NorCal Visitor's Activity Checklist


March 2010 - Our "gap year" English cousin is visiting soon. What the heck should we do with his time? I'm going to keep updating this list as a resource for Midwest and UK traveling family!

November 2011 - My Illinois nephew is visiting on *his* gap time before starting college, still adding links...

July 2013 - My younger Illinois nephew is visiting with his girlfriend and my mom. Continuing to add links...

San Francisco/Peninsula (General tourist web site here)
- Day in SF (Golden Gate bridge, Chinatown, street cars, clam chowder, bike rental)
- Alcatraz Island and boat tour of the bay or Alcatraz at night
- Or ferry ride to Angel Island as a day trip (goes right past Alcatraz: Segway tour of the island perimeter, short hikes, overnight camping)
- Ghost or Vampire Tour
- Golden Gate Park (hiking in the city, buffalos, gardens)
- Science Museum (in Golden Gate Park)
- Art Museum (in Golden Gate Park)
- Baseball game
- Spanish mission
- Kayak the Bay
- Segway tour
- Hah! Rent a funny little electric car to tour the city
- Super powered gokart racing in Burlingame - did this at a bachelor party. SO fun!
- Fancy eating (Masa, Incanto)
- Jazz music (Yoshi's)
- Taco Truck for lunch
- Historic movie palace
- Mission, Presido
- Ice skating or bowling in the heart of SF
- Handgun basic training
- Cool stuff like music and live shows
- Indoor Skydiving
- 3D indoor trampoline courts


North Bay
- Hike (Mt. Tam, Pt. Reyes, Angel Island)
- Fish (Mt. Tam
- Tiburon, Sausalito (hiking, shopping, visit a Nike missile base)
- Boat trip to Farallon Islands
- Napa (wine country)
- Wine train
- Mendicino (Hopland brew pub, historic trains)

South Bay
- Tech Museum (San Jose)

Santa Cruz area
- Surfing
- Visit a redwood forest (many parks to choose from)
- Santa Cruz Mission
- Butterflies (Oct-Feb)
- Mountain biking
- Wineries (That's right, South Bay wine. Represent!)
- Ride a train in the redwoods, or down to Santa Cruz
- Vision Quest RanchSalinas BnB w/ wild animals



Farther afield:
- Yosemite National Park (5 hour drive from SF)
- Skydiving (seriously!)
- Gold Country (pan for gold, visit caves, camping)
- Lake Tahoe
- Monterey Bay Aquarium
- Monterey Bay whale watching boat trip
- Carmel (Pt. Lobos)
- Bear Valley (winter skiing, summer hiking)
- Central CA Missions and/or Hearst Castle


Can't do it in June, darn it!
- BattleBots
- Edible plants class

Lay of the Land
Bay Area:
- North Bay (North of GG bridge - Tiburon 5 min, Napa 1hr)
- San Francisco (airport - 10 min drive south of SF)
- San Mateo - Wiznals home (20 min drive south of SF)
- South Bay (San Jose airport - 45 min drive south of San Mateo)
- Santa Cruz (45 min drive south of San Jose)

East Bay/Gold Country
- Oakland/Berkeley - east of SF (5min to 1hr drive - depending on traffic)
- Bear Valley (3hr drive nor-east of Oakland)
- Lake Tahoe (1hr drive north of Bear Valley)

Central Cal
- Monterey (45 min drive south of Santa Cruz)

SoCal
- LA/LAX - airport on west side of city (1 hr flight or 6hr drive south of Bay Area)
- Irvine - Orange County airport (50 min south of LAX)