. Stanford’s signature look revolves around red-tiled roofs and palm trees. The focal point of the quad is Memorial Church, a striking memorial built by Jane Stanford to her late husband Leland. The interior boasts stunning mosaics and stained-glass windows. There was originally a bell and clock tower, but that was destroyed by the powerful 1906 earthquake, just three years after the church completed construction. Docent-led tours of the church are held Friday mornings at 11.

Stunning bay views, a scaled-down steam train, and a botanical garden with the nation's most complete collection of California plant life are the hallmarks of this 2,077-acre park in the hills just east of the UC Berkeley campus. The garden's visitor center offers weekend lectures about its plants and information about Tilden's other attractions, including its picnic spots, Lake Anza swimming site, golf course, and hiking trails (the paved Nimitz Way, at Inspiration Point, is a popular hike with wonderful sunset views). Children love Tilden's interactive Little Farm and vintage carousel.

Modern, post–World War II art shines at the neighbor to the Cantor Arts Center, where the impressive collection from Harry W. and Mary Margaret Anderson and Mary Patricia Anderson Pence is displayed. Marquee mid-century artists including Richard Diebenkorn, Jackson Pollock, and Ellsworth Kelly are showcased in a gleaming concrete and glass-heavy building that smartly reflects the contemporary ethos of the artwork inside.

The historic second block of Main Street is known as Ark Row and has a tree-shaded walk lined with antiques shops, restaurants, and specialty stores. The quaint stretch gets its name from the 19th-century ark houseboats that floated in Belvedere Cove before being beached and transformed into stores. If you're curious about architectural history, the Tiburon Heritage & Arts Commission has a self-guided walking-tour map, available online and at local businesses.

This one-of-a-kind education center focuses on a sprawling 1½-acre model of the entire San Francisco Bay and Sacramento–San Joaquin River delta system, complete with flowing water. Now open for public exploration, the model has been used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to reproduce the rise and fall of tides, the flow of currents, and the other physical forces at work on the bay.

Tucked in the Olema Valley, this welcoming center is a perfect point of orientation for trails and roads throughout the region's unique and diverse ecosystem. It offers a rich glimpse of local cultural and natural heritage with engaging exhibits about the wildlife, history, and ecology of the Point Reyes National Seashore. The rangers at the barnlike facility share their in-depth knowledge about beaches, whale-watching, hiking trails, and camping. Restrooms are available, as well as trailhead parking and a picnic area. Hours vary seasonally; call or check the website for details.

California's oldest state park is the best place to see old-growth redwoods without going north of San Francisco, and it's far less crowded than Muir Woods. The parkland ranges from sea level up to 2,000 feet in elevation, which means the landscape changes often, from dark redwood groves to oak pastures that are deep green in winter and bleached nearly white in summer. The countless waterfalls are the most visible during the winter and spring rains. To get a feel for the redwoods, take the Redwood Loop Trail, an easy half-mile path, great for kids, that takes in some of the tallest trees here, including the Mother of the Forest and the Father of the Forest. Pick up the trail from the parking lot across from the visitor center, inland at park headquarters in Boulder Creek. A brochure you can pick up here points out significant trees along the way.

If you have a little more time, consider taking the Sequoia and Skyline to the Sea trails for a 4-mile loop that takes you past a pioneer family cabin to a platform overlooking Sempervirens Falls, up the slope of Slippery Rock, and then along stretches of Opal Creek (where you meet up with Skyline to the Sea).

Hikers looking for a challenge might consider the strenuous but scenic 9.5-mile trek from Rancho del Oso valley (accessed on the western portion of the park, east of Highway 1) uphill to Chalk Mountain, which meanders along a ridge with sweeping views of the park and coast before steeply descending by way of the Whitehouse Ridge Trail. Look for the Clark Connection, up Canyon Road, as your starting point.

A short walk from the highway on the Marsh Trail leads to the Rancho Del Oso Nature Center (www.ranchodeloso.org). Open on weekends from noon to 4, the center has natural-history exhibits and is the starting point for several self-guided nature walks.

Stanford’s main art museum is a wonderful indoor-outdoor mix, where it’s easy to linger for two or three hours. Outside is the acclaimed Rodin Sculpture Garden, home to the one of the largest collections of the legendary French sculptor’s works in the U.S. Inside, beyond the ornate opening steps and grand entry hall are two levels of galleries that mix modern works with rotating exhibitions, indigenous American art, and classical European and American paintings.

Moss Beach's biggest attraction is the spectacular Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, a 3-mile stretch of bluffs and tide pools that occupy 32 acres. Since the reserve was protected in 1969, scientists have discovered many new aquatic species. The best time to visit is during a zero or negative low tide, when you're likely to find crabs, anemones, urchins, and sea stars. Volunteer naturalists are around to answer questions on the weekends. Self-guided tours available, but pets are not allowed.

The town comes to life—and traffic to a standstill—on the third weekend in October, when some 250,000 people gather for the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival. Highlights include a parade, pie-eating contests, live music, plenty of pumpkin-themed food and drink, and a "weigh-off" of giant pumpkins, some more than 1,900 pounds.

At 923 feet tall, craggy Hawk Hill is the best place on the West Coast to watch the migration of eagles, hawks, and falcons as they fly south for winter. The main migration period is from September through October, and the modest Hawk Hill viewing deck is about 2 miles up Conzelman Road from U.S. 101; look for a Hawk Hill sign and parking right before the road becomes one way. In September and October, on rain- and fog-free weekends, docents from the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory give free lectures on Hawk Hill; call ahead of time for details.

An outcropping of nature in a sea of North Berkeley homes, this is an unbeatable spot for a sunset picnic. Look for amateur rock climbers, after-work walkers, and cuddling couples, all watching the sun sinking beneath the Golden Gate Bridge. Come early to grab a spot.

Like the tide-pool section of an aquarium—except in real life—this protected area is on every must-visit list for school field trips and anyone interested in marine biology. This is one of the premier California coast places to see sea stars, crabs, and the other aquatic creatures who inhabit this unique marine ecosystem. Be careful walking around; tide pools are slippery and full of wildlife. There are trails for enjoying views from above. The reserve's website has a handy self-guided tour brochure.

This center is the starting point for free, student-guided tours of the Cal-Berkeley campus, which last 1½ hours and require an online reservation. You can also visit the website to schedule a virtual campus visit with a student ambassador.

This center is the starting point for free, student-guided tours of the Cal-Berkeley campus, which last 1½ hours and require an online reservation. You can also visit the website to schedule a virtual campus visit with a student ambassador.

Runners, joggers, and power walkers charge along the 3.4-mile path that encircles this 155-acre heart-shaped natural saltwater lake. Crew teams glide across the water and boatmen guide snuggling couples in authentic Venetian gondolas (fares start at $60 per couple for 30 mins; 510/663–6603, gondolaservizio.com), while yogis, jugglers, and picnickers look on from the shore. Lakeside Park, which surrounds the north side of Lake Merritt, has several outdoor attractions, including the small children's park, Children's Fairyland (699 Bellevue Ave.), and the Lake Merritt Wildlife Sanctuary, a water and air fowl haven that was also North America's first wildlife refuge. Don't miss the nearby Grand Lake neighborhood, centering on the parallel strips of Lakeshore Avenue and Grand Avenue, for good browsing and even better eating.

In the center of Oakland just east of downtown, this tidal lagoon with its unique habitat for more than 100 bird species became the country's first wildlife refuge in 1870. Today the three-mile path around the lake is a refuge for walkers, bikers, joggers, and nature lovers. Lakeside Park has Children's Fairyland ( 699 Bellevue Ave.) and the Rotary Nature Center ( 600 Bellevue Ave.). The Lake Merritt Boating Center ( 568 Bellevue Ave.) rents kayaks and rowboats (from $18; cash only).

On the lake's south side, the Camron-Stanford House ( 1418 Lakeside Dr.) is the last of the grand Victorians that once dominated the area; it's open Sundays for tours. Nearby, bold Oakland mural art offers a more modern feast for the eyes ( Between Madison and Webster Sts. and 7th and 11th Sts.).

The lake's necklace of lights adds allure for diners heading to Lake Chalet ( 1520 Lakeside Dr.), as well as to a host of tasty options along Grand Avenue, from Ethiopian cuisine at Enssaro ( 357A Grand Ave.) and Korean barbecue at Jong Ga House ( 372 Grand Ave.) to comfort gourmet at Grand Lake Kitchen ( 576 Grand Ave.).

Mill Valley locals congregate on weekends to socialize in the coffeehouses and cafés near the town's central square, but it's buzzing most of any day of the week with the lunchtime crowd, tourists, and Marin residents running errands. The Mill Valley Depot Café & Bookstore at the hub of it all is the place to grab a coffee and sweet treat while reading or playing a game of chess. Shops, restaurants, and cultural venues line the nearby streets.

Tiburon's narrow Main Street is on the bay side; you can browse the shops and galleries, walk with a coffee or gelato, or relax on a restaurant deck jutting out over the harbor.

The stunning headlands stretch from the Golden Gate Bridge to Muir Beach, drawing photographers who perch on the southern heights for spectacular shots of the city and bridge. Equally remarkable are the views north along the coast and out to the ocean, where the Farallon Islands are visible on clear days. Hawk Hill (accessed from Conzelman Road) has a trail with panoramic views and is a great place to watch the fall raptor migration; it's also home to the mission blue butterfly.

The headlands' strategic position at the mouth of San Francisco Bay made them a logical site for military installations from 1890 through the Cold War. Today you can explore the crumbling concrete batteries where naval guns once protected the area. Main attractions are centered on Forts Barry and Cronkhite, which are separated by Rodeo Lagoon and Rodeo Beach, a dark stretch of sand that attracts sandcastle builders and dog owners.

If you're curious about the rehabilitation of marine mammals from the Pacific—and the human practices that endanger them—stop by this research hospital and rehabilitation center for rescued aquatic creatures. An observation area overlooks pools where sea lions and seals convalesce, and informational exhibits explain the center's history and work. You'll learn even more—and get closer to the animals—on a 45-minute docent-led tour.

A 1,000-acre wildlife sanctuary along the Bolinas Lagoon, this Audubon Canyon Ranch preserve gets the most traffic during late spring. Quiet trails through the rest of the preserve offer tremendous vistas of the Bolinas Lagoon and Stinson Beach. On Saturdays, ranch guides are posted throughout to point out animals—including waterbirds, shorebirds, bobcats, and coyotes—and answer questions. During the week, check in at the small bookstore and take a self-guided tour.

In the center of Santa Clara University's campus is the Mission Santa Clara, the site of the first college of higher learning in California (est. 1851). Some of the roof tiles of the current building, a reproduction of the original, were salvaged from earlier structures, which dated from the 1770s and 1820s. Restored original adobe walls (1822) and a spectacular rose garden (viewable, but not open to the public) remain intact as well.

Small but scenic, this beach—a rocky patch of shoreline off Highway 1—is a good place to stretch your legs and gaze out at the Pacific Ocean. Locals often walk their dogs here; families and cuddling couples come for picnicking and sunbathing. At the northern end of the beach are waterfront homes (and occasional nude sunbathers), and at the other are the bluffs of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. A land bridge connects directly from the parking lot to the beach, as well as to a short trail that leads to a scenic overlook and connects to other coastal paths. There are no lifeguards on duty and the currents can be challenging, so swimming is not advised. Amenities: parking (no fee); toilets. Best for: solitude; sunset; walking.