Issue link: http://globelitetravelmarketing.uberflip.com/i/149733
5 » THE GOLDEN GATE Bridge leads to San Francisco, draped in early morning fog, left; the ancient redwoods of Muir Woods National Monument are quite a sight, below. MUST SEE , DO » San Francisco's Embarcadero » Napa Valley Wine Tasting » Highway 1 to Santa Cruz » Mount Tam & Muir Woods The city's waterfront is undergoing a renaissance, including the spring 2013 opening of the Exploratorium, a kid-friendly science museum that's being re-located to a striking new building on Pier 15. There's also the Ferry Building, with its mouth-watering food hall and farmers markets, bayside promenades for strolling and prime viewing spots for the America's Cup sailing races that take place summer and fall 2013. › sanfrancisco.travel Sample California's top-rated wines at some of the dozens of tasting rooms along Napa Valley's Highway 29 and the Silverado Trail. Top off a visit with dinner at one of Yountville's Michelin-starred restaurants. › napavalley.com Drive Highway 1 south of San Francisco to the surfing town of Santa Cruz and its beachfront boardwalk, stopping along the way to visit the rugged San Mateo County coast, lined with small towns, white-sand beaches and fields of artichokes and pumpkins. › sanmateocountycvb.com › santacruzca.org YOU CAN LEAVE THE CAR behind in the Bay Area. San Francisco is delightful to visit on foot or by using public transportation, including the city's iconic cable cars. Cross the bay by ferry to Sausalito and Tiburon or to Angel Island, the "Ellis Island of the West." Hop on Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) for a quick ride to Berkeley and stroll the UC-Berkeley campus. Travel down the Peninsula on Caltrain, the regional train between San Francisco and San Jose, which has a stop in Palo Alto that's a short walk to Stanford University. Take in views of San Francisco, the bay and the Northern California coast along Mount Tamalpais' Panoramic Highway in Marin County, followed by a walk through centuries-old redwoods in Muir Woods National Monument. › parks.ca.gov » Explore San Francisco's Ethnic Neighborhoods Walk the Mission district and, in the midst of hip restaurants and art galleries, stop for Mexican and Central American food at tacquerias and pupuserias. Japantown is filled with sushi parlors and boutiques, North Beach retains vestiges of its Italian past and Larkin Street is home to thriving Vietnamese eateries. Chinatown's Stockton Street buzzes with residents going about daily shopping while Grant Avenue is lined with an array of gift shops. › sanfrancisco.travel 2 0 1 3 t r av e l g u i d e to c a l i f o rnia 85