Fly to San Francisco

For a city of only 47 square miles, San Francisco holds a remarkable amount. Everyone knows the cable cars, Alcatraz, the Victorian painted ladies and the Golden Gate Bridge, but stay a little longer and you discover outstanding restaurants, very different neighborhoods and a creative streak that has shaped American culture for decades.

No two districts feel alike. Chinatown, the oldest in North America, never runs out of things to see, while the Mission is known for its murals and some of the country's finest burritos. North Beach has a Little Italy air, with coffeehouses and City Lights Bookstore. Echoes of the counterculture linger in Haight-Ashbury, and the Castro stands as a landmark in LGBTQ+ history.

There is lots to do outdoors. More than 1,000 acres of Golden Gate Park hold gardens, museums and even a bison herd, and the Lands End trail traces a dramatic stretch of coast. Cross the bridge and Muir Woods offers an easy retreat among ancient redwoods, while the Pacific Coast Highway heading south to Big Sur ranks among the world's most beautiful drives.

Most visitors fly into SFO, 13 miles south of downtown and about 30 minutes away by BART. Across the bay, Oakland (OAK) is often cheaper, particularly with Southwest and other low-cost airlines. Summer here is famously foggy, so September and October bring the warmest and clearest days.