3 Best Sights in The Bay Area, California

A wonder of arches, circles, skylights, and an eye-catching blue roof just 10 miles north of Mill Valley, the Civic Center was Frank Lloyd Wright's largest public project (and his final commission) and has been designated a national and state historic landmark. It's a performance venue and is adjacent to where the always-fun Marin County Fair is held each summer. Ninety-minute docent-led tours begin Friday mornings at 10:30 am.

It’s hard to miss Stanford’s iconic building named for the 31st president of the United States and class of 1895 alum, Herbert Hoover. At 285-feet tall, it’s the closest thing the Peninsula has to a skyscraper. The domed red-tile roof with a Belgian carillon underneath it can be seen for miles. Visitors of Stanford-affiliated individuals can take the elevator up to the top for a panoramic view from San Francisco to the bay and East Bay Hills, and to the Santa Cruz Mountains. Unfortunately, the general public can only visit the exhibition galleries at the base of the tower.

The restored Victorian storefronts that line the four historic blocks of Oakland's original downtown now contain restaurants, cafés, offices, shops, galleries, and a Friday morning farmer's market. Architectural consistency distinguishes the area from surrounding streets, giving it a distinct neighborhood feel. Old World–inspired Caffè 817 (817 Washington St.) serves poached eggs and polenta, fresh-pressed panini, and bowls of café latte in an artsy atmosphere. Stop in for a deli sandwich at Ratto's International Market (827 Washington St.), an Italian grocery that's been in business for more than a century, or head over to the renovated Swan's Market (538 9th St.), where you can choose from an array of high-caliber multicultural eateries that offer takeout. Pacific Coast Brewing Company (902 Washington St.) pours a mean microbrew, while The Trappist (460 8th St.) wins loyalty for its exhaustive selection of Belgian ales. Various pop-up boutiques and permanent shops throughout the neighborhood are reinvigorating the storefront scene.