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Its days as “Berzerkly,” when student protesters and tear-gas clouds filled the streets in the 1960s, are only a fading memory now, although Telegraph Avenue still keeps some of the countercultural traditions alive. A great university, “Cal’s” faculty boasts some dozen Nobel Laureates, while beautiful parks, tree-lined streets, and unique shops typify this East Bay enclave. Berkeley continues to give more “power to the people” than any other US city, with a host of public services and aid to the disadvantaged that puts other communities to shame.

Sather Tower, Berkeley campus

Gertrude Stein’s famous dictum about her home town, that “there is no there there,” is being challenged these days by a very proactive new mayor, Jerry Brown. Oakland’s image, notorious for racial unrest and crime in the past, is being cleaned up to present a more visitor-friendly face, and there has been an influx of creative types who have moved here to flee the high rents of San Francisco. Oakland’s attractions include huge Lake Merritt, which offers a range of recreational possibilities, a beautiful Mormon temple and its Museum of California (see Oakland Museum Features).

To visit these raw, wild hills with astonishingly beautiful views is to enter another world; yet it’s only half an hour’s drive away, by way of the Golden Gate Bridge. The scale of the rolling terrain is immense, and the precipitous drops into the ocean dramatic. This is an unspoiled area of windswept ridges, sheltered valleys, and deserted beaches.

A former fishing community and now an upscale commuter area and tourist haven, this small town offers spectacular views of the city from its Bridgeway Avenue promenade. Historically, it has been an artists’ town, with an eccentric mix of residents (see Eccentric & Noteworthy Characters). Bungalows cling to the hillsides and boats fill the picturesque marinas, many of them houseboats that locals live in year-round. Excellent restaurants, accommodations, and some unique shopping possibilities, too.

Home to a well-known film festival, but perhaps more famous as the quintessential Marin hometown. It’s wealthy, relaxed, and beautiful, and the well-educated populace is given to progressively liberal views on just about every topic. The old part of town is flanked by wonderful stands of redwoods, lined with old buildings that house restaurants and unusual shops, and the whole centers around an eternally pleasant public square where people come to hang out.

No more breathtaking view exists than that from the summit of mystic “Mount Tam,” sacred to the Native Americans who once lived here. At 2,570 ft (785-m) high, those who hike up to the summit can take in practically the entire Bay Area at a glance. The area all around is a state park, a wilderness nature preserve with more than 200 miles (320 km) of trails that wind through redwood groves and alongside creeks. There are picnic areas, campsites, and meadows for kite flying. The steep, rough tracks here gave rise to the invention of the mountain bike.

Since the early days of the 20th century, this has been a popular vacation spot; the first visitors came on ferries from San Francisco and were met by horse-drawn carriages. Stinson remains the preferred swimming beach for the whole area, and nearby Seadrift is an upscale community of second or third homes of the wealthy. The stretch of soft sand here and the spectacular sunsets set off the quaint village, with its good restaurants and interesting shops. You can reach it via the coast route, but the drive up and over Highway 1 provides the most dramatic arrival, affording inspiring views as you exit the forest onto the bare headlands.

The next community up from Stinson is a hippie artists’ village that time forgot. Intensely private, the citizens regularly take down all road signs indicating the way to their special place to keep visitors from finding them. Potters and other craftspeople sell their wares in the funky gallery, organic produce and vegetarianism are the rule, and 1960s idealism still predominates.

An erstwhile sleepy university town, Palo Alto has most recently experienced a boom as the hub of Silicon Valley, and driving force of the “New Economy.” Although a lot of the gilding has lately fallen off the lily, this town has been left with a considerably dressed-up appearance, as well as many fancy restaurants, hotels, and shops. The town is home to prestigious Stanford University, with its beautiful, well-tended campus.

Possibly Marin County’s smartest community, it stands as a less hectic alternative to Sausalito for its views and restaurants. Here, 100-year-old houseboats (“arks”) have been pulled ashore, lined up, and refurbished, forming what is called “Ark Row,” where you’ll find shops and restaurants that enhance the charm of this waterfront village. Tiburon also offers scenic parks along the shore, facing Angel Island and the city.