Quality of Life
The Bay Area’s quality of life
may be unparalleled.
The San Francisco Bay Area attracts…
exceptional people (and the companies they own or work for) because it is an exceptional place to live.
The Bay Area is noted for its:
Mediterranean Climate and Scenic Beauty
- Ideal climate warmed by the sun and cooled by the ocean
- Impressive beauty of the rugged coastline, expansive bay, rolling hills and coastal forests
Abundant Open Space
- Only 18% of the Bay Area’s land is urbanized
- The Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) has special appeal:
- World’s largest urban national park
- 28 miles of coastline through three counties
- Encompasses more than 76,500 acres
- Historic landmarks and breathtaking scenery
- Attracts 20 million visitors annually
This region is a virtual haven for those who love the great outdoors.
Golfing, tennis, sailing, ocean kayaking, windsurfing, skiing, or mountain biking along trails with spectacular vistas…the Bay Area has it all.
Cultural Resources
The region offers extraordinary cultural resources. Particularly notable:
Major Performing Arts
San Francisco is one of a handful of cities in the world with internationally recognized resident companies in all the major performing arts:
- San Francisco Opera
- San Francisco Symphony
- San Francisco Ballet
- American Conservatory Theater
And there are excellent symphonies throughout the region, including Contra Costa, Napa and Marin Counties, and the Cities of Oakland and San Jose. In addition, numerous community theater groups, ballet companies, art shows, musical productions and annual celebrations highlight the region’s wealth of cultural and ethnic diversity.
Fine Arts and Technology Museums
SAN FRANCISCO
- de Young Museum
- Asian Art Museum, with the largest collection outside of Asia
- California Palace of the Legion of Honor
- San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
- San Francisco’s Exploratorium
OAKLAND/BERKELEY
- Oakland Museum of California, the only museum devoted entirely to the environment, history and art of California
- Lawrence Hall of Science
- Chabot Space and Science Center
SAN JOSE/SILICON VALLEY
- The San Jose Museum of Art
- Children’s Discovery Museum
- Tech Museum of Innovation
STANFORD
- The Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University includes 24 galleries and the famed Rodin Sculpture Garden
Other interesting museums are found throughout the region, including:
Marin’s Museum of the American Indian, and Mission San Rafael Archangel; Contra Costa's Behring Auto Museum; and San Mateo’s Hiller Aviation Museum and Center for the American Musical.
Fine Dining
The region is famous for its many fine restaurants, lively bistros, and
ethnic eating places. San Francisco alone has more than 3,200 restaurants offering a world of cuisine.
Major League Sports
- Football (San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland Raiders)
- Baseball (Oakland A’s and San Francisco Giants)
- Basketball (Golden State Warriors)
- Hockey (San Jose Sharks)
Family Recreation
- Vallejo’s Six Flags Marine World, and Santa Clara’s Paramount’s Great America
- The Oakland and San Francisco Zoos
- Napa Valley’s Hot Air Balloons and Wine Train
- San Mateo’s Aņo Nuevo State Reserve, the world-renowned mainland breeding ground for elephant seals
- Numerous county/regional/state parks and beaches
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