Get Off Here

About 15 years ago, I got a job in Sausalito. Within days, I was eating my lunch on the bay-front rocks while the egrets and pelicans dined on theirs 40 feet away in the San Francisco Bay. I weaved my way through tourists and window shoppers, all of us giddy with the Northern California sun in January. I met the locals in bars and restaurants on Bridgeway. We talked crystal

You don’t come to this part of the South Bay to go shopping and bar hopping, though there is plenty of that. Instead of strolling through the quintessentially cute college town of Palo Alto (you can do that later) when you get off the Caltrain, head a few paces away from the tracks up Palm Drive toward some of the less explored spots of Stanford. Here are four things to

One of our favorite quick escapes from San Francisco is to the quaint seaside town of Sausalito, with its fountain-filled parks, charming souvenir stores, open cafes and magnificent Bay views. Sausalito is delightfully small and at the same time engaging enough to keep one occupied the whole day. Here, eight tips for things to do in Sausalito. 1. Geek out over the new and used tomes at Habitat Books (803 Bridgeway Boulevard, habitatbooks.com). 2. Grab a

Alameda, which lends its name to a large county in the East Bay, is itself an elusive island, to which most non-residents don’t give much thought. But just across the Bay from San Francisco, this small, cozy enclave is a treasure trove of activities, from the cute and quaint to the outdoor adventure to the tad quirky. Here, our five favorite things to do in Alameda. 1. Take a stroll

Situated just outside downtown Oakland, Piedmont Avenue (not to be confused with the city of Piedmont)  is home of some of Oakland’s hippest restaurants and shops. Here you’ll find food for every taste bud, from Vietnamese to pub grub, plus plenty of entertainment. Here, a taste of everything the avenue has to offer

Oakland’s Jack London Square is a fantastic destination for food, shopping, and entertainment. Here’s a list of our top spots

In contrast to Berkeley’s burgeoning, slightly chaotic Telegraph and downtown areas, North Berkeley is deliciously dotted with food joints and specialty markets. These bourgeois blocks, also known as the “Gourmet Ghetto” have become a foodie’s fantasy, largely thanks to Alice Waters’s (the momma of California cuisine and queen of sustainable, responsible, local ingredients) Chez Panisse. And so, from one foodie to another, here are a few of the highlights. Note:

Downtown Berkeley, the heart of this eclectic city, is a blend of business, scholastic, and throwback hippie personalities. Surrounded on all sides by extreme cultural diversity, downtown Berkeley is the perfect balance of urban meets suburban with unique eats, artisan gift shops, and plenty of night and day entertainment options. Make the 15-minute journey and exit the station to meet a motley crew of eccentric Berkeley street-performers—and a whole world