The San Francisco Bay Area grew from a gold rush boomtown into a global hub for culture and technology. Here, fog rolls over Victorian streets and redwood-lined hills while start-ups hum in glassy campuses to the south. In one week, you can savor the city’s architecture, museums, and food scene, then pivot to Silicon Valley’s labs, leafy campuses, and the Google visitor plaza.

Expect microclimates: cool and windy by the Pacific, mild downtown, and warmer in the South Bay. Pack layers and comfortable shoes. Book Alcatraz early; popular dinner spots fill up fast. Public transit works well in the city, while Caltrain and rideshares make valley hops easy; if you drive, don’t leave valuables in the car.

Food is half the fun. From kouign amann at b. Patisserie to Mission tacos, Burmese curries, and a Michelin-starred Portuguese kitchen in San Jose, this itinerary leans into local favorites. Coffee is stellar—Blue Bottle, Ritual, and Verve are handy companions between the bridge, murals, and museum halls.

San Francisco

San Francisco is a compact city with outsize icons: the Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars, Alcatraz, and pastel “Painted Ladies.” Neighborhoods are the main event—Chinatown’s herbal shops, North Beach’s Beat poetry haunts, and the Mission’s murals feel like distinct worlds a few blocks apart.

• Top sights: Golden Gate Park, Lands End/Sutro Baths, Ferry Building, Alcatraz, Chinatown, North Beach, Mission murals, SFMoMA.
• Food & drink: Tartine Manufactory, b. Patisserie, Liholiho Yacht Club, State Bird Provisions, Zuni Café, Burma Superstar, Hog Island Oyster Co.
• Insider tips: Start early at popular bakeries; reserve Alcatraz morning ferries for fewer crowds; chase sunset at Baker Beach or Marshall’s Beach for classic bridge views.

Where to stay: Browse stays near Union Square, Nob Hill, or the Embarcadero on VRBO San Francisco or hotel options on Hotels.com San Francisco.

Getting here: Fly into SFO or OAK; compare fares on Trip.com flights or Kiwi.com.

Day 1: Arrival, Ferry Building Flavors, and Embarcadero Glow

Morning: Travel day. Fly into SFO/OAK; aim to land early afternoon. Check flight options on Trip.com or Kiwi.com.

Afternoon: Check in, then stroll the Ferry Building Marketplace for a first taste of the Bay. Grab coffee at Blue Bottle, sample cheeses at Cowgirl Creamery, and slurp oysters at Hog Island while watching ferries nose into the piers.

Evening: Walk the Embarcadero to the illuminated Bay Bridge. Dinner picks: Coqueta (modern Spanish tapas; excellent paella and gin-tonics) or Fog Harbor on Pier 39 (Dungeness crab, bay views). For dessert, Humphry Slocombe’s Secret Breakfast ice cream is a local legend.

Day 2: Chinatown, North Beach, and the Beats

Morning: Start at b. Patisserie (don’t miss the kouign amann) or Sightglass Coffee (SoMa flagship for serious espresso). Walk Grant Avenue gates into Chinatown: peek at herbal shops, the ornate Tin How Temple, and snack on fresh dim sum at Good Mong Kok Bakery.

Afternoon: Cross into North Beach. Browse City Lights Bookstore, then climb to Coit Tower for WPA murals and skyline views. Lunch at Tony’s Pizza Napoletana (award-winning Neapolitan pies) or The House of Nanking for old-school, saucy comfort Chinese.

Evening: Dinner at Liholiho Yacht Club (Hawaiian–Californian with Indian roots; order the tuna poke and baked Hawaii) or House of Prime Rib (carved tableside, San Francisco classic). Nightcap at the Tonga Room’s tiki lagoon at the Fairmont—kitschy, yes, but joyous.

Day 3: Golden Gate Park to the Pacific

Morning: Coffee at Andytown in the Outer Sunset, then Golden Gate Park: choose the de Young’s copper-clad tower, the California Academy of Sciences’ living roof, or the Japanese Tea Garden. Bikes are a fun way to link sights.

Afternoon: Head to Lands End. Hike the coastal trail to Sutro Baths’ ruins; watch ships thread the Golden Gate. Lunch at Outerlands (toasts, braises, and cloud-soft Dutch pancakes) or Burma Superstar in the Richmond (tea leaf salad, garlic noodles).

Evening: Sunset at Baker Beach or Marshall’s Beach for dramatic bridge angles. Dinner at Nopa (wood-fired mains, late kitchen) or Aziza (modern Moroccan; basteeya is a must). Optional gelato nightcap at Fiorella’s soft-serve window in the Richmond.

Day 4: Alcatraz, Fisherman’s Wharf, and Mission Murals

Morning: Take an early ferry to Alcatraz (book as far ahead as you can). The audio tour—narrated by former guards and inmates—brings the cellhouse to life.

Afternoon: Back at the Wharf, lunch at Scoma’s (bay-to-table cioppino) or Boudin for a crab chowder bread bowl. Then BART or rideshare to the Mission District: wander Clarion Alley’s ever-changing murals and relax on Dolores Park’s hillside lawn.

Evening: Dinner at State Bird Provisions (dim-sum-style carts with California small plates—reserve) or Zuni Café (the legendary roasted chicken for two). Drinks at Trick Dog (inventive menus) or a live set at The Chapel on Valencia Street.

San Jose & Silicon Valley

Silicon Valley marries garage–born origin stories with leafy campuses and excellent global food. San Jose anchors the South Bay; nearby Mountain View, Palo Alto, and Santa Clara are easy day hops by Caltrain or car.

• Top sights: Google’s public visitor plaza and Android statues, Computer History Museum, Stanford’s Main Quad and Cantor Arts Center, Winchester Mystery House, Santana Row.
• Food & drink: Adega (Michelin-starred Portuguese), Luna Mexican Kitchen, Verve Coffee, Din Tai Fung (soup dumplings), Doppio Zero (Neapolitan pizza), Oren’s Hummus, Zareen’s (Pakistani/Indian).
• Insider tips: Aim for weekdays to see campus life in full swing; weekend traffic is lighter for scenic drives to redwoods or the coast if you extend.

Where to stay: Base in San Jose for easy access across the Valley: see VRBO San Jose and Hotels.com San Jose.

Day 5: Transfer to San Jose, Santana Row, and a Curious Mansion

Morning: Depart San Francisco. Caltrain from 4th & King to San Jose Diridon takes ~1 hr 15–30 min, ~$9–12 one-way. Driving is ~1–1.5 hrs depending on traffic (US-101 or I-280). Coffee to-go from Sightglass or Blue Bottle before you roll.

Afternoon: Check in, then tour the Winchester Mystery House (mosaic of odd stairways and doors-to-nowhere; main tours ~$41–55). Walk or rideshare to Santana Row for boutiques and people-watching; break at Verve Coffee for a flash-brew iced coffee.

Evening: Dinner options: Adega (refined Portuguese; book ahead—bacalhau and pastel de nata shine) or Luna Mexican Kitchen (heritage corn tortillas, wood-grilled carne asada, great for families). Post-dinner pints at Hapa’s Brewing Company or arcade-bar fun at LvL Up in Campbell.

Day 6: Mountain View, Google Visitor Experience, and Shoreline

Morning: Breakfast at Red Rock Coffee (community hub with pour-overs) or Dana Street Roasting Company. Explore the Computer History Museum (plan 2–3 hours; admission roughly $20) for everything from Enigma machines to self-driving car history.

Afternoon: Head to the public Google Visitor Experience in Mountain View: browse the Google Store, see the Android statue garden, and graze at The Huddle food hall. Then rent a kayak or pedal boats at Shoreline Lake or bike a segment of the Stevens Creek Trail.

Evening: Dinner at Doppio Zero (charred-crust Neapolitan pies, house-made pasta) in downtown Mountain View or Din Tai Fung at Westfield Valley Fair (Xiao Long Bao, cucumber salad, truffle pork dumplings). If you’re up for it, catch a show in season at Shoreline Amphitheatre or play retro games at Miniboss in downtown San Jose.

Day 7: Palo Alto, Stanford, and Departure

Morning: Coffee and arepas at Coupa Café on Stanford’s campus or a flat white at Blue Bottle on University Avenue. Walk the sandstone arcades of the Main Quad; time permitting, visit the Cantor Arts Center and Rodin Sculpture Garden (free; check hours). Hoover Tower’s observation deck occasionally opens with limited hours—great campus and bay views if available.

Afternoon: Lunch in Palo Alto: Oren’s Hummus (pillowy pita, hummus masabacha) or Zareen’s (chicken tikka, samosas, chai). Head to SJC (closest) or SFO for your flight—compare fares on Trip.com or Kiwi.com. If you’re driving, allow extra time for midday traffic and rental car return.

Evening: If your flight is later, fit in a last stroll down University Avenue for Blue Bottle affogatos or a pastry at Prolific Oven’s successor spots nearby—then it’s wheels up.

Optional add-ons if you have energy: 16th Avenue Tiled Steps (SF), SFMoMA (reserve for afternoons), the Exploratorium (interactive science museum), Stanford Dish hike at golden hour, or a quick detour to Los Gatos for trail time and gelato.

In one week, you’ll have crossed foggy cliffs, ferried to a storied prison, and wandered campuses where tomorrow gets designed. The Bay rewards curiosity—each neighborhood, cafe, and museum reveals another facet. You’ll leave with a camera full of bridge angles and a pocketful of places to return.