NORTHERN LATITUDES
Thing to do around the San Francisco Bay
When talking about San Francisco, we often think about the center with all the great things to do like the Golden Gate Park, Golden Gate Bridge, Palace of Fine Arts, etc… However, there are plenty of very nice things around the San Francisco Bay. Here are some of the things to do around San Francisco.
The Charles M. Schulz Museum
Do you like the Peanuts? If you do, Charles M. The Schulz Museum might interest you. This museum is dedicated to the work of Charles M. Schulz – the creator of Snoopy and the Peanuts – is located in Santa Rosa, CA, north of the San Francisco Bay. The museum features exhibitions on the Peanuts and its creator. A fun visit for the whole family.
The museum also has a store with fun merchandising, and a peanuts themed cafe, the “Warm Puppy Cafe” can be found right across the street at Snoopy’s Home Ice.
Hours:
On Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday – 11:am - 5:00pm
Saturday and Sunday – 10:00am - 5:00pm
Closed on Tuesdays year-round, and during some holidays.
Accessibility: The museum features free parking.
For more information, you can visit the museum's official website.
Admission Cost:
Members – Free
Adults – $15
Seniors (62+) – $10
Students (with valid student ID) – $5
Youth (4-18) - $7
Children (3 and under) – Free
EBT Cardholder (With card; up to 4 people) – $2
Military – $1 off admission
~1H15 Drive from San Francisco
Muir Woods National Monument
Muir Woods National Monument is a forest (obviously) located 12 miles north of San Francisco. It is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (about which we speak a bit later in this article) and is named after naturalist John Muir. The introduction being done, what is Muir Woods about? It is a beautiful forest of coastal redwoods, a tree species related to the giant sequoia. These trees are special because they grow over 330 feet (100m) and live more than a thousand years. This plus the other fauna and flora, offers a special environment to discover. Muir Woods has many hiking and biking trails with various difficulties, making a fun day destination.
Accessibility :
The park is walking-only, meaning that you will park your car at the park’s entrance, and from there you can only walk. If you do not want to drive up there, the park gives the possibility to take the Muir Woods Shuttle. This shuttle can take you from offsite to the park. You will have to make a reservation for both the shuttle and park ahead of time. More information the shuttle here
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If you or someone coming with you have special needs, know that Muir Woods has special features for you. More information here
Fees:
Adults (16 and older) – $15.00
Children (15 and younger) – Free
America the Beautiful Pass is accepted.
Muir Woods Annual Pass – $45
As of June 2025, the parking reservation Fees are:
Standard Vehicle – $9.50
Medium Vehicle – $30.00
Large Vehicle – $45.00
You will need to make a parking reservation separately.
Your reservation comes with a 30-minute arrival window. During this time, you are guaranteed a parking spot. If you are running late or early, the parking attendants will try to accommodate you.
Hours:
Open every day of the year with changes in hours depending on the seasons. For up to date information, you can visit the National Park Service website.
~45min Drive from San Francisco
Point Reyes National Seashore
One of the things that makes San Francisco special, is its nearness with nature. You can drive not too long out of the city and be in the wilderness. And Point Reyes is a great example of that. This National Seashore is a park of over 71,000 acres on the Point Reyes Peninsula. It welcomes more than 1500 species of plants and animals, and offers beautiful landscapes. This makes Point Reyes the perfect place to hike, observe animals, camp (with a permit) or just spend a day at the beach. Here are some more detailed activities that you may like:
Watch for the Whales & Other Animals
As we just mentioned, Point Reyes welcomes more than 1500 species of plants and animals. These include Elephant Seals and Gray Whales. You can look for these in different areas of the park. For instance, from December through May, Gray Whales can be seen from the Lighthouse and Chimney Rock areas. Year round, you can also see Elephant Seals at Drakes Beach or the Elephant Seal Overlook. Generally, the greatest number of seals are generally observed from December through March for the birthing and matings season, and in the spring. Of course, always leave these animals in peace, and respect them and their habitat.
Hike
If you like hiking, Point Reyes got you! There are plenty of hikes of all levels to do. Even greater, there are hikes in many different types of environments. The website of the National Park Service makes a great job summarizing the available hikes.
Visit the Lighthouse
The Point Reyes Lighthouse was built in 1870 and served for 105 years. Nowadays, the retired lighthouse is one of Point Reyes’ attractions. It can be visited, and sometimes the clockwork room is opened to visitors. We encourage you to visit this page for more information.
Hours:
Open everyday of the year from 6 am to midnight. Visitor centers may have their own operating hours.
Fee:
The site is Free year-round. No entrance fee or pass required.
~1H30 Drive from San Francisco
Napa Valley
Napa Valley is a county north of San Francisco. It is a well known destination for its vineyards and gourmet food in general.The biggest town, where the county seat is located, is the city of Napa. Here is a list of some things you can do in Napa Valley:
Visit the Wineries
This can sound slightly obvious, but wine is one of the major businesses in Napa Valley, and winery is not what is missing. Many wineries offer wine tasting, so if you like wine, why not take a look?
Napa Valley Wine Train
The Napa Valley Wine Train is a restored vintage train used to offer high end tours in the wine country. The experience typically takes around 3 hours during which you will be able to eat, try wine, and stop in some local wineries. A fun experience, but definitely not accessible to everyone. Tickets for the train start around $200 per person and reach over $700.
Hot Air Balloons Ride
Another popular attraction in Napa Valley is hot air balloon rides. It can offer unique views of the place.
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~1:50H Drive from San Francisco to Napa, CA.
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
You may know the Golden Gate Bridge, but did you know that it is part of an area called the Golden Gate National Recreation Area? This area goes from the area south of the Golden Gate Bridge to far up north with small chunks here and there. This area is free of access and full of wonderful hikes and point of view. Here are some worth seeing.
Point Bonita Lighthouse
Point Bonita Lighthouse was built in 1855 at 306 feet (93m) above the ground. It has been part of the National Register of Historic Places since 1991. Today this lighthouse is accessible to visitors during limited hours, and can be reached via a 1.10 miles round trip. Once there, you will be able to see the beautiful lighthouse and enjoy a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean and the Golden Gate Bridge.
Muir Beach Overlook
Muir Beach Overlook offers views of the Pacific Ocean and the Point Reyes Peninsula. In the area, you can also visit several historic places which were once part of the San Francisco Bay coastal defense system.
And More!
You can find many fort and interesting spots to visit within the Golden Gate Recreation Area. Muir Wood (mentioned earlier), or the Presidio of San Francisco are part of it as well. It is also notable to mention that the Golden Gate Recreation Area contains plenty of great spots to see and take pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Time vary. From San Francisco:
Point Bonita Lighthouse Parking ~ 40min
Muir Beach Overlook ~50min
San Jose
Citing San Jose as a whole attraction isn’t really correct as we are talking about the most populous city in the Bay Area (yes more than San francisco). However, for the sake of this article, we will speak of the city in general. That being said, let’s talk about it. San Jose is located south of San Francisco, and is easily accessible from there. This makes it a good destination to visit if you are in San Francisco. It is the center of the silicon valley, and there is plenty to see and do there. Here is a list of some things to do in San Jose.
The Lick Observatory
The Lick Observatory is an astronomical observatory on the summit of Mount Hamilton right next to San Jose. It is managed by the University of California Observatories, and contributed to many discoveries like – for example – the identification of the first new moon of Jupiter since the time of Galileo. However, if we talk about it is more than just for the knowledge of it. You can visit the Lick Observatory for free.
The Tech Interactive
Tech Interactive is a science and technology oriented center offering hands-on activities labs and design challenges. It is a family friendly museum with activities and exposition for the whole family.
Santana Row
Santana Row is an upscale district of West San Jose. The area is famous for its mix of shops and restaurants making it a nice place to take a walk.
California’s Great America
California’s Great America is an amusement park in Santa Clara, California (not exactly San Jose we know). It offers over 40 attractions with both water rides and rollercoasters, as well as shows and fireworks. A nice day-destination for families!
Time vary. From San Francisco:
Lick Observatory ~ 2H15min
The Tech Interactive ~ 1H10min
Santana Row ~ 1H
California's Great America ~ 1H05min
Visit the Surrounding State Park
California has the reputation of being one of the most beautiful states in the United States. But it is not only a beautiful place, it is also an area with incredible biodiversity. And happily, a lot of these beautiful landscapes and this fascinating biodiversity is preserved in national parks, reserves, but also state parks. California has a huge state park system, and you can find a lot around San Francisco. So let us show you some that may interest you, whether you are an outdoor person, photographer, hiker, or simply someone who like to enjoy beautiful things:
Big Basin Redwoods State Park
Big Basin Redwoods was established in 1902 making it California’s oldest state park. The main attraction of this state park is its coast redwoods – giant as tall as the Statue of Liberty and over 1 ,000 years old. The park is known for offering plenty of hiking, and gorgeous views, notably of the Pacific Ocean. Unfortunately, in 2020, 97% of the park’s property was destroyed in a fire. Today, the forest progressively grows back, and visitors come to enjoy the various activities offered in the park. The Day use fee is $6 per vehicle. Reservations (which cost $2) are also encouraged since the park is on a first come first served basis. The park is free if you come by foot, bike or bus.
Castle Rock State Park
Located on the highest ridges of Santa Cruz Mountains, Castle Rock offers plenty of hiking trails, as well as rock climbing and backpacking.
Other state parks in the area include:
Wilder Ranch State Park
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Parks
Time vary. From San Francisco:
Big Basin ~ 1H20min
Castle Rock ~ 1H20min
Wilder Ranch ~ 1H30min
Henry Cowell Redwoods ~ 1H30min
