Cindy and Steven

Bay Area Regions

The San Francisco Bay Area (colloquially known as the Bay Area) includes the city of San Francisco, the East Bay (which is home to Berkeley and Oakland), the South Bay (which includes San Jose and Silicon Valley), the North Bay (which consists of Marin County), and the Peninsula (which spans the distance south of San Francisco to the South Bay). Napa and Sonoma Valleys are also a short drive away.

Transportation

The Bay Area is well served by the BART (short for Bay Area Rapid Transit). BART is often the fastest and cheapest way to reach San Francisco from the East Bay. The BART also stops at both the Oakland Airport and the San Francisco Airport. To travel by car, there are a number of bridges that connect both sides of the Bay. The Bay Bridge connects Oakland to San Francisco. It is the longest and most frequently used bridge in the Bay Area. A $4 toll is collected (only) when going into the city. The most iconic bridge of the Bay is the Golden Gate, which spans the entrance to the bay and connects San Francisco the Marin County to the north. A $5 toll is collected for vehicles traveling south into San Francisco.

A Few Recommendations

Below are a few recommendations for things to do on your visit to the Bay Area — enjoy!

San Francisco Attractions

• A ferry ride and visit to Alcatraz Island - Ferry tickets can be found along the embarcadero.
• Museums - San Francisco has a great collection of museums to visit. A few of our favorites are listed below.
• Asian Art Museum - Drawing on the rich Asian culture present on the East Coast, the Asian Art Museum is one of largest museums in the West devoted solely to Asian Art. It is located right across from the imposing San Francisco City Hall and houses a gilt bronze Buddha dated to 338 - the oldest known and dated Chinese Buddha in the world.
• San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) - Located just south of downtown, the building itself is worth a look. Designed by a Swiss (!) architect, the SFMOMA exhibits a rotating collection of artwork from some of the most prominent contemporary artists. The museum also includes a great collection of photography on display.
• de Young Museum - Located in Golden Gate Park, the de Young recently re-opened in a new (and amazing) building. The collections include a range of anthropological works as well as some more contemporary exhibits. The area surrounding the museum is also beautiful, and the Japanese Tea Garden is right next door.
• The Legion of Honor - A museum in the more traditional sense, the Legion of Honor is the museum of fine art of San Francisco. From Renaissance paintings to Roman sculpture, this museum has it all. It’s a bit out of the way, but its location gives it some extra charm.
• The Exploratorium - Founded in 1969 by noted physicist and educator Dr. Frank Oppenheimer (brother to Robert Oppenheimer, director of the Manhattan Project), this so-called science museum should really be called a science playground. Filled with myriad hands-on science demonstrations, the Exploratorium is a great for spending a few hours exploring the workings of the natural world. As a bonus, it is located right next to the Golden Gate Bridge.
• The Conservatory of Flowers - Located in Golden Gate Park, the Conservatory of Flowers is housed in the oldest surviving conservatory in the western hemisphere. A San Francisco landmark since 1878, the conservatory displays over two thousand plant species. It’s definitely worth stopping by if you are in the neighborhood.
• A few hours shopping downtown in Union Square
• A walk in Golden Gate Park
• A visit to Ocean Beach - Don’t miss a chance to see the Pacific ocean! But don’t bother bringing your bathing suit as the beach is often windy and overcast, and the the water is almost always freezing.
• A walk across the Golden Gate Bridge - A pedestrian sidewalk is available on both sides of the bridge (though the oceanward side is meant for cyclists).

San Francisco Restaurants

• The Slanted Door ($$$) - Located in the newly renovated Ferry Building, the Slanted Door is a modern Vietnamese restaurant featuring a riesling-driven wine list, a full bar, and hard-to-find Chinese teas. Unfortunately, it is often crowded, so we would recommend stopping here only for lunch. Don’t forget that seating is also available at the bar.
• Fringale French Bistro ($$$) - This is a great little French restaurant in South of Market (SOMA). Reservations may be required.
• EOS (Restaurant & Wine Bar) ($$) - Though we admit that we’ve never eaten here, we’ve heard so many good things about it that we don’t mind recommending it. Hopefully we’ll be able to make a more informed recommendation by the time everyone arrives.
• Sushi Bistro ($$) - This restaurant tucked away in the Richmond district serves high-quality sushi with a twist. Check out their menu to see the unique combinations of flavors they’ve cooked up.
• Burma Superstar ($$) - Expect a wait of up to an hour on busy nights — and they don’t take reservations — but the food is definitely worth it! This is one of our favorite restaurants in San Francisco. Don’t forget to try the Ginger Beer.
• PPQ Vietnamese Cuisine ($) - This is a simple yet tasty mom-and-pop Vietnamese restaurant in the Sunset. A Cindy Moon favorite!

All of the restaurants and sites above can be found in the map below (zoom out or click on particular spots for more information). We hope this will help you plan your day.

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color key : red (restaurants) blue (points of interest)

Oakland Restaurants

Here is a list of some of our favorite local restaurants.

• Coach Sushi ($$) - This place (a few blocks from our apartment) offers great sushi and bottomless cups of sake. It’s dangerous. Say hi to the coach for us!
• Xyclo ($$) - Located in the Piedmont area of Oakland, Xyclo specializes in tasty Vietnamese tapas. It’s also right across the street from Fenton’s Ice Cream Parlor if you’re craving a massive sundae afterwards.
• Luka’s Taproom ($$) - This place is also only a few blocks from our house, and it serves some of the most delicious burgers and fries this side of the Bay.
• Flora ($$$) - If you’re craving nouveau American cuisine served in beautiful art deco decor, check this place out. It features a full bar, great service, and an amazing chocolate souffle. Reservations are recommended.
• Phnom Penh House ($) - A tiny little place tucked into a forgotten corner of Downtown Oakland, Phnom Penh House serves delicious Cambodian food.

All of the restaurants can be found in the map below.

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