Must try
Local speciality
North America / USA
San Francisco / Bay Area & Santa Barbara
A 10-day curated journey through San Francisco / Bay Area & Santa Barbara, USA — hand-planned by Rachana, with where to stay, what to do and where to eat all mapped out.
- Ideal stay
- 10 days
- Best season
- Year-round
- From
- $5,080–$14,130 pp
The place
About this destination
A 10-day curated journey through San Francisco / Bay Area & Santa Barbara, USA — hand-planned by Rachana, with where to stay, what to do and where to eat all mapped out.
My experience
This is Rachana's own 10-day itinerary for San Francisco / Bay Area & Santa Barbara, USA — the version she'd plan for a close friend. Expect a considered day-by-day plan, the stays worth booking, and the small details that make a trip feel effortless. Everything here is personally travelled and curated — no filler.
Luxury
Through the lens · 6 frames
Photo journal
01
Day by day
The itinerary
Day 01
September 19 (Thursday)
- 01Arrival & Road Trip to Santa Barbara
- 02Arrive in San Francisco
- 03Depart for Santa Barbara in the afternoon
- 04Dinner: stop along the way
Day 02
September 20 (Friday)
- 01Exploring Santa Barbara
- 02Breakfast: at leisure
- 03Morning: exploration around town
- 04Lunch: at Tamar (Mediterranean, Falafel Wraps)
- 05Afternoon: free for beach, shopping or a visit to a local winery
- 06Dinner: at Sama Sama Kitchen (Booked)
Day 03
September 21 (Saturday)
- 01More of Santa Barbara
- 02Morning: sightseeing or relaxation (TBD)
- 03Lunch: at Super Rica Taqueria
- 04Afternoon: exploration or beach time
- 05Dinner: at Zaytoon (Outdoor seating, Booked)
- 06Optional Santa Barbara restaurant suggestions
- 07Secret Bao (Asian fusion)
- 08Bibi Ji (Indian fusion)
- 09Bettina (Pizzeria)
- 10Convivo Restaurant & Bar (Italian)
- 11Tom’s Restaurant & Bar (Italian)
Day 04
September 22 (Sunday)
- 01Drive Back to the Bay Area
- 02Depart from Santa Barbara
- 03Arrive in San Francisco
Day 05
September 23 (Monday)
- 01Iconic San Francisco Day
- 02Breakfast: at home
- 03Visit Pier 39, Lombard Street & Twin Peaks
- 04Lunch: at Chipotle
- 05Drive across Golden Gate Bridge & visit Sausalito
- 06Dinner: at Shizen (Vegan Sushi, Booked)
Day 06
September 24 (Tuesday)
- 01Silicon Valley & Stanford
- 02Breakfast: at home
- 03Drive through Apple, Tesla, Meta, Google, and NVIDIA campuses
- 04Lunch: at Wildseed, Palo Alto (Booked)
- 05Visit Stanford University & Palo Alto
- 06Dinner: at La Fondue
Day 07
September 25 (Wednesday)
- 01Golden Gate Park & Ghirardelli Treats
- 02Brunch: at The Kitchen Story
- 03Visit Golden Gate Park & scenic viewpoints
- 04Stop at Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory
- 05Evening: relaxation
- 06Dinner: at Sons & Daughters (fine dining)
Day 08
September 26 (Thursday)
- 01Day Trip to Napa Valley
- 02Breakfast: at home
- 03Depart for Napa Valley
- 04Wine tasting at two vineyards
- 05Lunch: in the Napa Valley region
- 06Return to San Francisco
- 07Dinner: at Saison (2 Michelin Star)
Day 09
September 27 (Friday)
- 01Chill + Unique Experiences
- 02Breakfast: and easy morning
- 03Lunch: at Burma Love
- 04Visit Tesla & Meta campuses again
- 05Shooting range experience in Santa Clara
- 06Dinner: at Mesho Tokyo
- 07Wrap-up night at a rooftop bar
Day 10
September 28 (Saturday)
- 01Berkeley Day Trip & Farewell Dinner
- 02Breakfast: at home
- 03Visit UC Berkeley & Grizzly Peak
- 04Lunch: at Chez Panisse (Booked)
- 05Afternoon: relaxation and packing
- 06Farewell dinner at Tiya, San Francisco (Booked)
What to order
Local cuisine
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Must try
Local speciality
Farm-to-table tasting menus
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Must try
Local speciality
Seasonal vegetarian menus
Must try
Local speciality
Craft cocktails
04
Logistics
Getting there & around
01 · Self-drive
A rental car gives you the freedom to set your own pace between stops.
02 · Domestic flights
For longer legs, short internal flights save a full day on the road.
03 · Airport arrival
A private meet-and-greet transfer is arranged from the moment you land.
The numbers
Budget breakdown
Total · per person
$5,080–$14,130 pp
USD
Breakdown
- Accommodation
- $350–$900 / night
- Food & dining
- $63–$198 / day
- Transportation
- $42–$135 / day
- Activities
- $53–$180 / day
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