Page 77 - 2019 Travel Guide to California

GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE in San Francisco,
opposite.
spa town of Calistoga. October 2017
wildfires were devastating to parts of
the wine country, but fewer than 10 of
the region’s 1,200 wineries were
affected. Napa and Sonoma counties
are open and as welcoming as ever to
visitors.
South Bay: Silicon Valley, San
Mateo County & Santa Cruz
In Palo Alto, on the peninsula south of
San Francisco, lies the bucolic campus
of Stanford University, one of the
country’s leading universities. Silicon
Valley—home of Apple, Facebook,
Google, Intel and other high-tech power
houses—has emerged as a center for the
arts, with a vibrant cultural scene and
attractions such as San Jose’s Museum
of Art and its Tech Museum, which pays
homage to the valley’s innovative spirit.
Mountain View’s Castro Street and Palo
Alto’s University Avenue are hopping,
and San Jose’s booming downtown and
Santana Row shopping and dining
center are bustling.
Neighboring San Mateo County’s
coastline still shows its traditional
fishing and agricultural roots. It’s
within a short drive of major popula-
tion centers yet a world away, with its
sprawling artichoke fields and miles of
pristine beaches. Santa Cruz County to
the south offers visitors a wealth of
DRIVE
»
TOUR
Start by crossing the Golden
Gate Bridge driving north,
stopping in SAUSALITO.
Head northwest to MOUNT
TAMALPAIS STATE PARK and
take the steep, twisting road
to the Pantoll Ranger Station
and drive the PANORAMIC
HIGHWAY for ocean, city and
mountain views. Drive to
MUIR WOODS NATIONAL
MONUMENT for a short walk
among redwoods. Head back
toward Sausalito and
Highway 101 and drive north
to the wine country town of SONOMA. Explore its shady plaza,
surrounded by shops, wine tasting rooms and historic sites. From
Sonoma, it’s a short drive to California’s other major wine region, Napa
Valley, and the city of NAPA.
»
MUST
SEE,
DO
» SAN FRANCISCO TOP SIGHTS Fisherman’s
Wharf and Chinatown offer even more reasons to
visit. A redo has made part of the wharf more
pedestrian-friendly and visitors now can buy fish
straight from the boats. The Cartoon Art Museum
opened in late 2017 just east of the re-invigorated
Ghirardelli Square, home to the San Francisco
Brewing Co., which made its debut in 2018. Mean-
while, on the North Beach edge of Chinatown, the
new China Live complex offers an amazing variety
of Chinese food choices.
› sftravel.com
» EAST BAY EXPLORATION Oakland’s
Uptown, Temescal and Piedmont Avenue neighbor-
hoods are newly hip, filled with trendy restaurants,
including Commis, which received two Michelin
stars in 2017. The neighboring university town of
Berkeley also offers much to discover, including the
UC Berkeley campus, the Berkeley Art Museum and
Pacific Film Archive. The outdoors beckons at 2,000-
acre Tilden Park, which has a lovely botanical garden
and steam train that children adore.
› visitberkeley.com
» SONOMA SOJOURN Sonoma County’s vine-
yard-covered landscape was largely undamaged by
the October 2017 wildfires. Dozens of wine-tasting
rooms are open, including in the Russian River
appellation, where visitors stroll among the shops of
Sebastopol, Graton and Forestville and pick up picnic
goodies for alfresco dining while sampling the
county’s famous Pinot Noirs and other varietals.
› sonomacounty.com
» ICONIC HIGH TECH Silicon Valley giants
open parts of their headquarters to visitors. Intel
offers a Tech Museum and Apple’s new futuristic
campus includes a glass-walled visitor center. Face-
book’s Menlo Park campus hosts a Saturday farmers
market and features a thumbs-up (“like”) sign at 1
Hacker Way, a popular spot for selfies. Grab a bite
along nearby Palo Alto’s University Avenue where
Silicon Valley’s elite dine.
› smccvb.com, santaclara.org
» EXPLORE THE OUTDOORS Mount Tamal-
pais and the coast of Marin County just north of the
Golden Gate Bridge are a spectacular playground for
hikers, bikers and anyone who enjoys the outdoors.
Mount Tam affords stunning views and Muir Woods
National Monument on its western flank wows visi-
tors with its towering redwood grove. Oceanfront
towns Stinson Beach and Bolinas have a laid-back
vibe that is part of their charm.
› visitmarin.org
2019 TRAVEL GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA 75