11 Best Sights in The Bay Area, California

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.

Palo Alto’s “second downtown” actually was its own town named Mayfield until it joined the neighboring city in 1925. Back then, the main difference between the towns was that Palo Alto was dry and Mayfield was predominantly saloons. Things are quite different a century later; the old Mayfield’s main thoroughfare, California Avenue, is now a favorite dining and shopping destination for the nearby Page Mill Road tech workers and Stanford students.

Térun’s ( 448 California Ave.) Neapolitan pizzas are among the best on the Peninsula, while the Latin cuisine and rum cocktails at La Bodeguita del Medio ( 463 California Ave.), named for Ernest Hemingway’s favorite bar in Havana, have a devoted following. Bistro Elan ( 2363 Birch St.) and Protégé ( 250 California Ave.) are the two fine-dining standard bearers on the street. Mediterranean Wraps’s ( 443 California Ave.) lamb and beef shawarma plates and falafel wraps are a popular choice for the lunchtime crowds. A pair of coffee shops are the morning heart of the corridor, with Backyard Brew ( 444 California Ave.) serving excellent coffees in a hidden garden setting, and the quirky Zombie Runner ( 344 California Ave.) producing a terrific chai tea in addition to coffee from beans roasted by the café (it was previously a running shoe store with a small coffee kiosk, then fully switched and no longer sells shoes). California Avenue really shines every Saturday morning when it hosts what most residents consider the Peninsula’s most impressive farmers' market. And every day of the week, there’s a fun European vibe because it’s now permanently pedestrian-only to expand restaurants' outdoor seating options.

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.

Arguably best known for its remaining apricot orchards, Mountain View's neighbor, Los Altos, is one of the most charming, Main Street USA–evoking downtowns in the Bay Area—well worth a stroll and a lunch break. Anchored by a grand clock at the intersection of its two main streets, the small business area is split between Main Street and State Street, where both run for roughly five blocks. Linden Tree Books ( 265 State St.) is the signature boutique in town, and families drive from many miles away to browse the children's book selection and attend the book talks and other events a few days each month.

Popular breakfast and lunch spots along Main Street include Red Berry Coffee ( 145 Main St.), Manresa Bread ( 271 State St.), Tal Palo ( 149 Main St.) and The American Italian Delicatessen ( 139 Main St.). In the evening, crowds descend upon the contemporary farm-to-table cooking at ASA ( 242 State St.) and Cetrella ( 400 Main St.), contemporary Indian cuisine at Aurum ( 132 State St.), yakitori specialist Sumika ( 236 Plaza Central), and craft cocktails at Amandine Lounge ( 235 1st St.). A five-minute drive from downtown takes you to Chef Chu’s ( 1067 N. San Antonio Rd., Suite 1300), an institution for excellent Chinese cooking.

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.

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.

To see one of the outdoor oases that make Mill Valley so appealing, follow Throckmorton Avenue west from Lytton Square to Old Mill Park, a shady patch of redwoods that shelters a playground and reconstructed sawmill. The park also hosts September's annual Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival. From the park, Cascade Way winds its way past creek-side homes to the trailheads of several forest paths.

The original Point Montara fog signal station was established in 1875. The lighthouse, which originally stood on Cape Cod from 1881 to 1922, was added in 1928, and it still has its original lightkeeper's quarters from the late 1800s; it's the only known lighthouse to have served on both coasts. Gray whales pass this point during their migration from November through April, so bring your binoculars. Visiting hours (9 am to sunset) coincide with morning and afternoon check-in and checkout times at the adjoining youth hostel. Parking is free, but a one-hour time limit is enforced.

Sequoia sempervirens, or coastal redwoods, grow to 150 feet tall in Redwood Regional Park, one of the few spots in the Bay Area that escaped timber-hungry loggers in the 19th century. The 1,830-acre park has forested picnic spots and myriad hiking trails, including part of the 32-mile East Bay Skyline National Trail, which links Redwood to four other parks in the Berkeley–Oakland hills. Also check out adjacent Joaquin Miller Park for beautiful East Bay views and lush forested trails.

There's an unusual historic landmark on the Sausalito Ferry Pier—a drinking fountain inscribed "Have a drink on Sally" in remembrance of Sally Stanford, the former San Francisco brothel madam who became Sausalito's mayor in the 1970s. Sassy Sally would have appreciated the fountain's eccentric attachment: a knee-level basin with the inscription "Have a drink on Leland," in memory of her beloved dog.

Near Loma Prieta, as high as one can go in the Santa Cruz Mountains, this fun winery balances high-quality wines with a more laid-back atmosphere that encourages relaxing all afternoon. There’s a boccie court, splendid vineyard views, and excellent estate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Charcuterie boards are sold for hungry tasting groups, and once a month or so there's a food truck on hand. This is one of the few local wineries that welcomes both children and dogs.