Ginny Vail

Ginny Vail is a travel writer, whose goal is to help you pack your travels with more adventure and less stress. Her posts, photos, and videos will help you discover places to visit, sights to see, sight locations, ways to get to them, and when to go. She is a native Californian, and, although she’s visited all 50 states and traveled around the world, her main focus is the San Francisco Bay Area, where she lives.

View from Grandview Park overlooking San Francisco.

Hiking in San Francisco — 8 Great Urban Hiking Trails

There are many opportunities for hiking in San Francisco because there are urban hiking trails up hills, in parks, and along the ocean and bay waterfront.

Mosaic tiles create an amazing Sea to Sun mural on the 16th avenue tiled steps in San Francisco.

Grand Views and Gorgeous Mosaic Stairs in San Francisco

For amazing mosaic art and great San Francisco views, walk up the Hidden Gardens and 16th Avenue mosaic stairs, then climb a hill to Grandview Park.

Scenic John F Kennedy Drive and parallel trail through the west end of Golden Gate Park.

A Great Walk in Golden Gate Park from JFK Promenade to the Ocean

For a scenic and interesting end-to-end trek through Golden Gate Park, walk, run, or bike the 3.4-mile trail along JFK Promenade and JFK Drive.

View of San Francisco’s scenic coastline and Golden Gate from Lands End Trail.

San Francisco’s Lands End Hike

Take the San Francisco Lands End Hike, and discover gorgeous views of the rugged Pacific Coast and Golden Gate Bridge along the Lands End Trail.

View of San Francisco city skyline and San Francisco Bay from the top of Mt. Davidson.

Mt. Davidson San Francisco: Scenic Trails and Sweeping Views

Do you enjoy hikes with scenic woods and hilltops with amazing views? If so, trek up Mt. Davidson for gorgeous views of the San Francisco skyline and bay.

A bright red historic street car arrives at Pier 39 in San Francisco.

Getting around San Francisco sightseeing on Public Transit in 2023

Getting around San Francisco is easy on public transit. Leave the car behind and enjoy the walk-on-walk-off freedom of sightseeing using San Francisco MUNI.

A Tabasco Factory display with a row of seven human-size bottles representing each of the seven Tabasco flavors.

Tabasco Tour — An Awesome Experience on Avery Island Louisiana

Spice up your travels with a Tabasco Tour on Louisiana’s Avery Island. Tours include the Museum, Factory, Jungle Garden, and options for great Cajun food.

Visitors pass within arms-length of giant old-growth redwoods on the Redwood Creek Trail in Muir Woods.

Getting to Muir Woods from San Francisco for an epic day trip

Looking for a wonderful outdoorsy trip to Muir Woods from San Francisco. This article has the three easiest ways to get there.

Great view of Alcatraz Island as we arrive on the ferry to visit Alcatraz.

Visiting Alcatraz: How to do it right and get the most from your trip

Visiting Alcatraz is one of the top things to do in San Francisco. The tour includes the Alcatraz Ferry to the island, the infamous prison audio tour, and more.

Courtyard entrance to the San Francisco Legion of Honor Museum.

The 15 Best Museums in San Francisco

The 15 best museums in San Francisco, including Art, Science, and History museums, and a few small, fun museums that are absolutely free.