Underrated things to do in the Bay Area

I still think about these tide pools to this day. Visiting the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve Tide Pools is probably my favorite thing to do in the area. Located only 30 minutes from downtown SF, it's a perfect day trip for travelers and families of all ages--my parents have been taking us since we were very little. You can walk on the rocks during low tide and see all the living things that reside by the shore-- sea urchins, fish, sea anemones, sea lions, kelp, etc. It always takes my breath away. 

However, there are rules to the reserve: 

• you can only walk amongst the tide pools during low tide. Tides lower than 1ft make for the best viewing conditions. You can check the tide predictions on a given day through this link. 

• if your group is 15 people or more, you must make a tour reservation

• do not antagonize the sea lions or seals

• do not destroy or take any of the wildlife 

• there are more rules listed on the website

Visiting the tide pools was always the most memorable part of my trips to the Bay Area, and I highly recommend it to anyone in the area. There are also other things to do at the reserve, like hiking, if the tides are not low enough for viewing. 

location: J V Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, 200 Nevada Ave, Moss Beach, CA 94038

website: https://www.smcgov.org/parks/fitzgerald-marine-reserve

https://fitzgeraldreserve.org/

SPARK Social is a food truck park with ample seating and open space for children and adults, and it's right in the city (well, about a 5-10 minute drive from downtown). There are so many different food trucks to choose from, all with incredible food. And, there are firepits & covered seating available for reservation making it the ideal spot to get together with family and friends. 

Last time I was there (winter 2022), they had a giant chess set for us to play with, and there was space for my younger brother to play soccer with our cousins. Since it was decently cold (well, cold for the area; it was about 45°F), the firepits were a godsend, and we roasted so many marshmallows. My aunt was pretty worried about catching COVID (rightfully so), and this park was perfect for the family to get together.

location: 601 Mission Bay Boulevard North, San Francisco, CA 94158 

website: https://sparksocialsf.com/

The Park Chalet is a great place to eat, rest, and take in the views of the Pacific Ocean. Located right by Golden Gate Park, it is an extremely convenient place to grab a bite to eat, but there is also ample space for kids to play or for dogs to run around. It's a perfect pitstop for anyone, especially families. Also, the food is pretty good. 

location: 1000 Great Highway, San Francisco, California 94121

website: https://www.parkchalet.com/

Okay so this might be underrated, but I really enjoyed it. On our latest trip to San Francisco, I had just turned 21, so my mom and I went wine tasting in Napa Valley. Apparently, when my parents lived in the Bar Area, wine tasting in Napa was free. This is, unfortunately, this is no longer the case. V. Sattui Winery was $45 per person tasting, but the price varies depending on the experience. However, I personally think this price is totally worth it. The sommelier who took care of us knew exactly what they were talking about, and they were even able to recommend wines we wouldn't ordinarily think to order. We loved every single wine we tasted and greatly enjoyed the experience. Honestly, it was the perfect mother-daughter day. I will say, that the wine bottles were extremely expensive.

We were only willing to spend the money on my parent's favorite winery, so we did not go to any other tastings. However, it was nice just checking out some other vineyards and seeing what they had to offer. Not to mention, it's even worth it to drive through Napa Valley just for the views. 

location: 1111 White Ln, St Helena, CA 94574

website: https://www.vsattui.com/visit/