Though we love San Francisco, there’s nothing wrong with a weekend getaway! Find some of our favorite nearby destinations, day trips, and hidden gems that are just a quick trip outside of the city.
Hidden under the San Joaquin Valley sits a maze of tunnels, hand-dug into the dirt to escape the heat. These aren't dark, dreary tunnels you might picture. Instead, they are home to thriving gardens with...
Just an hour from San Francisco sits California's first state park, boasting towering redwood groves that are over 1,000 years old. Founded over 100 years ago, Big Basin Redwoods is California’s oldest St...
The former Gold Rush boomtown of Bodie, California, is one of the state’s most striking and best‑preserved ghost towns. Today it survives as Bodie State Historic Park, a lonely cluster of abandoned bu...
Did you know that you can take a bioluminescence kayaking tour in the Bay Area? Blue Waters Kayaking hosts these unbelievable tours on select nights each month, where you can paddle through glowing waters...
Just three hours north of San Francisco sits a unique, stunning botanical garden that is perfect to visit this spring. The Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens are notable not just for the many blooming flow...
Did you know that Muir Woods National Monument hosts free, ranger-led tours after sundown? The scenic national park site usually closes at sunset, so the popular Muir Woods Night Tour offers a unique op...
California is legendary for its numerous epic backcountry treks, like the Pacific Crest Trail, the John Muir Trail, and even the lesser-known Lost Coast Trail. But an exciting new NorCal route is about to...
Just 1.5 hours from San Francisco, hidden in California's scenic Point Reyes National Seashore, two rows of century-old Monterey cypress trees form a natural tunnel. Nature lovers, photographers, and...
Pacific Grove, California, is a small waterfront town just minutes from the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row, and 17-Mile Drive. Its location on the southern edge of the Monterey Bay makes for some...
It's officially spring, which means California has started to bloom with colorful flowers. One of the best places to see spring flowers in the Bay Area is a historic garden and estate — and it's completel...