3 Best Sights in The Bay Area, California

Well-to-do Palo Alto and its intellectual neighbor, Stanford University, are about 35 miles south of San Francisco. Stanford's gorgeous grounds are home to a primordial-looking cactus garden, a stone river sculpture by Scottish artist Andy Goldsworthy, wood carvings and indigenous artworks from Papua New Guinea, and an excellent art museum—the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts (open daily except Tuesday)—whose lawn is planted with bronze works by Auguste Rodin. Free one-hour walking tours of the campus leave daily at 11 and 3:15 from the visitor center.

This hospital for distressed, sick, and injured marine animals is a leading center for ocean conservancy in the Bay Area and the largest rehabilitation center of its kind in the world. Dedicated to pioneering education, rehabilitation, and research, the center is free and open daily to the public. Tour the facilities and see how elephant seals, sea lions, and pups are cared for and meet the scientists who care for them. Bonus: you'll catch some of the best views of the Marin Headlands and San Francisco Bay along the way.

Known simply as "Cal," the founding campus of California's university system is one of the leading intellectual centers in the United States and a major site for scientific research. Chartered in 1868, the university sits on 178 oak-covered acres split by Strawberry Creek. Campus highlights include bustling and historic Sproul Plaza ( Bancroft Way and Sather Rd.), the seven floors and 61-bell carillon of Sather Tower ( Campanile Esplanade), hands-on Lawrence Hall of Science ( 1 Centennial Dr.), the vibrant 34-acre Botanical Gardens ( 200 Centennial Dr.), and the historic Hearst Greek Theatre ( 2001 Gayley Rd.), the classic outdoor amphitheater designed by John Galen Howard.