Ahh, the City by the Bay: barking sea lions, clanging MUNI buses, steaming clam chowder in sourdough bread bowls, freezing cold Marine Layer... *marinates in nostalgia* We spent over 10 years living in the San Francisco Bay Area, and y'all, let me … [Read more...] about What to Pack for San Francisco (& what NOT to)
San Francisco Bay Area
42 Places to Go Whale Watching in California: The Ultimate Guide
Ah, whales: these majestic, enormous marine mammals have been immortalized in our culture in everything to Moby Dick to Finding Nemo. There was once a whole industry devoted to murdering them; now there's a movement devoted to saving them. Any way … [Read more...] about 42 Places to Go Whale Watching in California: The Ultimate Guide
The 32 Best Pacific Coast Highway Stops: California Towns, Landmarks, & Restaurants
Sunny beaches. Foggy coastline. Swaying palm trees. Towering redwoods. Playful otters. Flomping elephant seals. Fresh oysters. Vintage wines. Driving the Pacific Coast Highway is not only one of the best California road trips: it’s one of the best … [Read more...] about The 32 Best Pacific Coast Highway Stops: California Towns, Landmarks, & Restaurants
The Ultimate 10-Day California Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip Itinerary
Barking sea lions. Salty air. Waves crashing on critter-filled tidepools. Rolling hills dusted with bright orange poppies and intersected with redwood-filled valleys. Driving Pacific Coast Highway is the most beautiful road trip in the entire world. … [Read more...] about The Ultimate 10-Day California Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip Itinerary
Where to Stay in San Francisco (& Where NOT to) a Local’s Neighborhood Guide
I (Jeremy) first moved to San Francisco in 2009 for college, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and right in the middle of that perfect time period between Tech Boom 1.0 and Tech Boom 2.0. The city I moved to was quirky and affordable: I was able to work … [Read more...] about Where to Stay in San Francisco (& Where NOT to) a Local’s Neighborhood Guide
29 Things Nobody Tells You About Oakland, California
Oakland is a giant city, an urban cultural mecca that stretches from the coast to redwood-covered rolling hills. It has a deep, complicated history and culture, its own local slang, absolutely incredible food, and plenty to see and do - which we've … [Read more...] about 29 Things Nobody Tells You About Oakland, California
26 Awesome Things to Do in Oakland, California
Although Oakland and San Francisco are neighbors, located just minutes apart across the Bay, the two cities could not be more different. Oakland has its own distinct history, sounds, tastes, its own social movements. While San Francisco's … [Read more...] about 26 Awesome Things to Do in Oakland, California
Glamping Near San Francisco: A Romantic Weekend Getaway Itinerary
Redwoods. Vineyards. Mountain towns nestled in pine trees. Scenic coastal views. Otters. Sea lions. Ponies, for some reason? Fresh oysters. It kinda sounds like I’m describing a bunch of different locations, doesn’t it? Nope: I’m describing one small … [Read more...] about Glamping Near San Francisco: A Romantic Weekend Getaway Itinerary
The Cataract Falls Hike Disaster: Hiking in the Bay Area, California
For Lia and I, "hiking" and "absolute disaster" go hand in hand. It's an unfortunate pattern that popped up over and over again during our year-long honeymoon. There was the injured wrist on the Valle de Cocora hike in Colombia. There was the … [Read more...] about The Cataract Falls Hike Disaster: Hiking in the Bay Area, California
30 Things Nobody Tells You About San Francisco
The Gold Rush. The Summer of Love. Silicon Valley. San Francisco is a like a chameleon: every few decades, it changes. This city means something different to everyone, it seems. It's a city of promise, of hope. It's also a city of WTF. There … [Read more...] about 30 Things Nobody Tells You About San Francisco
Chocolate & Booze: The Ultra San Francisco Chocolate Tour
San Francisco, California has a booming foodie scene. As one of the top foodie destinations in the USA, San Francisco has long been a must-visit for any self respecting lover of all things delicious. And it’s not just food: mixology fans flock to San … [Read more...] about Chocolate & Booze: The Ultra San Francisco Chocolate Tour
The 10 Best Coffee Shops in San Francisco: A Local Barista’s Guide
Full disclosure: we're San Francisco coffee snobs. Like, if it isn't single-origin specialty coffee roasted to absolute perfection and brewed to order using a system of convoluted scientific-looking objects made out of glass and wood that takes … [Read more...] about The 10 Best Coffee Shops in San Francisco: A Local Barista’s Guide
12 Off-Beat Places to Stay Near San Francisco (on a budget)
Weekend trips are like the travel fairy godmother’s answer to living in the San Francisco Bay Area. From anywhere near San Francisco, you can hop in a car on Friday night and drive for a few hours to absolutely anything you could possibly want: beach … [Read more...] about 12 Off-Beat Places to Stay Near San Francisco (on a budget)
Where to Eat in Oakland, California
Chicken & waffles. Steamed dumplings. Spongy injera bread. Sizzling Korean bulgogi. The tastes of Oakland represent its culture and history. -and, like Oakland itself, are totally different from its neighbor across the Bay. Oakland has its … [Read more...] about Where to Eat in Oakland, California
The Ultimate Self-Guided Walking Tour of San Francisco: A Local’s Guide
We may have packed up all of our belongings and left to go traveling, but we left our hearts in San Francisco... so we came back after our year-long honeymoon! Over the 12 years we lived in the Bay Area, we amassed a wealth of knowledge about what to … [Read more...] about The Ultimate Self-Guided Walking Tour of San Francisco: A Local’s Guide
The 12 Best Weekend Trips from San Francisco, California
The San Francisco Bay Area has everything to offer the wanderlust hungry, outdoor loving, adventure thirsty traveler. From hiking in the Bay Area to exploring the city of San Francisco, it's hard to get bored here. For us, every … [Read more...] about The 12 Best Weekend Trips from San Francisco, California
The 24 Best Northern California Hikes (Near San Francisco Bay Area)
Northern California is a mecca for hikers and lovers of the outdoors. With everything from looming redwoods to scenic coastal views, you could hike somewhere different every weekend and never get bored! Which, for a while, is what Jeremy and I … [Read more...] about The 24 Best Northern California Hikes (Near San Francisco Bay Area)