Michelin-starred but unpretentious, Spruce is a perfect mix of seasonal, American inspired fine dining with really excellent food.

If I ate at one Chinese restaurant in San Francisco for the rest of my life, this would be it. Upscale with phenomenal food and cocktails, you can’t go wrong with your order.

Since 1968 this has consistently been one of the best restaurants in Monterey. Reservations recommended. The wine list (and wine cellar if there’s not a group eating down there) is unbeleivable

We love Indian food and ROOH knows how to turn it upscale. The menu changes regularly (depending on what’s in season), though the dahi puri, butter chicken, and whatever fish they are offering are always excellent. Pick a cocktail off of their cocktail wheel to complete your meal.

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Another one of our go-to’s, the Tipsy Pig in Cow Hollow does comfort food right. While the inside can be loud, bring a coat and enjoy their lovely back patio seating. We can’t get enough of their fried chicken sliders. This is also a great place for reasonably priced cocktails.

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A fantastic, though upscale, Napa winery. It’s worth the trip because it boasts the best chardonnay in the world (it actually beat France in a blind tasting competition in 1976, putting Napa on the world’s map).

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A fun winery on a hill above Sonoma also offering spectacular views. It has a pleasant tasting room as well as a cool wine tour through their cellars. They offer really great Pinot Noirs.

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Upscale cocktail lounge in Hayes Valley.

This North Beach cafe is settled right across the street from Washington Square Park. It’s been in this area since the early seventies when North Beach was a primarily Italian neighborhood. It continues to be a family business today, offering wonderful paninis, coffee, and fantastic “house camparis”

Edgewood Tahoe, a upscale Alpine lodge, offers a bistro and a restaurant with a deck that offers sweeping views Lake Tahoe. Perched right on the lake, you watch the sun set while enjoying great food and cocktails. While it sits on a golf course, we can forgive it that for its views and ambience.

The perfect place to get dim sum right in the heart of China Town. If you’re looking for an authentic dim sum experience look no further. They do accept reservations (important as dim sum is very popular weekend mornings).

We’ve been going to La Mar for years and this Peruvian restaurant never disappoints. Located conveniently on the Embarcadero, you can gaze out at the water of the Bay while dining. Don’t miss the ceviche, California causas, or lomo saltado. Also a place for excellent cocktails.

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A fantastic wine bar in the heart of Hayes Valley where you can order wine by the glass or buy a bottle form the wine shop and they’ll open it for you. Enjoy your wine in their bistro-light lit courtyard while listening to frequent live-music. You can order food from the attached restaurant Arbor for […]

Yes, this bar does in fact love dogs, but it also offers up some of the best classic cocktails in the city. Established in 1912, the cozy interior is still a favorite hang of colorful locals.

This fantastic restaurant, situated in the Ferry Building, offers sweeping views of the San Francisco Bay. The food is Vietnamese fusion relying heavily on Californian-grown ingredients. The cocktails are also wonderful. It books out weeks ahead so make sure to make reservations.

Built in 1864 this log cabin restaurant offers fantastic food in a beautiful setting.

Think locally sourced upscale California cuisine. This small restaurant has one of the best burgers in town, but you can’t go wrong with anything on their menu (a favorite of mine is the polenta). Also a fantastic place for brunch.

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This is the best pizza restaurant in San Francisco – pretty much hands down. Located right off Washington Square Park in North Beach, everything about Tony’s is good: ambience, food, service. Yes, the famous margherita pizza is good, but the honey pie is out of this world.

When I get asked to recommend a restaurant for a nice dinner out in San Francisco, without hesitation I recommend Kokkari. This is a modern Greek restaurant with excellent ambience and service (and some of the best lamb you’ll ever taste).

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An absolutely fantastic Italian restaurant with seasonally offered dishes including wood-fired pizza, pasta, and mains.

If you can look past the conceit of the theme, you’ll be treated to an amazing experience and some of the town’s best and most creative cocktails. We recommend trying the flight of three cocktails (but beware–they don’t serve food).

This is an excellent choice for Dim Sum (effectively Chinese brunch) in the Richmond. A good choice if you’re planning a day in Golden Gate Park. It gets busy, especially on the weekends, so we recommend making reservations ahead.

This delightful bistro has delicious Californian cuisine, with a good selection of small plates as well as full-size entrees. It also serves creative cocktails and offers great wine and beer lists.

If you’re into baking, you’ve probably heard of Tartine. This is San Francisco’s famous bakery, making delicious breads, pastries, and cakes. There is no seating, so grab your breakfast or lunch and head to sunny Dolores Park for a picnic.

Have you ever wanted to drink where Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg did? Of course you do! Head to Vesuvio Cafe, the art deco hang out spot of the beat poets. Don’t miss a visit to famed City Lights Bookstore next door.

Are you looking to get off the tourist path? Head to Spark Social in Mission Bay for a green space filled with food trucks and picnic tables. Usually sunny (a nice place to escape the SF fog), Spark is our go-to for an afternoon or evening out with our friends. You’ll find food trucks of […]

While it’s mostly a cocktail bar, True Laurel also offers up elevated small plates and works great for a meal. It’s the sister bar to Lazy Bear (the Michelin starred restaurant). Their cocktails are out of this world good and it’s my favorite cocktail bar in San Francisco.

One of San Francisco’s best cocktail bars, Bourbon & Branch is designed to give visitors an authentic speakeasy experience. You’ll need to plan ahead and make a reservation to get the full experience, though the bar also offers the Library, a more casual room that doesn’t require reservations. If you’re interested in the speakeasy experience, […]

A fantastic place, right on the water, to enjoy seafood (especially oysters). Go at happy hour when they have great deals.

Looking for Austrian food in San Francisco? Look no further than Leopold’s. Yes, the waitstaff may be wearing dirndls, but this restaurant offers some seriously incredible food (and 2 liter boots of beer). Our favorites include the kasespatzle, wiener schnitzel and bacon wrapped trout.

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This is a very friendly winery with good wines. Still family owned, it has a very pleasant atmosphere.  Reservations are required, though very easy to book online.  Set in beautiful Calistoga it’s the quintessential laid back Napa winery. They also have great picnic areas and bocce ball that you can play while you taste!

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Neat Napa winery with good reds and cool architecture and art.

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This creamery offers artisan organic cheeses. They have a store in the San Francisco Ferry building but the actual creamery is in Point Reyes Station and has tastings and a deli and offers picnic supplies.

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This is a great pic in Point Reyes Station. It’s a casual place with great food highlighting local ingredients and a fun cocktail list. The vibe is cozy.

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A very solid Chinese restaurant in the heart of Chinatown. Our go-to when we order take out, but also a nice place to dine in.

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This is my favorite place if you’re wanting a quick bite in the city. Souvla, a fast-casual Greek restaurant, has spots peppered throughout San Francisco and offers with incredible salads and sandwiches. Get their chicken salad and greek frozen yogurt – trust me.

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This place in downtown Napa is a true market. Offering a variety of restaurants and shops you can graze your way through Northern California fare. Some of the best places to eat include Kitchen Door and Hog Island Oyster Co. Grab a local sour beer at the Fieldwork Brewing Company, coffee at Ritual Coffee, and ice cream from Three Twins.

Another very solid Chinese restaurant in the heart of Chinatown. Great for take out or also a nice place to dine in.

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This is a fun stop on highway 50 up to South Lake Tahoe from the Bay Area. Located in an old gold mining town, the Public House serves up great food and tons of local beer on draught. On weekend nights you can enjoy a live concert, but arrive early as seats get quickly taken.

This historic bar has a very old-time San Francisco bar. Step in and you’ll be transported to the late 19th/early 20th century when big names like Huntington, Crocker, Hopkins, and Stanford ran the city. The inside is cozy and swanky, and the bartenders turn out fantastic classics and wonderful new creations.

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A 1920s style French dining cafe near Union Square caddy corner to China’s town Dragon’s Gate entrance, offering casual indoor and outdoor seating and a great array of French food options. A nice place to stop for espresso and breakfast.

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You really shouldn’t visit San Francisco without a stop at The Buena Vista Cafe, home of the original Irish coffee. The story goes that in 1952, Jack Koeppler, the then owner of the Buena Vista, challenged international travel writer Stanton Delaplane to help him recreate the famous “Irish Coffee” served at the Shannon Airport in […]

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This is a very strange place – in the basement of the Fairmont Hotel exists this bar… A full pirate ship where a loud band plays surrounded by water and small tables where you can enjoy sugary tiki drinks. It’s a can’t miss stop.

Restaurants: Bavel Sqirl Grand Central Market Rossblu Rustic Canyon Bludso’s Bar & Que Langer’s Son of a Gun Felix Shibumi Jitlada Guelaguetza P.Y.T Destroyer Marugame Monzo Gjusta Guisados Nong Lá Cafe Botanica Republique Kismet Pizzana Freedman’s Dan Tana’s Little Sister Night + Market Providence Petit Tois Son of a Gun Broad Street Oyster Co. Malibu […]

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Restaurants: Rooster and the Pig Jake’s Las Casuelas Elmers Cheeky’s Great Shakes (best milkshakes) India Oven Bar Cecil Viet 533 Brown’s BBQ Sopa Melvyn’s restaurant  Eight4Nine Birba Bars Coachella Valley Brewing Company Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs Workshop kitchen and bar Bar Cecil

The largest outside of Asia, and the oldest in north America, San Francisco’s Chinatown dates back to the Gold Rush of the mid-19th century. Yes, it’s touristy but get off of Grant and it really is an interesting neighborhood to explore.

Truly one of the most beautiful places on earth, Yosemite is more than just the Valley (there are 1200 of square miles in this park) but the Valley cannot be missed. Warning: in the summer the valley gets uncomfortably crowded.

The Rock (now a National Park) was a famous federal prison where the worst of the worst criminals were kept. It was said when lavish parties in the 1920s occurred on the mainland, the prisoners could hear it from their cells way out at sea. The tour includes a cruise from San Francisco and audio tour of the cell blocks that’s great.

This is the oldest public Japanese garden in the US, first planted in 1894. On the 5 acres you can experience flower gardens, cherry blossoms, maple leaves, bonsai, and pretty bridges to cross.

Originally the transport terminus for ferries from across the bay, it now still has some cruises leaving from its pier but is predominantly an artisan food hall. Wander up and down the hall where vendors offer mushrooms, cheese, olive oil, ice cream, coffee, and much more as well as artisan craftwork.

One of the two main fine arts museums in San Francisco. Located ear the Lands End walk, this museum offers an eclectic collection from old world masters to Impressionists to contemporary artists as well as a rotating exhibit. It also has great views over the Golden Gate and a lovely cafe.

Gorgeous coastal scenery and beaches. Miles of trails and a waterfall onto a beach. Historic lighthouse The best hike in the park leaves from the Palomarin trailhead near Bolinas, passes a couple of lakes and ends u at Wilcat Beach – walk back south the direction you came to Alamere falls – falling from the […]

The Getty Museum hosts art from the 8th to 21st century as well as exquisite gardens and amazing views of Los Angeles. You’ll find an excellent collection of European art including from Van Gogh, Titian, Rubens, Rembrandt, Turner, Renoir and more.

Perhaps our favorite science museum anywhere, the exploratorium focuses on “hands on” interactive activities. Located right on the wharf in San Francisco in a 9-acre glass walled building, it’s easy to spend hours here.

LACMA is the largest museum in the western United States. It has a vast array of collections including Asian Art, Japanese Art, Greek and Roman Art, and Latin American Art spanning millennia as well as Contemporary and Modern Art. Expect to find works by Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, and Jose Clemente Orozco.

Part of Yosemite National Park, but about 55 miles away from Yosemite Valley at an elevation of 8600 feet, this is the a breathtakingly beautiful subalpine meadow set in the Sierra Nevadas. It offers beautiful fields, wildflowers, lakes, mountains, and cooler temperatures than the valley as well as an array of hikes to make anyone of any level happy.

A former gold-mining town, Bodie was founded in 1859, and by the late 1870s was a bustling Old West outpost of a few thousand. It was abandoned by the 1940s and is now a state park.

Soaring 210 feet above the summit of San Francisco’s Telegraph Hill, Coit Tower is a monument to honor the city’s firefighters. The interior boasts striking WPA murals, and it offers incredible views of the city and the surrounding San Francisco Bay Area.

The Getty Villa in Malibu features Greek, Roman, and Etruscan antiquities in a villa modeled after a first-century Roman House, the Villa dei Papiri in Herculaneum, Italy.

Rainforest, aquarium, planetarium, and natural history museum—all under one living roof. This LEED-certified green museum has more than 40,000 creatures living under it’s natural roof.

Emerald Bay gives you quite possibly the prettiest view of Lake Tahoe anywhere. Granite Cliffs loom above the cove with teal and emerald water. Fannette Island is what you’ll see sitting in the park’s center.

A famous independent bookstore in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood. Its three stories offer art, poetry, and books.

One of the two fine arts museums in San Francisco, the de Young Museum houses a variety of artists with a constant rotating special exhibit. The copper building is slowly oxidizing to green in the park and sports a tall tower (free to go to the top) that gives a 360-degree view of the city.

The Maritime Museum offers a huge collection of historic ships that can be toured. Located in the Fisherman’s Wharf neighborhood, you’ll get to explore the Pacific Coast’s maritime history.

Located near Pier 39 and Fisherman’s wharf, this square boasts shops, a chocolate store, and ice cream at a converted former chocolate factory. Pro tip: just walking into the ice cream shop or candy store gets you a free pice of Ghirardelli chocolate, but actually sitting down with a sundae is worth it.

This is the central shopping square in San Francisco and offers a great plaza for people watching and a coffee in the summer and an ice skating rink in the winter.

A Victorian greenhouse from 1878 set in Golden Gate Park houses an amazing array of plants including rare orchids, lilies, and tropical varietals.

A series of shops and restaurants with a resident sea lion population. It’s a bustling spot and things feel kitschy, but the sea lions are well worth the stop.

Stop by this unique spot just north of Point Reyes Station to sample a variety of meads. You can really taste how the different flowers influence the flavors

La Brea Tar Pits and Museum is an active paleontological research site in Los Angeles. It was formed around a group of tar pits where natural asphalt has seeped up from the ground for tens of thousands of year, preserving the bones of prehistoric animals.

Beautiful limestone caverns bear the quaint little gold rush era town of Volcano

With borderline fanatical devotion to its canine citizens, quaint Carmel has the well-manicured feel of a country club. Watch the parade of behatted locals toting fancy-label shopping bags to lunch and dapper folk driving top-down convertibles along Ocean Ave, the village’s slow-mo main drag. Founded as a seaside resort in the 1880s – fairly odd, […]

This art museum was founded in 1938 and offers a permanent collection of 19th, 20th, and 21st century works focused on California art, classic western and Native American art, Mesoamerican art, Mexican art, and European modern art.

The Huntington is a library, art museum and botanical garden. It offers an immense collection of rare books including the Gutenberg Bible, manuscripts including an illuminated manuscript of Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales and a First Folio edition of Shakespeare, and famous works of art including those by Gainsborough, Cassatt It’s surrounded by 120 acres and […]

Visit this remarkable center to learn about the Japanese Internment in the United States during WWII. In 1942 the United States government ordered more than 110,000 people to leave their homes and detained them in remote, military-style camps. Manzanar War Relocation Center was one of ten camps which incarcerated Japanese immigrants and Japanese American citizens […]

This is a nature reserve around a palm-filled oasis which offers picnics & hikes in a desert wilderness setting. The San Andreas fault line cuts through the valley and the groundwater that pushes to the surface grows California fan palms, the only variety native to the state. Here, enjoy shade beneath their fronds. Choose from […]

The Gamble House is an iconic American Craftsman house in Pasadena designed by Greene and Greene. It was constructed in 1908 as a home for David B. Gamble, son of the Procter & Gamble founder. Reservations required.

Fisherman’s Wharf beginning at Pier 39 has been around since the gold rush and have remained a bustling port of entry to the city. Today you can find a bunch of fresh seafood and the the famous clam chowder at Boudin. Grab a bite from one of the vendors.

Sunnylands is a historic 200-acre estate and gardens in Palm Springs. The gardens are composed of more than 70 types of native and arid-adapted plants from North and South America, Africa, and the Mediterranean and 1.25 miles of walking paths.

The Griffith Observatory is on a hill overlooking Griffith Park. It holds a wide array of telescopes, a planetarium, and exhibits. Its Zeiss telescope, a 12 inch refracting telescope, is open to use by the public. It’s a famous area to stargaze, but also offers excellent views of the city. You can also see the […]

At this zoo, dedicated to the animals of arid climates, you’ll see leopards, mountain lions, warthogs, bighorn sheep, and Peninsular pronghorns (along with another 450 animals). The extensive botanical gardens create replicas of arid climates from Baja California’s Viscaino Desert to Madagascar.

Start at Silver Lake (about 40 miles south of Tahoe – near Kirkwood). Park at the Silver Lake dam, cross highway 88 and walk north along either side of the creek an easy 1/2 mile or so to a series of roman bath-like pools carved out of the granite and filled with water from the stream that flows down from Silver Lake.

This is the kind of gondola you ride up a mountain on. Grab it at Heavenly Ski resort and soar up the slopes. You’ll get panoramic views of Lake Tahoe at the top.

This is one of the prettiest walks in San Francisco that begins at the Ocean Beach, winds past the historic Sutro Baths and offers sweeping and iconic views of the Golden Gate Bridge – 3.4 miles in total.

These are natural hot springs flowing into a pool where you can soak. There’s a cooler pool adjacent to cool off in. It’s set in a state park with a nice subalpine meadow and has camping and hiking trails as well

A pretty state park in Napa Valley with nice hiking trails.

If you’re staying in Death Valley this is the only place you should consider and is well-worth the splurge. A WPA project, Old Hollywood used to escape from Los Angeles to this getaway out in the desert. You’ll still find a gorgeous fern-tiled pool, decent restaurant, and beautiful sunset views. Do not waste your time […]