While not as large as some of its neighbors, Berkeley carries more punch per square mile than any other city in the Bay Area. While its reputation as a liberal city ensures plenty of opportunities for people watching, preparation goes a long way in having the right experience.There are surprises to be had in this community north of Oakland. Do not act surprised if and when you come across a protest just go with the flow and rest assured that more conventional entertainment can also …More

While San Francisco is the crown jewel of Northern California, beyond the city limits lays a collection of distinctive attractions that no visitor should miss out on. The surrounding Bay Area counties each offer their own exciting points of interest, from charming seaside small towns to picturesque parks and famed universities to renowned wineries that all combine to enhance the region’s allure. Since most are less than an hour away and accessible by public transportation or even by bicycle, be sure to …More

Discover the neighborhood where the counter culture was created that transformed modern society by tripping through San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury. Home to the hippies, psychedelic rock stars and the Summer of Love, the City by the Bay’s renowned birthplace of the ethos of peace, love, freedom and happiness reached the apex of its celebrity in 1967 as the center of the youth movement that swept around the world. Millions of young people descended on the area, “turning on, tuning in and dropping …More

Blessed with picture postcard views and neighborhoods of incomparable charm, San Francisco is the city where everyone leaves their heart, as the song lyric goes. Whether wandering foggy streets with your arm snuggled around a lover, stealing a kiss from your sweetheart in a hilltop park on a bright sunny day as a spectacular view stretches out below you, sharing a bottle of fine Napa wine with the object of your affection overlooking the bay or whispering sweet nothings to each other over cocktails in an elegant …More

It’s no secret that San Francisco was a slightly dirtier place in the 1960s. Video footage of hippies in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, for example, suggests that bathing standards were significantly lower at that time. But these days, San Franciscans have taken a strong interest in maintaining their bodies. Across the city, people visit luxury spas to keep themselves limber and healthy. If you’re looking to get pampered, you’re hard-pressed to do better than the Nob Hill Spa at the Huntington …More

There are plenty of ways to get around San Francisco in style—you can wind your way down Lombard Street’s hairpin turns in a sports car or take the city’s iconic streetcars up its legendary hills. But these days, tourists have another way to see the city: bikes. It makes sense, too, since the city was one of only 11 that earned the American League of Bicyclists’ “Gold” level of bike-friendliness. Blazing Saddles will outfit visitors with a bike rental, give them a brief safety …More

The first rule of Viracocha is—do not talk about Viracocha! The second rule of Viracocha is—do not talk about. Ok, I think you get the point. Viracocha, on the record, is not a concert venue, but occasionally, when you do not get the invite, and a band is not playing—the show you will not see is bound to be something memorable, if you catch my meaning. Viracocha is located on the artistic and quant corner of Valenica and 21 Street just a block up from the slightly more colorful Mission …More

  Discover how a prominent Jewish family lived life in Victorian era San Francisco with a visit to the Haas-Lilienthal House.  It is like traveling back in time to the 1890s when San Francisco was the richest, most important metropolis west of the Mississippi. Designed in the Queen Anne style by celebrated local architect Peter Schmidt, the enchanting, 24-room home was constructed in 1886 for William Haas, a prosperous wholesale merchant, his wife Bertha and their three children.  Mr. and Mrs. …More

If you’re one of those dreamers who’ve always wished you could fly or at the very least, wished you could try bouncing off the walls of a padded cell, sans straitjacket of course, now you’ve got your chance at the House of Air down at Crissy Field. Once a historic hangar for military aircraft, the building is now home to a massive indoor trampoline park.  Upon entering, you are immersed in an industrial playground constructed of 10,000 springs, 2,000 tons of steel, 400 feet of safety net …More

Skip the same old Friday nights and head over to Fort Mason Center from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m. for an only in San Francisco party featuring the finest in gourmet street food.  The food truck revolution that has swept the country has reached its apex in the City at Off the Grid, a weekly foodie party where you can sample the offerings of up to 30 innovative and passionate chefs. While cooked up in and served out of trucks, this is unique, creative fare made with locally sourced ingredients served in a lively, …More

Where else in San Francisco are you able to attend a lecture titled “Eat, Drink and Be Mindful,” take a fitness class called “Yoga for the Inflexible,” eat a warm corned beef sandwich or a Peace Platter with hummus, falafel, baba ganoush, quinoa, feta, olives and pita, and then pick up an Israeli cell phone for your upcoming trip to Israel?  At the Jewish Community Center you will find all of this and much more. Located in the heart of the amazing Laurel Heights/Sacramento Street …More

Move over New York City—for over 50 years, San Francisco has been a premier destination for some of the best theater productions in the country. Home to big Broadway blockbusters, experimental works, musical drag revues and everything in between, the Bay Area has something for all walks of life. Drama junkies take note: here are a few standout gems of San Francisco’s theater scene, guaranteed to dazzle locals and out-of-towners alike.  If it’s the big shows you’re interested in, look …More