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California Vacations Bay AreaThe San Francisco Bay area (aka Bay Area) is a beautiful part of the California coast located 380 miles north of Los Angeles. Visitors to this area are mostly destined for San Francisco, one of the world's great cities and a major USA tourist destination, attracting over 16 million visitors each year. The early history of European settlement of the Bay Area started with the establishment of Spanish missions and many of the popular landmarks throughout the region date to that period. In later years, prospectors headed for the Californian gold rush made their mark on the region. The modern day Bay Area is best known as the home of the Golden Gate Bridge, the world's leading high-tech industries in Silicon Valley, its relaxed lifestyle and liberal politics. The areas surrounding the Bay are home to nearly 8 million inhabitants, residing in cities such as San Francisco, Oakland, San Mateo, Palo Alto, Berkeley and San Jose which is the largest of the bay cities. Education is one of the major industries in the Bay Area with the University of California, Berkeley situated in Berkeley and Stanford University in Palo Alto being two of the major USA universities. |
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Some of the better known cities that are located in the Bay Area are: San Francisco - The dominant tourism city of the Bay Area and one of the major visitor attractions in the USA. Considered by many to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Known for its laid back, liberal lifestyle, steep hills with iconic cable cars and a widely diverse population. San Jose - This (not San Francisco) is the largest city in the Bay Area and the third largest in California with a population of approximately 960,000. San Jose is the other major technology city of Silicon Valley, and is just a little further south than Palo Alto. Berkeley - A university town and center of the University Of California, Berkley. The city has an ethnically diverse community, many cultural attractions and is famous for its liberal politics. Oakland - A city with minimal traditional tourism appeal, consisting of village-styled neighborhoods which host a diverse mix of cultures and peoples. One of the most ethnically diverse cities in the United States, Oakland echoes to the sound of over 150 different languages. Palo Alto - When someone speaks of Silicon Valley, this is one of the cities they might be talking about. This small, bustling community shares the peninsula with San Francisco and is the home to Stanford University and hundreds of technology companies.
The Golden Gate Bridge - this Californian icon connects San Francisco on the Bay Peninsula with Marin County to the north. Although it dates back to 1937, the bridge remains instantly recognizable and is one of the great Californian tourist attractions. Alcatraz - this island in the San Francisco Bay is best known as a federal prison and was immortalized in the movie "Birdman of Alcatraz" in the 1950's. Prior to being a prison, the island served as an army post, then federal prison and is now a National Park Service museum. San Francisco Cable Cars - these colorful and much loved vehicles run up and down the steep city hills and offer a unique ride to locals and visitors alike. Muir Woods - a beautiful forest located in Mill Valley with some of the last remaining old-growth Californian redwood trees, with many of them being over 300 feet (90 m) high. Point Reyes National Seashore - the site of an historic lighthouse in Marin County plus a stretch of scenic coastline, isolated beaches and rugged, rocky cliffs. Mt. Diablo State Park - one of the great look-out spots, located near Walnut Creek in the East Bay area. Gaze out from a height of 3,849 feet for some very dramatic panoramic views across the Bay Area and inland across the Central Valley.
A visitors guide to Berkeley from the official tourism authority A what's happening in Berkeley schedule of events |
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