Clara Hogan

San Francisco is a city like none other—its charming streets, famous landmarks, sweeping views, world-class restaurants, boundless nature and vibrant culture make it one of the most beloved places to visit in the world. While the city's top tourist attractions, like the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz are worth seeing—if you want to experience the city like a local, we have you covered. From eating burritos in the Mission to rooftop bar hopping to hanging out on a sunny day at Dolores Park, we have rounded up the best ways to truly get a taste of this wonderful city. So, grab a sweater to keep you cozy and some sneaks to get you up our iconic hills, and get ready to leave your heart in San Francisco.  RECOMMENDED: The best museums in San Francisco This guide was updated by San Francisco-based writer Clara Hogan. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. 

What epitomizes peak Americana? Apple pie, baseball, hamburgers...and road trips. The Great American Road Trip is iconic for a reason. Across the land of the free, open roads beckon, calling you to explore America's countryside, coastlines, forests and mountain ranges.  On the Western Seaboard, the Pacific Coast Highway will take you along the California, Oregon, and Washington coasts. On the East Coast, Route 6 will charm you as you pass through picturesque New England beach towns. In between, journeys both long and short will also help you explore the heart of the country. Whether you're looking for a day trip or a week-long, cross-country adventure, our list of the best road trips in the USA has you covered. So grab your snacks, ready your favorite playlist and roll the windows down. It's time to hit the open road. 

From redwood groves to sprawling desert landscapes to miles of picturesque countryside, America has no shortage of stunning scenery across its 50 states. One of the best ways to take in all the beauty is by hopping aboard a train.  While a road trip through America is always a great choice to see the country's sights, we'd argue train travel is even better. Not only is riding on a train a timeless experience with notes of romance and nostalgia, but there's no airport stress or need to be at attention behind the wheel. Instead, you can sit back, relax and simply stare out the window as you take it all in.  Below, you'll find the best and most scenic train rides across the country. On the West Coast, take in ocean views aboard the Coast Starlight (from Los Angeles to Seattle) or the Surfliner, which hugs the California coast for miles. On the East Coast, the Mount Washington Cog Railway takes you through the Mount Washington area in New Hampshire. Looking for something even more adventurous? Head to Alaska to catch the Denali Star’s 350-mile trek from Fairbanks to Anchorage. Whether you're looking for a multi-day adventure or a route that only lasts a few hours, these train rides won't disappoint.

Whether zoos should exist—and whether they are good or bad—has been long debated. What we think of as modern zoos debuted in the early 1800s in Europe and sprouted up across America in the ensuing decades. Over the years, the major zoos in the U.S. have become ultra-focused on making sure they prioritize animal welfare and conservation—and that the animals are not suffering for human amusement. The reality is that there is a huge spectrum of zoos and how beneficial they are for animals. The best zoos in the U.S. are clean, well-staffed, properly care for animals, invest in spacious, well-maintained exhibits and—most importantly—help conserve endangered animals. From the San Francisco Zoo in Golden Gate Park to the historic Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago to the Bronx Zoo in New York, here are our top zoos in the U.S. RECOMMENDED: ⛰️ The best outdoor adventures in the U.S.🌍 The best camping in the U.S.

What's better than the beach or pool on a hot, sunny day? For many people, the answer is a day spent at a water park, and we don't blame them. Packed with attractions like twisting tunnel slides, straight-downward thrills, relaxing lazy rivers, and wave pools, the best water parks in the USA are ideal for family fun when the weather's warm.  Let's be clear: kids love water parks, but they are not just for kids. You're never too old to line up for a ride and shriek on the way down before splashing into the water below. In the U.S., you'll find water parks in every state—sometimes they're fun to tack on to a trip, and sometimes they're worth a trip themselves. In our list of best water parks in the USA, you'll find everything from a fake volcano to a build-your-own Lego raft adventure to heart-racingly steep slides. No matter which you choose, your day will not be dull.  RECOMMENDED:🏖️ The best beaches in the U.S.😎 The best family vacations in the U.S.🎢 The best amusement parks in the U.S.🏨 The best all-inclusive resorts in the U.S.🏞️ The best national parks in the U.S.🛝 The best Airbnbs in the U.S. with the craziest amenities

What if we told you that you could enjoy all the lovely aspects of camping (stargazing, s’mores and time in the great outdoors) without all the, well, less lovely parts (sleeping on the ground, setting up a tent, nowhere to charge your phone)?  If that sounds ideal to you, let us introduce to glamping. Glamping, by definition, is camping with a touch of glamour. It may not bring the comforts of a five-star hotel or your own home, but it's a definite upgrade in luxury from the traditional pop-a-tent-and-call-it-a-gocamping. If you love to be outside but also like sleeping on a real bed and having a toilet to yourself, glamping may be your perfect middle ground.  And thanks to its rise in popularity in recent years, glamping has taken off across the country. The best glamping in the USA ranges from California's redwoods to Maine's beachfront forests. From glass domes to covered wagons to Airstreams, there are a wide range of accommodations to choose from, plus many more amenities including on-site restaurants, yoga lessons and even spa treatments. Sound pretty nice? Read on. RECOMMENDED: 🥾 The best places to hike in the U.S.🏡 The most jaw-dropping secluded Airbnbs in the USA

To some people, vacation is all about rest and relaxation. But others would rather experience pulse-pounding thrills than chill out on a beach. This crop of extreme adventure travelers will go out of their way to feel a rush of adrenaline. If this sounds like you, we have a perfect list of adventure vacation ideas you won’t want to miss.  You have countless chances to get your heart racing across the country, from ziplining across the Catskills to heli-sking in Alaska to skydiving in Idaho. We have rounded up the absolute best extreme adventures in the U.S. you can take. Want stunning scenery? Bike down a rugged mountain in Lake Tahoe or climb El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. Want to feel a rush? Paraglide in Maui or bungee jump off the Stratosphere in Vegas. There are many more ideas where those come from—read on to find your next adventure.   RECOMMENDED: The best outdoor adventure in every state

One of the best things about San Francisco is the diversity of its food scene. Here you’ll find everything from dim sum restaurants to classic steakhouses, with fantastic world cuisine on every corner. So it should come as no surprise that SF has the bold flavors and intricate spices of Thai food in abundance too. In fact, Nearly every neighborhood in the 7x7 has a Thai restaurant (or three) worth visiting. And they all offer up something different, from the family-run Lers Ros to the modernized takes by Farmhouse Kitchen and the Michelin-starred magic of Kin Khao. Whatever you’re looking for, SF has got it. Here are the best Thai restaurants in the city.  RECOMMENDED:🍴 The best restaurants in San Francisco📍 The best things to do in San Francisco🏨 The best hotels in San Francisco🏘️ The best Airbnbs in San Francisco Clara Hogan is a US correspondent for Time Out based in the Bay Area, California. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. 

Ah, family vacations. A chance to escape your routine, connect and make memories. Because getting time off school and work to explore together can be a rarity, we understand the decision of where to go is important—and picking a destination that will be fun for the whole family will help make sure the adventure is as stress-free and enjoyable as possible. To help you pick your next holiday away with children in tow, we have rounded up the absolute best family vacations in the U.S. that we guarantee both adults and kids will enjoy. Yes, we have the go-to Disney spots in Anaheim and Orlando on the list, but we also have more unique choices. From playing along the bay with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background in San Francisco, to hiting up the (free!) Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C., to exploring the desert in Tucson, Arizona, these destinations offer endless ways to play.  RECOMMENDED: Cheap family vacations in the U.S. for 2024

America, the Beautiful. Or so the famous 1893 poem goes. There's nowhere that declaration rings more true than in America's national parks. These protected lands, from coast to coast, safeguard and showcase untamed wilderness with awe-inspiring beauty and diverse wildlife ecosystems. Today, there are more than 400 sites in the National Park Service, including 63 major parks—from America's first national park (Yellowstone) to dramatic landscapes carved by ancient forces. When adventure calls, turn to this list of some of the country's best national parks. (Pro tip: Grab an America the Beautiful pass, which gets you year-round access to all the parks. You'll be glad you did as you hike beneath towering redwoods, camp out under a blanket of stars, and witness the unspoiled natural beauty.  RECOMMENDED: The best national forests in the U.S.

Back in the day, when companies didn't sell perfectly-dosed, delicious-tasting cannabis edibles, few had no idea what they were doing and took way too much weed. But over the last decade, edibles have experienced a serious transformation. Gone are the days of the humble pot brownie; today dispensaries look akin to the candy aisle at Whole Foods. Gummies, mints, chocolate bars, caramels, gumdrops—you name it, you can likely find a version gussied up with some weed to your liking. Still, it's normal when getting ready to try edibles for the very first time to feel a bit overwhelmed.  Luckily, with weed now legal in 41 states for medical use and 24 states for recreational use, education has also increased—with better dosing information, labels detailing effects and thorough explanations from dispensary staff. Of course, it never hurts to come prepared with an understanding of the basics. We interviewed three cannabis experts from across the country to give you some easy-to-remember pointers about buying edibles for the first time (or the first time in a long time). Let’s dig in. MEET THE EXPERTS David Cooper, national retail trainer for Cresco Labs in Chicago Megon Dee, founder and CEO of Oracle Wellness Co. in Portland Miguel Trinidad, chef and co-founder of 99th Floor in New York City RECOMMENDED: Awesome CBD products that aren’t gummies

California is stunning, period. People come from around the world to witness the Golden State's huge variety of natural landscapes, from towering coastal redwoods to cascading waterfalls to vast deserts. And the best way to experience the natural wonder in California is to ditch the hotels in favor of pitching a tent. Wake up to views of dramatic cliffs, shimmering lakes, or even an active volcano (you heard us right). Once your cowboy breakfast is cleaned up, set out to discover hidden islands and wide-open beaches before retreating to your campfire under the stars. To help you plan your adventure, we've rounded up the absolute best camping destinations in California.  RECOMMENDED:📍 The best things to do in California🍽️ The best restaurants in California💧 The best hot springs in California🌲 The best places to see California redwoods🏖️ The best beaches in California This guide was updated by San Francisco-based writer Clara Hogan. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. 

What is the Golden Gate Bridge? Built in 1937 to connect San Francisco with the Marin headlands, the Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most universally recognized landmarks and most photographed bridge in the world. Visitors stand in awe of its 746-foot tall towers and bold International Orange color, which is repainted year-round. Is the Golden Gate Bridge worth visiting? The Golden Gate Bridge is the number one landmark in San Francisco—don't miss a chance to witness its stunning architecture, be it heading across the bridge or taking in views from San Francisco or Marin. Whichever way you choose, just don't forget a jacket—Karl the Fog is often looming nearby.  What's the best way to see the Golden Gate Bridge? Visitors often choose to experience crossing the bridge by foot, bike or car. Bikes and cars are permitted access 24 hours a day, while walkers can cross using the east sidewalk between 5am-6:30pm (5am-9pm during Daylight Savings Time).  Looking for a good viewing spot instead? You'll have plenty of options, including Crissy Field, Fort Point, Baker Beach or our favorite, the brand-new Presidio Tunnel Tops. What's good to eat near the Golden Gate Bridge? There aren't a lot of options directly near the base of the bridge on either side. On the San Francisco side, your best bet is in the Presidio—try Il Parco for a casual option in the Presidio Tunnel Tops park or Dalida, a buzzy new Mediterranean restaurant. On the Marin side, we continue taking in the views from Farl

You can hear the Napa Valley Wine Train before you see it. Starting in Downtown Napa at the McKinstry Street Station, the train rumbles through towns like Yountville and iconic vineyards like V. Sattui on a 36-mile round trip journey to St. Helena and back. The cavalcade of railroad cars were built in 1951 by the Pullman Standard Company and  refurbished for the modern era with details nodding to the original time period such as plush booths and mahogany paneling. Passengers can choose from a variety of dining journeys, including the Gourmet Express (a multi-course meal), Romance on the Rails (dinner and wine in a private booth on the train's Vista Dome) and Murder Mystery (a murder-mystery– themed dinner). One of the most intimate option is the Champagne Vista Dome experience, which guarantees you a private table. This car features curved glass windows in the observation-style dining car that give even more expansive views of Napa's lush countryside.  The three-hour lunch and two-hour dinner rides generally stick to the rails, but if getting off and exploring the vineyards is more of your thing, opt for one of the winery tours; most go to a few wineries and include lunch or dinner on the train.

Since 1994, the old stone cottage in the heart of wine country that houses the French Laundry has stood among the holiest of holy grails not only for destination diners, but aspiring industry pros around the world. Chef Thomas Keller’s influence on the culinary world is inestimable; without him, there’d be no Noma, Alinea, Benu or Frasca Food and Wine, to name just a few iconic restaurants his mentees have gone on to open. The pilgrimage to this intimate, 17-table Napa Valley institution remains at the very top of foodies’ bucket lists. Reservations open a month in advance, with seatings occurring daily from 4pm to 8:15pm. Every meal begins with a crisp salmon tartare cornet paired with a glass of champagne. From there, diners select one of the two prix fixe menus (one for meat eaters and one for vegetarians) and are then promptly taken on a three-to-four hour culinary journey. Dishes consist of classic and refined, yet unstuffy, French cuisine that showcase California-fresh produce sourced from the culinary garden across the street. The French Laundry has served as the pinnacle of fine dining for 25 years, with hospitality as unwaveringly pristine as the food. The restaurant has been awarded three Michelin stars every year since the first Michelin guide to the San Francisco Bay Area was issued in 2007, making Keller the only American chef to have two three-star restaurants at the same time (the other being Per Se in New York.)  The restaurant recently underwent a stunning $1

Think of San Francisco’s largest Halloween pub crawl as trick-or-treating for adults. Thousands of costumed revelers take over Polk Street for drinks, music and dancing, and costume contests. This year, whether you show up on foot or via the San Francisco Party Bus, you’re sure to be in spooktacular company at 20 haunted watering holes including Mayes, Nick's Crispy Tacos, Del Mar, and Wonder SF. It’s free to join the festivities.     

Napa Valley’s BottleRock festival is back this year for its first “normal” event since 2019. The festival was canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19 and, in 2021, it was delayed until the fall and had pandemic precautions in place. This year, BottleRock is back in all its glory in its usual slot, Memorial Day weekend, with big-name headlining artists from Pink to Metallica and Luke Combs. Other performers include Twenty One Pilots, Kygo, Pitbull, Alessia Cara, Vance Joy, and Amos Lee. The event will also host a slew of other activities from famous chefs and celebrities on the culinary stage to an impressive food and drink line-up and a series of more intimate performances outside of the main event.  We’ve rounded up answers to all of your questions to give you everything you need to know about BottleRock 2022. We also have you covered on where to go, eat, and sleep in Napa Valley should you want to explore more.  What is BottleRock?BottleRock Napa Valley, presented by JaM Cellars, is a three-day music, wine, craft brew and culinary festival that started in 2013.  When is BottleRock? BottleRock 2022 will run Memorial Day weekend, May 27-29, in downtown Napa at the Napa Valley Expo fairgrounds. How do I buy BottleRock tickets? Three-day tickets are sold out, but one-day general admission tickets for Friday and Saturday are still available through the BottleRock website. You can also still buy sold-out passes through the official ticket exchange Lyte. How much are BottleRock tickets?

What is Alcatraz? Alcatraz was once host to the first lighthouse on the West Coast, but it is most famous for serving as a former maximum security federal prison from 1934 to 1963. A small island situated in the middle of the San Francisco Bay, the formidable fortress was home to some of the 20th century's most notorious criminals. Today, the site is run by the National Park Service, and you can visit “The Rock” on a reserved tour. After taking a ferry departing from Pier 33 Alcatraz Landing, you'll receive a headset that allows you to take a self-guided audio tour of the prison.  Is Alcatraz worth visiting? A trip to Alcatraz is worth it both for the scenic ride out and back—where you can take in sweeping views of the bay and cityscape—and for the enthralling tour of the abandoned prison. Narrated by former inmates and guards, the audio tour will tell you stories of harrowing escape attempts, prison riots and the 19-month long occupation of the site by Native Americans demanding reparation for broken treaties in 1969. What's the best way to see Alcatraz? There is only one way to visit Alcatraz: book a tour (which often book up in advance, so look early.) The site is operated by the National Parks Service and only one ferry company — Alcatraz City Cruises — has a contract to transport people to and from the island. Tours are offered year-round, and ferries depart every half an hour throughout the day. To get a more creepy bang for your buck, opt for a night tour. Plan to spe

The local coffee scene across American cities has exploded in recent years — but which city loves its coffee the most? That would be the City by the Bay, at least according to one recent report. San Francisco is the number one coffee city in America, ranked by a survey from the personal-finance website WalletHub. The calculation compared the 100 most populous cities across the US using 12 key metrics, including the average spending on coffee per household, the share of homes with coffee makers, the number of coffee shops and manufacturers per capita, and the number of coffee-centric events.  After San Francisco, Seattle, Orlando, Honolulu, and Portland rounded out the top five coffee cities.  Source: WalletHub Coffee has played an important role in San Francisco's history: the first cup of restaurant coffee in the West was served there, large coffee brands such as Hills Brothers and Folgers started in the city, and the Italian espresso houses of North Beach were popular meeting spots for famous Beat poets. Today, the "third wave" of coffee shops has meant a coffee boom.  San Francisco's top coffee shops are independent, full of local personality, and spread throughout the city. Favorites include Ritual Coffee, Andytown Coffee Roasters, and Farley's. A few of the factors for SF's number one rating — it had both the highest number of affordable coffee shops and cafes rated 4.5 stars or above per capita, as well as the highest number of manufacturers. It also ranked number on

Add another must-do to your San Francisco bucket list: the Presidio Tunnel Tops, a project 30 years in the making. The new federal parkland is now officially open, offering 14 acres of space to play along the bay and take in stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge.  Tunnel Tops, located within the Presidio, a national park formed out of a former military outpost, debuted on July 17 to an outpouring of crowds eager to see the city's newest national park destination. It is a creative solution to creating usable green space in a densely packed city, located on top of the busy Presidio Parkway highway tunnels and connecting the center of the Presidio to the park’s Crissy Field waterfront. The unique design feat was a perfect fit for James Corner Field Operations, the firm behind New York City's High Line, which also found ways to connect urban streets to more peaceful, nature-focused settings.  The park is already a hit with locals and visitors alike, featuring picnic sites, a campfire circle, trails, native plant gardens as well as the Outpost, a sprawling two-acre, nature-inspired play area for children.    Photograph Courtesy of the Trust for the PresidioTunnel Tops   Getting to the Tunnel Tops is easy from most places in the city. Several of the city’s MUNI lines stop at the nearby transit center and there's a free PresidiGo shuttle from downtown.  If you get hungry, you can count on a variety of food trucks and carts nearby, in addition to a slew of eateries offered with

イギリスの金融商品比較サイト、Money.co.ukは新しい分析調査を実施し、LGBTQ+コミュニティーに最も友好的な世界の都市ランキング『The most LGBTQ+ accepting cities』を発表した。 分析に使われたのは、さまざまなデータ。例えばSocial Progressから入手した各国の受容度に関する世界的な指標、人口10万人当たりのLGBTQ+施設の数を示すTripadvisorのデータといったもの。出生証明書や運転免許証の性別表示変更が州相当レベルでどれだけ容易か、成人におけるLGBTQ+自認の割合、子育てをしている25歳以上のLGBTQ+成人数なども含まれている。 その結果、世界で最もLGBTQ+の人々を受け入れていのは、アイスランドのレイキャビクとなった。同地のLGBTQ+受容度スコアは満点の10ポイント。LGBTQ+専用のバーやクラブが最も多くあり、それらの質も高いことが結果に反映されたようだ。 2位、3位はオランダのアムステルダム、ロッテルダムが続いた。アムステルダムは、惜しくもレイキャビックにトップの座を譲ったが、スコアの差はほとんどない。受容度も9.8ポイントと非常に高く、ナイトライフについても数、質ともに大差がなかった。ロッテルダムは、LGBTQ+向けの施設の数が上位2都市に比べると少ないため、この順位になったようだ。 4位に入ったのが、アメリカのサンフランシスコ（アメリカの都市として1位）。同地は、人口10万人当たりのLGBTQ+施設の数が全都市中2番目に多く、それらのTripadvisorの平均評価も星4.2つと高い。サンフランシスコが高順位になったことは、この都市がLGBTQ+コミュニティーにとってリベラルで進歩的な避難所であるという長年の評判や、LGBTQ+運動の歴史を考えると大きな驚きではないだろう。 このランキングのトップ20を見てみると、、アメリカからはボストン（11位）、シアトル（12位）、ロサンゼルス（16位）、シカゴ（17位）の5都市がランクインしている。 ただ、同時発表されたアメリカの州別ランキングで1位になったのは、カリフォルニア州ではなく、ハワイ州だった。同州では人口の4.6％がLGBTQ+を自認。労働安全や出生証明書の性別表記を変更する手続きなどでも高い評価を受け、LGBTQ+コミュニティーで子育てをしている割合が30％と、上位5州の中で最も多い。ハワイに続く2位にはメイン州、3位にはバーモント州がランクイン。カリフォルニア州は4位となった。 ランキングと分析内容は、Money.co.ukの公式サイトで確認できる。 原文はこちら 関連記事 『ブライダル大手が同性婚のためのウエディングプランを紹介』 『東京、学びのクィアスポット6選』 『日本のジェンダー観や婚姻制度のあれこれ、もう一度社会の前提を疑おう』 『ニューヨーク歴史協会がLGBTQ+博物館の設立を発表』 『6年で日本は「ジェンダー平等」に近づいたのか、公平な制度の実現へ』 東京の最新情報をタイムアウト東京のメールマガジンでチェックしよう。登録はこちら

A new study shows which cities around the world are the most friendly toward the LGBTQ+ community, and we're not that surprised at the winners.  The study, conducted by Money.co.uk, analyzed cities based on a variety of criteria, including a worldwide indicator sourced from Social Progress on the level of acceptance in each country, Tripadvisor data showing the number of LGBTQ+ establishments per 100,000 people, as well as how easy it is at the state level to change the gender marker on your birth certificate and driver's license, the percentage of adults who identify as LGBTQ+, and how many LGBTQ+ adults over 25 are raising children, among other factors.  In the United States, San Francisco came out on top as the number one most accepting city in America, and fourth in the world. The city has the second-highest number of LGBTQ+ establishments per 100,000 people and has an average rating of 4.2 stars.  San Francisco coming in the first place isn't a huge surprise, given the city's long reputation as a liberal and progressive haven for the LGBTQ+ community and its history of LGBTQ+ activism. Out of the top 20 most accepting cities, five are based in the US: Boston ranked 11th; Seattle ranked 12th, Los Angeles placed 16th and Chicago came in at 17th. At the worldwide level, Reykjavik, Iceland was number one. That was followed by Amsterdam and Rotterdam in the Netherlands.  In terms of states in the US though, California wasn't number one. It came in fourth. Hawaii actually cam

Napa Valley is a bucket-list destination for every wine lover – the rolling vineyard hills, award-winning wineries, and gourmet California cuisine make it a foodie mecca that people around the world flock to. And one of the most magical ways to take in all that wine country has to offer is aboard the Napa Valley Wine Train.  The wine train is an iconic piece of Napa that’s been operating for more than 30 years, running directly through the valley on a rail line originally built in 1864. It was on a long hiatus during Covid, but officially re-opened in May. And now it's bringing back its popular Murder Mystery rides starting this month through October. The themed rides include 'Crime and Punishment,' 'Death of a Gangster' and a 'Wizards and Witches' tour that sounds perfect for Harry Potter fans (wizarding robes and hats are highly encouraged).  Photograph: Courtesy Napa Valley Wine Train While aboard the refurbished 1951 Pullman coaches, guests will have two hours to solve a murder (all while being served a multi-course fine-dining experience). On the Wizards and Witches tour – which takes place October 2, 9, and 16 – feel free to dress up as your favorite Hogwarts character and imagine you're aboard the Hogwarts Express!  Not into dress-up? The train offers a variety of other tours. Choose from various experiences and times, including daytime and evening rides, an intimate meal in the Champagne Dome, as well as those that includes stops at wineries and special ones like j