Last updated August 6, 2025

See my other travel guides outside the Bay Area here.

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Eddie’s List: San Francisco Bay Area Events & Things To Do

San Francisco newsletter, Bay Area event calendar, things to do this week: curated news, art, festivals, volunteer, galas, classes, talks, music, street fairs, tech, pop-ups, comedy, wellness & cultural events; food & drink recs.

By Eddie Hernandez

Downtown Los Angeles is a place I love and is often the area I stay in when I visit whether for football games, catching up with friends or working with clients on their dating photos.

As someone who went to USC, DTLA was the first major city I spent significant time in as a young adult, and the diversity, grit, and culture are something I miss dearly.

In a city that is so spread out and so dependent on vehicles to get around, I like to be efficient with my travels so I can do, see and taste as much as possible when I am not working.

Don’t get me wrong, I love spending time on the West Side and sorely miss warm winter afternoons on the beaches, but there is something about downtown that keeps luring me back.

Downtown Los Angeles Containment Zone, Map

The containment zone, which endured curfews and lockdowns for two weeks was largely between the 110, 10 and 5 freeways. Areas nearby were also impacted during this time.

Unfortunately, the area has received a lot of bad press, and many restaurants and bars have closed either during the pandemic i.e. Bäco Mercat : ( or more recently during the curfews and lockdowns earlier this year. Bars and restaurants operate on a thin margin, and closing early, closing unexpectedly or losing staff can be the nail in the coffin for many businesses.

I have been thinking about writing a piece about my Los Angeles recommendations for quite some time, and my recent visit there last week helped me accelerate the effort after seeing many places struggle.

Downtown Los Angeles Recommendations

Before you look up reviews, check out maps or begin to bookmark locations, I highly recommend watching this documentary: City of Gold. It’s about Jonathan Gold, LA Times food writer who passed away in 2018. You get to see Los Angeles through the food and cultural lens that is vital to appreciating the food that arrives at your table.

His focus was on lesser-known restaurants and immigrant-owned places - he was simply the best.

Below is a range of recommendations from restaurants, bites, a few bars, and activities to explore on your next visit to downtown Los Angeles and a few recommendations nearby.

DTLA Restaurant Recommendations

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San Francisco Bay Area Activities, Things To Do

Sign up for my free weekly email newsletter featuring events & things to do in/around the Bay Area (and some in the Mendocino area) from talks, classes, live music, street fairs, block parties, live music & more.

It features mostly events, food festivals and more in the Bay Area but I also include some special events from outside the Bay Area including Santa Cruz, Monterey, Mendocino, Tahoe and more.

Check it out, over 22,000 people have discovered Eddie’s List - are you next?

Runner-Up: Best Bay Area Local Website -48 Hills, Best of the Bay & San Francisco Bay Guardian 2024 & 2025!

Eddie’s List: San Francisco Bay Area Events & Things To Do

Your new favorite San Francisco newsletter, Bay Area event calendar: news, art, festivals, volunteer, galas, classes, talks, music, street fairs, tech, pop-ups, comedy, wellness & cultural events; food & drink recs. 1 email/week.

By Eddie Hernandez

Weekend Getaway: Mendocino, Anderson Valley;

Unique Things To Do, See & Eat Anderson Valley, Mendocino

Mendocino is a beautiful area to visit but when I was in my 20s, I’d go up for the drive alone whether through Anderson Valley or along the coast. Being able to see beautiful scenery, lose cell phone coverage and not see crowds was great.

While most folks go to Marin and Sonoma/Napa for hiking and wine tasting, Mendocino offers both for those who are willing to travel a bit further. Below are some of my favorite things to do in/around Mendocino and Anderson Valley.

Check back soon for updates, more details and additions.

Related reads:

• San Francisco Weekend Trips Without A Car

• Things To Do Along Caltrain Stations

• Things To Do Along BART Stops San Francisco | Oakland Bart Stations

• Things To Do Along SMART Train Marin-Sonoma

• Weekend Getaways Bay Area

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• North Bay Activities, Things To Do

Best Things To Do In Mendocino County

Wineries, Hikes, Restaurants & Activities Mendocino

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Bodega Bay Day Trip, Getaway

Be sure to sign up for my free weekly newsletter of events and things to do each week (24,000+ subscribers): food, drinks, classes, pop-ups, shows, talks, live music, street fairs, festivals, galas, book stuff, art openings, speed friend events, date ideas & more.

Eddie’s List: San Francisco Bay Area Events This Week

Free email event newsletter/calendar: art, festivals, volunteer, galas, classes, talks, music, street fairs, startup/tech/AI, food/drink, pop-ups, comedy, shows & cultural. Bay Area events, things to do in SF, news, recommendations & more.

By Eddie Hernandez

Things To Do In Bodega Bay, Places To See

Bodega Bay is one of the more under-rated areas in the Marin/Sonoma coastal areas and is known for views, hiking, fewer crowds than Marin, birds, flowers and seafood restaurants.

It can be done in a day, depending on your endurance, day of week/time of year, activities, weather, and more but it’s great to do an overnight to soak up more of the offerings, nature and more.

The best thing about Bodega are all the stops along the way and enjoying the scenery, bites and more.

Below are some of my favorite things to do, see, explore and eat in the area and some places to stop along the way and back.

Related reads:

• Bar Trivia List In Marin County

• Things To Do In Marin County (bars, restaurants, activities & more)

• Bay Area Social Clubs

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Bodega Bay Day Activities, Beaches, & Hiking Trails

More day trips/getaways here: https://www.eddies-list.com/t/san-francisco-day-trips-weekend-trips

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Last updated: May 9, 2025

Santa Cruz Travel Guide, Visitor Info, Food Festivals

Sign up for my free weekly email newsletter featuring events & things to do in/around the Bay Area from talks, classes, live music, street fairs, block parties, live music & more.

It features mostly events, festivals and more in the Bay Area but I also include some special events from outside the Bay Area including Santa Cruz, Monterey, Mendocino, Tahoe and more.

Check it out, over 26,000 people have discovered Eddie’s List - are you next?

Eddie’s List: San Francisco Bay Area Events & Things To Do

Your new favorite San Francisco newsletter, Bay Area event calendar: news, art, festivals, volunteer, galas, classes, talks, music, street fairs, tech, pop-ups, comedy, wellness & cultural events; food & drink recs. 1 email/week.

By Eddie Hernandez

Day Trips, Weekend Getaways To Santa Cruz From Bay Area

Santa Cruz is a great town; most people know it for the beach boardwalk for kids and young adults, but there is much more to it. For those looking to get out of the Bay Area and explore, this is one of the best options out there.

Like San Francisco or other coastal towns, it can be cool and foggy so best to look at temperature, cloud coverage at hourly intervals to optimize your trip for dress and comfort (aka wear layers).

Below are a range of recommendations from hikes, bars, restaurants, cafes, stops and more in/around Santa Cruz and Capitola. Not everything is accessible without a car, or at least not easily but there is enough to do there if you are adventurous and plan ahead.

Check back for updates, additions.

Related reads:

• San Francisco Weekend Trips Without A Car

• Things To Do Along 38R Bus MUNI

• Things To Do Along Caltrain Stations

• Things To Do Along BART Stops San Francisco | Oakland Bart Stations

• Things To Do Along SMART Train Marin-Sonoma

• South Bay Date Ideas

• Bay Area Trivia Nights

• Weekend Getaways Bay Area

Getting To Santa Cruz From Bay Area Without A Car

Santa Cruz can feel so close yet so far, depending on where your journey begins. If you can catch Caltrain, you can exit the San Jose Diridon Station and take the Santa Cruz Metro Bus (Highway 17 Express). It’s about an hour give or take, but has two stops an hour in the mornings and the middle of the day during week, and stops 30-60 minute intervals on weekends.

If you are coming from BART in the East Bay, there is a bus from Berryessa Station to Diridon that leaves every 10-20 minutes or so depending on day and time of the week.

Coming down HWY by car is more scenic while driving down 17 can be a bit nerve-racking as it is two lanes, through the mountains and features lots of speeding and bad drivers (be extra cautious during the rainy season). There is even a local Facebook group shaming drivers on this road. Not ideal if you get car sick easily.

Roads get backed up during the day, so arrive early as many people are passing through toward Monterey, Carmel & Big Sur as well.

Things To Do, See, Eat, Drink In/Around Santa Cruz

Restaurants In Santa Cruz

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