Recreation

Visitors to California and the San Francisco Bay Area have many options when choosing what to do and see.

Take in the beautiful, varied landscape by strolling the beaches, gazing out at the ocean, climbing the mountains, or hiking among the redwoods. Have a yearning to go surfing, kayaking, hot-air ballooning, or water skiing? You can do it all in the San Francisco Bay Area. And if you feel like skiing or snowboarding in the winter, Lake Tahoe with its snowy mountains is just a short car trip away.

You can also enjoy nature at a more leisurely pace whether you wish to visit wineries or keep an eye out for whales. While visiting the Bay Area, don’t forget to take advantage of the many cultural offerings — museums, concerts, theater, dance, and other performing arts. Or spend an evening rooting for one of the Bay Area’s fine athletics teams, either on the professional or college level. And of course, there are plenty of places to visit for fun and education, including many that are designed especially for kids.