Residents and visitors alike can find a wide variety of activities to enjoy in the San Francisco Bay Area. When searching for outdoor activities, you can find surfing, hiking, camping and rock climbing throughout the Bay Area. Indoor fun includes activities for adults and children, including museums, ice skating and bowling. In all corners of the bay, you can find world-class dining, cultural attractions and healthy activities to make the most of a weekend getaway or family vacation.
Geography
Bordered by the Pacific Ocean in the west, the San Francisco Bay in the east, the Santa Cruz Mountains in the south and the Marin headlands in the north, the Bay Area offers a wide diversity of landscapes for you to explore. Within a 30-minute to two-hour drive you can find a spectacular beach setting, redwood forests, mountain vistas or lakes and streams.
The Great Outdoors
If you are searching for a weekend or afternoon hiking adventure, you have many options. You can reach the Marin headlands, just across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco, by car, bus, bicycle or by walking across the bridge. Once you arrive, you can explore the Bonita Lighthouse, along with the many forts in the park. Within the city, you can find miles of hiking trails in the Presidio, Lincoln Park and Golden Gate Park.
Water activities in the Bay Area include fishing, sailing, surfing and whale watching. You can catch a wave at Ocean Beach in San Francisco or Point Reyes north of the city. Charter and group fishing boats set sail daily from San Francisco and Half Moon Bay. You can sail across the bay on a commuter ferry, take a sunset dinner cruise or enjoy a San Francisco Bay sightseeing cruise.
Skyline Drive, along the peninsula in the Santa Cruz Mountains, provides a great setting for a day of cycling, with ocean and mountain vistas. Other cycling options include the Marin Headlands, Mt. Tamalpais State Park and Tamales Bay.
Heading Inside
The Yerba Buena center, near Union Square in San Francisco, features an indoor ice skating rink and bowling alley. To discover the culture of the city, you can pay a visit to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, located just across the street. If a rainy day has you down, you can head out to one of the many Bay Area indoor rock climbing gyms.
Family Fun
Safari Run in San Mateo offers fitness activities and nutrition education programs for kids, along with party packages that include fun activities and healthy food. Recess Urban Recreation in San Francisco provides an indoor space for kids to enjoy dress-up events, slides and swings, and features a cafe where parents can enjoy snacks, tea, coffee and free Wi-Fi.
Dining Activities
The San Francisco Bay Area features restaurants serving cuisines from around the world. You can find authentic Japanese, Mexican, Thai, Italian and Chinese restaurants throughout the entire area. Vegetarians can find a wide selection of restaurants serving meat-free dishes and vegan cuisines. A number of farmers markets, in locations such as the Ferry Building in San Francisco and Jack London Square in Oakland, sell organic produce and free-range meats fresh from the farm.
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