Things To Do
The City (San Fransisco)
Nihonmachi (Japan Town) is not to be missed for our Japan-loving peeps. It's a great hub for staying in The City, as it's close to all the action while still feeling like a quiet and small neighborhood. We recommend staying at Hotel Kabuki and having a bowl of ramen at Hinodeya. San Francisco's Chinatown is the oldest one in North America, and one of the most immersive places in The City. It's a great place to wander around and enjoy the shops and smells! Z and Y is our favorite Chinese restaurant in that area. Fisherman's Warf is an absolute San Francisco classic, and as touristy as it is we highly recommend checking it out if it's your first time here! The seals at Pier 39 are so stinky but soooooo cute. Go get a sourdough bread bowl full of clam chowder at Boudin's and then hit up Ghiradelli for a freshly made hot fudge sundae. Just....do it. There's something for everyone here if you just ask Google!
Berkeley & Oakland
Inbetween Lafayette (the wedding venue) and The City of San Francisco are the cities of Oakland and Berkeley. This is where we hang out! There are oodles of Airbnbs around these parts, and as much as we'd like to tell you where the "best spots" are, we really can't, as it all depends on what you're into and where you feel comfortable. The Airbnb host of the place you're interested in would best be able to advise you on what their neighborhood is like, but feel free to ask us as well! Amazing restaurants, bars, and coffee places are plentiful but here are some of our faves: Eats: Hopscotch - Oakland/Lake Merrit Grand Lake Kitchen - Oakland/Lake Merrit Jong Ga House - Oakland/Lake Merrit Zachary's Pizza - Oakland/Rockridge Comal - Berkeley Cheeseboard Pizza - Berkeley Thai Noodle II - Berkeley Geta Sushi - Piedmont Coffee: Philz - Berkeley (chain/multi-locations) Mud Lab* - Oakland/Lake Merrit *Mud Lab is in a zero-waste co-op shop that also sells local products and produce.
Lamorinda & Walnut Creek
If you're not into the city vibe - we got you!! Stay close to us in Lamorinda (Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda) or Walnut Creek! This area is perfect for those who want to chillax to the max. On to the food: Rancho Cantina - Lafayette El Jaro - Lafayette Pizza Antica - Lafayette Great Wall - Lafayette Metro - Lafayette Shelby's - Orinda Lord's Icecream - Orinda Toyosu - Walnut Creek Burma II - Walnut Creek Veggie Grill - Walnut Creek Morucci's - Walnut Creek Lafayette Reservoir is a great place for a nice walk!
Northern California
NorCal has so much natural beauty, there's no way we could condense all of our recommendations down into an easily digestible blurb. For those of you who wanna make a vacation out of your visit, you will never run out of things to do and experience! We've created a list of "worthwhile Google Searches" to start your vacation planning: Oakland Zoo Monterey Bay Aquarium Halfmoon Bay Santa Cruz The Mystery Spot Big Sur Yosemite Winchester Mystery House Napa