99 Best Sights in The Bay Area, California

One of the Bay Area's most unique attractions is a model of itself. It's a giant—over an acre—hydraulic model of the San Francisco Bay–San Joaquin River Delta (Sacramento area) watershed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, demonstrating how Sierra Nevada snow eventually ends up in the bay. For visitors and tourists alike, it's a fascinating place to learn about one of the most complex, diverse environmental regions in the country.

Just west of the town of Olema, 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.

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, while Sekoya ( 417 California Ave.) is the destination to know for exciting cocktails and contemporary Californian cooking. Mediterranean Wraps’ ( 443 California Ave.) lamb and beef shawarma plates and falafel wraps are a popular choice for the lunchtime crowds. A trio of coffee shops are the morning (and, to be realistic with all of the nearby offices, the afternoon) heart of the corridor, with Backyard Brew ( 444 California Ave.) serving excellent coffees in a hidden garden setting; California Cafe ( 320 California Ave.) offering perfect cortados in a modern space; 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 Sunday 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.

The heart of Downtown Mountain View, this constantly bustling street runs from the Caltrain station (where a few blocks are pedestrian-only for outdoor dining because of the COVID-19 pandemic) to the City Hall complex that includes the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts. Fast-casual restaurants and ramen shops tend to be the main destinations during the daytime, while the bar scene in the evening is livelier than in any other city between San Jose and San Francisco.

A pair of excellent coffee shops anchor the ends of Castro Street: Red Rock Coffee ( 201 Castro St.) and 1 Oz Coffee ( 650 Castro St.). Once you’re caffeinated, make sure to try downtown’s two premier French bakery/pastry shops: Alexander’s Patisserie ( 209 Castro St.) and Maison Alyzée ( 212 Castro St.). Doppio Zero ( 160 Castro St.) is the best restaurant of the crowd directly on the street, serving superb Neapolitan pizzas with an irresistible soft, lightly charred crust. Just off Castro Street is longtime fine-dining icon Chez TJ ( 938 Villa St.), where the careers of many top Bay Area chefs began.

Once an industrial area, this walkable stretch of Fourth Street north of University Avenue has transformed into the busiest few blocks of refined shopping and eating in Berkeley. A perfect stop for lovers of design, curated taste experiences, artful living, and fashion, the vibrant district boasts more than 70 shops, specialty stores, cafés, and restaurants. Find inspiration at Builders Booksource and Stained Glass Garden or sip a perfect drip coffee at Artís, where you can watch small-batch coffee roasting in progress—one pound at a time.

The peninsular coastline’s signature beach is actually a collection of four smaller beaches. All of them are beautiful and all of them will definitely be too cold for swimming beyond a brisk dunk. Each of the beaches has its own facilities and they’re connected by the Coastal Trail, a popular choice for joggers and cyclists. On a clear day, the beaches are absolutely magnificent with the tree-covered Santa Cruz Mountains looming tall behind you and the deep blue of the Pacific right in front of you. The appropriately named crescent-shaped beach has sand for roughly four miles, but its grand setting makes it feel much larger. For a good overview, hit the visitor’s center at Francis Beach (open only on weekends). Amenities: restrooms, showers. Best for: walking, sunset.

Northern California is known for wine, but it's a different buzz at this meadery situated just outside the center of Point Reyes Station. All of the meads are sparkling, made in the Champagne production style. The honey comes from local hives owned by the meadery and from hives around the country and the world. Flavors can vary from Tanzanian miombo wildflower to Oregon white clover blossom. The tasting room is open daily.

It’s hard to miss Stanford’s iconic building named for the 31st president of the United States and class of 1895 alum, Herbert Hoover. At 285 feet tall, it’s the closest thing the Peninsula has to a skyscraper. The domed red-tiled roof with a Belgian carillon underneath it can be seen for miles. For most weeks of the year, visitors can take the elevator up to the top for a panoramic view from San Francisco to the bay and East Bay Hills and to the Santa Cruz Mountains.

The coast has a small but impressive roster of craft breweries, and the best of them is this IPA specialist. The charming taproom and its front patio offer flights and full pours of the beers produced in-house. Beyond the hoppy beers, the brewery also serves a range of styles, from tropical-fruit sours to vanilla-coffee stouts.

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. A free audio guide and a children's scavenger hunt are also available for self-guided tours of the campus.

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 3-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. 

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.). The historic 1920s-era Grand Lake Theatre ( 3200 Grand Ave.) resides just above the northern part of the lake and still features a Mighty Wurlitzer organ before and after some movies.

Situated at the southern end of the San Jose sprawl as the last city stop in the Bay Area before Santa Cruz and the gateway to the Santa Cruz Mountains, Los Gatos is a fun, exciting city that has also maintained its small-town vibe. The downtown area is almost L-shaped, where Santa Cruz Avenue connects with Main Street for two different thoroughfares that feel like one together. Along Santa Cruz, there’s the beautifully renovated art-deco-style Los Gatos Theatre ( 43 Santa Cruz Ave.). Excellent cocktails and seasonal eats are served at The Lexington House ( 40 Santa Cruz Ave.); standout pizzas at Oak & Rye ( 303 Santa Cruz Ave.); notable pastas are offered at The Pastaria & Market ( 27 Santa Cruz Ave.); fantastic breads and pastries from Manresa Bread ( 40 Santa Cruz Ave.); and house-made brews are showcased at Loma Brewing Company ( 130 Santa Cruz Ave.). Elsewhere in downtown on the small side streets are creative cocktails from Los Gatos Soda Works ( 21 College Ave.), the unique gluten-free Italian cooking of Polenteria ( 10 Victory La.), and modern Spanish tapas at Telefèric Barcelona ( 50 University Ave., Suite B270).

Beyond downtown, Los Gatos is a residential city with a variety of neighborhoods and parks. Vasona Lake is a beautiful reservoir within a county park ( parks.sccgov.org) that includes a children's railroad pulled by a steam engine and is a must-visit for families. At the far northern tip of the city is the headquarters of Netflix.

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.

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.

This hospital for distressed, sick, and injured marine animals is a leading center for ocean conservancy in the Bay Area and the largest rehabilitation center of its kind in the world. Dedicated to pioneering education, rehabilitation, and research, the center is free and open to the public. Tour the facilities and see how elephant seals, sea lions, and pups are cared for and meet the scientists who care for them. Bonus: you'll catch some of the best views of the Marin Headlands and San Francisco Bay along the way.

The lumber yard, once a vital center of the region's logging industry, is now a vibrant micro-village of craftsfolk, food artisans, textile makers, and lifestyle designers, and their boutiques and restaurants. You'll even find a chocolate art studio where custom-designed chocolates and truffles may look almost too good to eat. The preserved brick-red historic structures are hard to miss along Miller Avenue, and with plenty of parking in the area, plus picnic tables and outdoor space, it's well worth a visit.

This longtime producer above Saratoga is widely considered the region's Pinot Noir whisperer. Its vineyards date back to 1943, when one of the most iconic names in California wine, Martin Ray, planted them at an elevation of roughly 2,000 feet. Mount Eden also produces outstanding estate Chardonnays and Cabernet Sauvignons. Weekday-only tastings (on the veranda when the weather is pleasant) include four wines and are by appointment only.

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 pedestrian bridge connects directly from the parking lot to the beach, as well as to other coastal paths. There are no lifeguards on duty and the currents can be challenging, so swimming is not advised. Before or after a beach visit, enjoy a view from a scenic overlook above the beach's northern end, accessible via a different parking lot off the Shoreline Highway.  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 architectural centerpiece here is a stark-white 1888 Carpenter Gothic church that overlooks the town and the bay from its hillside perch. Surrounding the church, which was dedicated as a historical monument in 1959, is a wildflower preserve that's spectacular in May and June, when the rare Tiburon paintbrush and Tiburon black jewel flower bloom. Expect a steep walk uphill to reach the preserve. The Landmarks Society arranges guided tours by appointment. The hiking trails behind the Landmark wind up to a peak that has views of the entire Bay Area.

One of the most striking stretches of the peninsular coastline is where Highway 1 meets the road leading to the quaint town of Pescadero. On the other side of the highway is a marsh that is always a great spot for seeing local wildlife and birds. The mile-long beach almost appears like an amphitheater thanks to how the short, steep cliffs block any view of the highway above them. Stroll around and view the majestic rock arch and coves. Amenities: toilets, parking (fee). Best for: walking.

At 115 feet tall, it's impossible to miss this impressive lighthouse that is about halfway between Pescadero and the southern edge of San Mateo County. The lighthouse dates back to 1872, helping boats navigate through the ever-present local fog. The original lens is no longer used, but the Coast Guard still uses a much more modern LED light here to help guide those at sea.

The second "downtown" area of Half Moon Bay, known as Princeton-by-the-Sea, surrounds this beautiful, calm harbor. It's the center of the seafood trade for the coast, and possibly the most important Bay Area fishing wharf other than San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf. Stroll over to Barbara's Fish Trap ( 281 Capistrano Rd.) for some of that fresh catch. For pisco sours and fish in ceviche form, visit La Costanera ( 260 Capistrano Rd.), one of the leading Peruvian restaurants in the Bay Area. Besides eating fish-and-chips and sand dabs, it's a great area for walking or kayaking.

At the edge of the harbor and around a corner resides Mavericks Beach, a somewhat hidden, world-famous surfing spot. Most of the time the waves aren't that notable. However, when the time is right, the best surfers in the world gather here for one of the most prestigious big wave competitions anywhere. Don't even think about trying to surf or swim here.

Birders adore Point Blue Conservation Science, which maintains the Point Reyes Bird Observatory, located in the southernmost part of Point Reyes National Seashore. The surrounding woods harbor nearly 500 bird species—a truly remarkable figure. As you hike the quiet nature trail from the Palomarin Field Station, you're likely to walk by biologists observing the birds in this special habitat, and then later see them at the lab banding birds to aid in the study of their life cycles.

A short waterfront walk from the ferry landing, this free museum in Shoreline Park is a well-preserved time capsule of the city's industrial history, complete with working trains. The Landmark building has a detailed scale model of Tiburon and its 43-acre rail yard at the turn of the 20th century, when the city served as a major railroad and ferry hub for San Francisco Bay. The Depot House Museum on the second floor showcases a restoration of the stationmaster's living quarters.

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.

There is something for everyone at this longtime Downtown favorite. Dating back to 1972, it’s technically still a market (there are a handful of boutiques), but it’s really a lively, vast food hall with more than a dozen tempting choices and plenty of places to sit and watch sports on TVs or enjoy live music outside. Voyager Craft Coffee's espresso drinks and the unique Hawaiian mochi (rice flour) doughnuts by Mochinut are just two of the many must-try vendors here.

A suburban upscale live-work-play complex hardly seems like a typical recommendation for travelers to go visit. However, there aren't many concepts like Springline, which quickly emerged as a kind of second downtown for Menlo Park (just a 5-minute walk from the actual downtown) after opening in 2023. Several notable San Francisco restaurants and food artisans have opened their first branches outside of the city here, including sushi juggernaut Robin, the outstanding Cali-Italian cuisine of Che Fico Parco Menlo, and the beloved Andytown Coffee Roasters. With palm trees and beautiful fountains, the central plaza area of Springline feels like a vacation even for stressed-out workers in the adjacent offices.

Known by locals as The Dish, this radio telescope has served many purposes over the years, including some for the government; it's run by a local research institute, not the university itself. The main reason that everyone comes to The Dish is because of its series of hiking and jogging trails that wind their way around the classic Northern California landscape full of oak trees, spring poppy flowers, and local wildlife, rewarding each workout with stellar views.