Bay Area Must-Sees

[CaptJack]

Also in the Santa Cruz area, Wilder Ranch State Park has some really beautiful walking paths - one in particular that goes right along the coast with spectacular ocean views. It's just outside of town and easy to get to.

If you're going to the boardwalk/beach area, be warned that traffic and parking are crazy on weekends (it's a small area bounded by the river). Whenever I travel over to San Jose I take the Highway 17 express bus, which I find really convenient. It takes you directly from downtown Santa Cruz to the train station in San Jose (Diridon Station). There's a trolley-style bus that runs from downtown Santa Cruz to the beach for only a quarter too. I can suggest good restaurants (and amazing ice cream) in the downtown area - if you're planning a trip and want more info send me a PM.

If Logos Bookshop, Cafe Chocolat, and Saturn Cafe are still there I highly recommend checking them out. And I definitely recommend Bookshop Santa Cruz. If you go through Felton, Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park/Roaring Camp State Park are must-sees.

Nearly forgot to mention The Land of the Medicine Buddha monastery near Soquel, which has some beautiful grounds and forest trails to walk so long as you avoid stepping on anything living (parking may be difficult, though there are usually some turnout spaces on the road in).

 

[M'Sharak]

I just thought of another thing you can do in San Francisco: walk the Land's End Trail, which runs across Lincoln Park from a point above the Cliff House and Sutro Baths at one end to the China Beach neighborhood at the other. There are some spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge from the Pacific side and of the Marin Headlands across the water. On a clear day, you may also be able to get a glimpse of the Farallon Islands.

Map
Parks webpage

 

[Gryffindorian]

A couple of friends and I dined last year at the Sutro's Cliff House restaurant. The food was excellent and the oceanside view breath-taking.