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Fast-paced ice hockey.

This beach resort has always had a reputation for the vibrancy of its countercultural way of life. Along the beautiful coastline, the most prominent feature is the Boardwalk’s Big Dipper Rollercoaster, which has been thrilling Santa Cruzers since 1923. The best swimming in the Bay Area is also here (see Santa Cruz & Capitola).

Both of these towns, in the verdant hills just above Silicon Valley, have retained their rustic, frontier quality. One of the best things to do, other than drive the scenic roads, is to visit Hakone Gardens, a beautiful Japanese park with an unusual gift shop (see Los Gatos & Saratoga).

Auto-racing.

The National Football League team strut their stuff from September to January.

The city’s baseball team plays from April to October.

Skateboard ramps are wherever you make them in this city – along Market Street in the Financial District, in one of the dozens of parks, or on any plaza. Protection against the inevitable vagaries of flying around on wheels means you should gear up with a helmet, knee and elbow pads, and gloves.

Pick up this bucolic road (Highway 35) at Lake Merced, and it will take you all the way down the woody spine of the Peninsula to Santa Cruz. It’s a total immersion in nature, just minutes from the populated areas around the Bay.

Just 30 minutes south of the city, with a CalTrain depot right at the main gates, the palm-lined beauties of this campus make it worth a trip. The visual motif of sandstone and red-tile roofs has been carried forward since the Romanesque Quadrangle was built in the late 1800s. The ornate carvings that decorate the arches and pillars are extraordinarily lovely, setting off the elaborate mosaic that graces the façade of Memorial Church (see Palo Alto and Stanford).

Three miles (5 km) of sand make this one of the most popular beaches in the Bay Area, coupled with the fact that Marin often has fine weather when the rest of the coast is covered in fog. As a result, it can be crowded when the sun comes out.