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San Francisco
The Bay Area is the birthplace of both Levi’s and California cuisine, so it makes sense that San Francisco is still the kind of city where you can enjoy the best meal of your life dressed in denim. The West Coast’s unpretentious culture capital offers world-class restaurants, including 17 Michelin-starred eateries within city limits, as well as museums and shopping. It’s also a gateway to the nearby wine country and the winter-sport haven of Lake Tahoe--not that many people feel the need to expand their vacation beyond the 49 square miles of San Francisco proper.
Activities and Attractions:
It says something about San Francisco that one of its most well-heeled shopping neighborhoods has held onto a name it’s had since it was farmland: Cow Hollow. Here you can browse art galleries and boutique clothing and furniture stores, recharging between stops at any of several European-style sidewalk cafes.
Looking for something less contemporary? The Jackson Square shopping district is chock-full of antique galleries. Union Square is the place for high-end brands like Neiman-Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue. And if you still haven’t found what you’re looking for, there’s always Japantown. Maybe that knick-knack you’re seeking can be found at the Japan Center Mall. (If it’s a fine woodworking tool, an imported bottle of sake, or a hand-made shoji screen, chances are good.) In any case, you can always satisfy a sushi craving and later soak your cares away (or have someone knead them out of you) at the Kabuki spa.
San Francisco is a culture maven’s paradise, with museums devoted to Asian and modern art. The beaux-arts Legion of Honor, devoted to antiquities, is located on a spectacular wind-swept bluff overlooking the Pacific. Also not to be missed is the Herzog & de Meuron-designed de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park. The bold, copper-clad structure caused quite a stir when it opened in 2005, but love or hate the façade, there’s no denying it houses a stunning collection of the art of the Americas, Africa, and the Pacific.
Music lovers are in for a treat as well, as the city offers its own ballet, opera, and the world-famous San Francisco Symphony, led by maestro Michael Tilson Thomas.
San Francisco packs an incredible amount into one small landmass. Sometimes it feels like a dozen small cities next to each other. One moment you’re sipping cappuccino and listening to a live aria at a North Beach coffeehouse, and a few blocks later you’re surrounded by Cantonese speakers haggling over the price of a roasted duck in Chinatown. Get a handle on the geography by climbing one of the city’s famed hills, or board a bay cruise at Fisherman’s Wharf to take it all in from the water. By the time your catamaran is skimming under that iconic Golden Gate Bridge, you, like many before you, may realize that you have left your heart in San Francisco.
Insider Tip:
Formal attire is rarely required in the casual Bay Area, the region that brought you the khaki-clad dot-com CEO. But San Francisco’s weather is notoriously changeable—clammy fog at breakfast, lunch under a warm sun, and drizzle for dinner is not unheard of. Many men find that a sport jacket is a versatile layer to help cope with climactic mood swings. Women will find that a shawl or similar wrap will take them from an outdoor café in the afternoon to the symphony at night.
-Exclusively for Perfect Escapes by Nicole Clausing |
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