Best Day Trips in the Bay Area
We are spoiled in the Bay Area with a great variety of things to do. You can go to the coast, see the redwoods, and walk through beautiful gardens all in one day!
Every area has their own vibe and ambiance. There are still so many places I’ve yet to explore, even as a Bay Area native!
While this list could have 100 places on it, I’ll keep it short and sweet. I’ve also added my travel guides for each location.
Am I missing a must-see place? Let me know so I can visit on my next day trip!
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Carmel-by-the-Sea
Carmel-by-the-Sea, or just Carmel, is a lovely beach town near Monterey. It has a long stretch of gorgeous coastline and a plethora of options for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. While it is a bit further away from the center of the bay, it’s worth the 1-2 hour drive!
Things to do/see:
17-mile drive
Fairytale houses
Carmel Mission
Davenport
Davenport is a small town along the coast north of Santa Cruz. It’s teeny with just a couple restaurants, a church, and a small historic museum. It’s famous for the massive cliff that has broken off and become a large rock structure in the ocean.
Things to do/see:
Shark Fin Cove
Swanton Berry Farm
Davenport Pier
Felton
Also near Santa Cruz is Felton! If you’re sick of the coast and ocean (impossible), head to Felton for a beautiful walk through the redwoods and a ride on an old train.
Things to do/see:
Henry Cowell State Park (redwoods)
Roaring Camp
Filoli
This is one of my favorite places — if not my favorite place — in the Bay Area. It instantly feels like you’ve been transported to a Parisian or British garden with tons of greenery, blooming flowers, and historic buildings. If you haven’t been, this is a MUST-SEE spot!
Things to do/see:
Walk through the estate
Picnic in the gardens
Buy fresh flowers
San Francisco
I know San Francisco is an obvious day trip choice in the Bay Area, but there is just SO much to do there! From hot chocolate and snacks by the Golden Gate Bridge to art museums galore, you will never run out of things to do and see here.
Things to do/see:
Legion of Honor art museum
Warming Hut by the bridge
Ina Coolbrith Park
San Mateo
For a lovely, relaxing day trip that doesn’t back a bunch in, San Mateo is a great spot. It may not have a huge list of things to do, but I really enjoyed the day trip we took.
Things to do/see:
Japanese Tea Garden
Sweetgreen for lunch
Rose Garden
Sausalito
I was blown away by how cool Sausalito was. There was a nice variety of things to do, but it still had the small town feel. It’s a really easy day trip across the bay if you’re in San Francisco!
Things to do/see:
Floating Homes
Battery Spencer (best Golden Gate view!)
Downtown shopping/restaurants on the water
