When we think of California, the image of Los Angeles, Hollywood and its glamor, long beaches, national parks and idyllic landscapes always come to mind. In a second place (at least, as far as cities are concerned) it is easy to think of San Francisco , that jewel full of life, color and rhythms that differ so much from other cities in the country and the world.
It is there, in San Francisco, where the heart and soul of “The Bay Area” is located , the region that includes all the towns around the bay. Some of the main cities of “The Bay” (as it is known colloquially) are San Francisco itself, San Jose (the largest city with the largest population) and Oakland.
But today we will make a brief tour of six of his little gems , which have been charming or interesting for various reasons.
Sausalito
This beautiful town is about 25 minutes from San Francisco , although the clearest reference we can make is that it is on the other side of the Golden Gate.
It is a small town of about 7000 inhabitants, among which there are people of high purchasing power who shy away from the frenetic life of the city , as well as (especially in the past) artists and bohemians who love their environment and its characteristic floating houses on the bay of which there are estimated to be more than 400 along its coastal area.
We can arrive in our own car, which takes about 25 minutes from downtown San Francisco or in one of the many tours and public buses that make this trip frequently. On the other hand, for those who are strong, you can walk (about 3 hours from Fisherman’s Wharf to Sausalito) as well as by bicycle (about an hour) , very interesting options for the beauty of the route and to be able to Enjoy the journey quietly. To facilitate the return, some bicycle rentals include the return by ferry to San Francisco (In addition we will avoid paying the Golden Gate toll in both cases!).
You can book your ferry in advance on this website.
Before arriving at Sausalito we find Vista Point , probably the best viewpoint to enjoy the panoramic view of the Golden Gate and the San Francisco skyline . Many of the buses that connect the city with Sausalito stop at Vista Point so your passengers can enjoy and take some pictures of the views. In case of arriving by car, parking is free.
Once in Sausalito we can walk along its promenade (Sausalito Boardwalk) which is, once again, under the hypnotic skyline of San Francisco and is full of shops and restaurants where we can enjoy the products and the friendly local treatment.
If the day is sunny, our next stop should be Rodeo Beach , a small black sand beach with wonderful views of the Pacific Ocean. It is perfect for a walk or a picnic and, in addition, if we are lucky we may see some dolphins swimming happily for it.
Another interesting visit is the Marine Mammal Center, a non-profit veterinary hospital dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of marine mammals. Admission is free, but if you have time and are interested in their work and learn about these mammals, it is highly recommended to take one of their didactic tours for $ 9 adults and $ 5 children (they start daily at 11am, 1pm and 3pm).
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Shark
Again a small town that can be reached by car, which will take us about 35 minutes from San Francisco or opt for a ferry from downtown San Francisco. It is a town with a very marked and picturesque character. This is due to the efforts of Tiburon to preserve the history of the town , so the main street is about maintaining as it was at the time of greatest splendor during the gold rush.
In the tour of the Bay Area is a good place to take a bite to eat and visit small local businesses , because if you only have the intention of visiting Tiburon it will not take long , but it is still advisable to walk around its few but charming streets
Tiburon is also one of the starting points to go to Isla Angel, ideal for hiking, biking or a short walk and a picnic with beautiful views.
Half Moon Bay
To get to Half Moon Bay it is especially advisable to travel by car. This is because if we have time we can choose to take Highway 1 (Hwy 1) that will take us along the coast to our destination (be careful not to follow the fastest route offered by GPS!) In a quiet travel of just over an hour.
When we have traveled 24 kms from San Francisco we will arrive at Point San Pedro and we will be able to see how the urban expansion comes to an end. Our next stop, if traveling calmly, could well be the lighthouse at Point Montara. This old lighthouse that currently offers rooms (necessary to reserve in advance) has a beautiful view of the sea and its beach. Almost without realizing it due to the relaxing of the road we will have arrived at Half Moon Bay (In case of liking the trip in car we will be able to prolong our excursion to Santa Cruz ).
This relatively small town was developed as a holiday area throughout the Victorian era , still remains as a holiday area as weekend hikers and surfers, due to its long beaches. Five blocks make up its main street (Main Street) where you will find local shops, cafes and restaurants with the usual charm of these towns.
As a curiosity, the production of pumpkins is very important in the city , so during the harvest prior to Halloween the Art & Pumpkin Festival is celebrated , which reaches over 250,000 people every October . The festival starts with the World Championship of Pumpkin Raising, where some can exceed 450 kilos.
St. Helena
St. Helena is a city belonging to Napa County . Taking, as always, San Francisco as a reference, is an hour and a half by car from the city . Like the entire county, St. Helena is known for its vineyards and wine production, in fact, given its relevance it is known as “Napa Valley’s Main Street” .
The downtown area is full of charming luxury boutiques, art galleries and cafés located in historic buildings , which is why it is colloquially known as the Napa Dr Rodeo . We will also find a lot of wineries downtown, including the iconic Merryvale Vineyards which was the first in Napa Valley to open after the prohibition of 1933.
We will also find in the city the Silverado Museum , a curious museum about Robert Louis Stevenson , author among other works of “The Island of the Treasure” , with a collection of personal objects of the author. The location is due to the fact that in 1980 the writer, even without any recognition, stayed with his wife in a barracks abandoned in the old Silverado mine , on Mount St. Helena.
Bay Bodega
This quiet and peaceful town serves as a refuge for those San Francisco Sundays who come to enjoy the beaches and tidal lagoons to see whales, fish, surf and eat fish.
But what makes it so special to highlight it in this short summary of the Bay Area ? Undoubtedly, the immortalization of the hand of Alfred Hithcock in his film “Los Pájaros” . And the exteriors of this classic film were filmed in Bodega Bay . We can still get a bit into the atmosphere of the film (we have faith there were many seagulls!) And visit two iconic sites , such as the school and the church, both with commemorative plaques of the film . In addition, the “Tides Restaurant” is still in operation, although already remodeled, where to find souvenirs of the town, as well as of the film, along with some photographs of the filming. Although if we are really interested in merchandising, posters and memorabilia of the film, it is highly recommended to go to the Country Store , which boasts more paraphernalia of Los Pájaros than any other place in the world .
It is easy to find in Bodega Bay many places to eat good fresh fish , but for its originality and to continue linked to the theme of the film we would recommend the “The Birds Cafe” , where we can taste some delicious tacos of fish, fish and chips, Clam chowder and if we’re lucky to go in season, grilled oysters . All this on its terrace overlooking the bay of Bodega Bay.
Muir Woods
The Muir Woods National Monument is an area north of San Francisco famous for its impressive redwoods . These trees reach more than 90 meters high and live more than 1000 years. The highest we will find in this park reaches 79 meters and about 1200 years .
Besides being a very interesting and impressive visit due to the majesty of these trees, it is very close to San Francisco, taking us only about 40 minutes by car from the city, being able to be a quick getaway in case of having a little bit of weather.
The park is open 365 days a year , from 8 in the morning to 5-8 in the afternoon, depending on the season of the year. Admission costs $ 10, being free for children under 16 years.
It is important to know that, although it is not necessary to reserve in case of arriving on foot, by bicycle or on a bus tour , if it is necessary to reserve in case of going in our own car or in the bus (shuttle) that makes the service of liaison with the park. In addition, we must pay $ 8 in this concept . Reservations can be made from the 90 days prior to our visit and it is best to do it as soon as possible , although a small part of the tickets is reserved for tourists who have not made their reservation 5 days before their visit.