Most kids dream of visiting a Disney park from the moment they realize these magical wonderlands exist. They grow up watching Disney fairytales unfold on television and in their favorite movies, envision their lives as Disney princes or princesses, and yearn for the day when they can see the iconic Disney castles with their own eyes.
According to a recent analysis by Time Magazine, the average four-day Disney vacation costs families $6,360. That includes the costs of hotels, transportation, park admission, food, souvenirs, and extras. The reality is, even the average, non-luxury trip to Walt Disney World isn’t going to be cheap. Even if you can drive to a park, you’ll need to pay for park admission, hotel stays, and food at a very minimum. If you want your kids to have any special experiences like dinner in Cinderella’s castle, that costs extra, too. You could do it cheaper, they noted, if you stayed off the resort, shortened your visit, drove instead of flying, avoided “park hopper” tickets that let you visit more than one park in a day, and ate entirely off the resort. However, the cheapest realistic budget they could come up with for a Disney vacation still came out to $3,564.
But, what if you could save even more on your trip? Some experts say it’s possible to whittle down the cost of your Disney vacation significantly if you’re willing to think outside the box, sacrifice in a few areas, and plan way ahead. Budget Travel has plenty of deals to find at Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California—and they aren’t the only way to save money.
CouponChief.com has assembled the ultimate guide of practical ways to save for a Disney vacation. Whether you plan to visit Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando or Disneyland Resort near Anaheim, California, there are tons of savings strategies that can add up in a big way.
Book with a Disney-approved travel agent
“Look for an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner,” says Steve Griswold, owner of Disney-themed travel agency Pixie Vacations. According to Griswold, authorized Disney vacation planners are travel agencies that the Walt Disney Company has given this designation to. These travel agencies usually specialize in Disney vacations such as Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, Adventures by Disney and Aulani.
“Most agencies are free to work with and their knowledge and service will help you find and plan the perfect vacation just right for you and your family,” he says. For example, these agencies will typically watch prices for you so that, if a new offer comes out that would save you money, you can reconfigure your vacation right away.
“This is also very convenient as you don’t have to look for new discounts every day or spend hours on hold with Disney.” Griswold also notes that hiring an agent can help you save time since they typically help with Disney dining reservations and going over the different dining packages with you, along with booking fast passes and other Disney extras.
Shop for these items getting to the park or resort
Disney merchandise – courtesy of disneytouristblog.com
Travel necessities – Disney Authorized Vacation Planner Sandy Nussbaum-Giercyk of Instant Impressions Travel Services says one of her favorite savings tips is hitting the Dollar Store to buy necessities before she leaves. “I get throw-away rain ponchos, glow sticks, and some little toys to keep us and those around us busy in line,” she says. You could also head to the Dollar Store or any discount store to stock up on additional supplies you might need for your trip – things like paper plates, toothpaste, and shampoo.Souvenirs – While Disney parks offer all kinds of activities to take part in, they are also chock full of distractions intended to get you to part with your hard-earned money. Souvenir shops and game stalls abound and, if you take advantage, you could wind up spending hundreds of dollars on extras and souvenirs. Disney-branded items can be purchased for much less than official gear or items on-site. Pack some Disney stickers or stuffed animals purchased cheaply at home and hand them out to your kids as required. They won’t know the difference, but you’ll avoid the huge mark-up on souvenirs at the parks. Alternatively, if you’re set on doing on-site shopping, be firm with a budget. Give kids an upfront dollar limit in terms of what they can spend on souvenirs. If they have $30 to spend, for example, they might be choosier when it comes to what they buy with their spending money.Meals and snacks – You can absolutely bring your own food into any Disney park (as long as it is not alcohol or inside a glass container). This can include a cooler with drinks and sandwiches or little snacks to help you get through the day. If you can avoid even $20 in snacking at the park over five days, that’s an easy $100 in savings. If you have Amazon Prime Now or another favorite grocery delivery service, take advantage of these services if you’re staying at hotel or condo with a refrigerator and kitchen. Select a limited number of special dining experiences; there is no need to pay Disney prices for every meal—especially if you have young kids that may not eat much of what is offered.
Save on park ticket prices
Save with an annual pass – courtesy of thepointsguy.com
Consider multi-day passes – While planning a longer trip might sound counterintuitive for those wanting to save, Nussbaum-Giercyk points out that park tickets become cheaper per-day when you stay longer. “Disney park tickets are front-loaded with cost, so a single day or two seems very expensive,” she says. “Add on at day 5 or 6 and it costs about the same as going to the movies!” Obviously, staying longer will cause the total cost of your trip to surge, but you may get more value in return if you’re able to buy a multi-day ticket and find other ways to save on your trip.Buy discounted park tickets through UndercoverTourist.com – While the discounts can vary quite a bit, it’s possible to save on the cost of park tickets through UnderCoverTourist.com. Make sure to compare prices before you choose this option. Also compare whether you would save more if you purchased a full-fledged Disney vacation package instead of buying tickets and lodging ala carte.Plan for just one park per day – While the idea of buying “park hopper” tickets that let you visit multiple parks every day does sound intriguing, many families are able to save substantial sums of money by visiting just one park per day. Most families can save $250 or more on their trip if they skip the “park hopper” upgrade and plan their visit accordingly. You still get to visit the parks you want this way, but you have to be more mindful in terms of the rides you want to ride and when, along with the special amenities you plan to take advantage of each day.Buy an annual pass – If you’re visiting Disney parks multiple times per year, buying an annual pass can absolutely pay off. A Disney Platinum Plus Pass is currently $829 for those ages 3 and up, but it includes unlimited admission to most Disney parks as well as free parking. This pass also allows you to visit more than one park in a single day. Florida residents also get special discounts. Don’t live in Florida, but have a grandparent living there? Not only do Florida residents get discounted pass prices, but they can purchase resident-rate passes for grandkids (under age 18).
Utilize travel credit card rewards
Driving instead of flying can save hundreds of dollars, but it isn’t the only way to save on transportation costs. It’s possible to avoid the cost of flying if you’re savvy with credit card rewards. By racking up miles with the Southwest Rapid Rewards program, for example, you can often fly round-trip into Orlando or into several California airports for just the cost of airline taxes and fees, which works out to $5.60 per person, per leg. You can earn Southwest miles by signing up for a co-branded Southwest credit card, flying with Southwest, shopping through their shopping portal, or signing up for the Southwest Dining Club.
Disney does offer a co-branded credit card with Chase, but the rewards are paltry compared to what you can get with other cash-back and travel rewards cards. If you’re looking for ways to get at least part of your Disney vacation covered for free, it might be worth it to look into travel credit cards that offer flexible points or travel credit. Just be sure to pay down your credit card each month, otherwise the interest will negate the benefits and rewards.
Get smart about Disney gift cards
The entrance to Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Florida – courtesy of orlandoinformer.com
One of the best ways to save for a Disney vacation is to take advantage of offers for Disney gift cards. “You can save five percent by buying Disney Gift Cards at Target, for example,” Griswold notes. To do so, you’ll need to sign up for a Target REDCard, which allows you to save 5 percent on Target purchases. According to the vacation expert, there is a special app that lets you type in your Disney gift cards so they are all organized and ready to be used and applied to your Disney World vacation balance.
Sam’s Club is also a popular place to buy Disney gift cards at a discounted price (usually 3% to 10% off). Just be sure to always purchase your gift cards from a trusted retailer and, if possible, in person, as there are plenty of websites online that are scams.
Rent a vacation condo or stay at an off-site hotel
Florida rental property – courtesy of orlandovacationhomes.com
If you’re worried about the high costs of staying on-property at your favorite Disney resort, you may want to consider renting a condo or timeshare week off-site. Doing so can typically net you plenty of savings and more room than you might have otherwise. For example, you may be able to pay less for a week in a two-bedroom condo than you would in a Disney resort with two queen beds.
If you stay at an off-site hotel, it is likely possible you can shuttle to the parks instead of taking your rental car and paying for parking. Many off-site hotels offer their own shuttles to entice guests, so make sure to check.
Sit through a timeshare presentation
Lots of local resorts offer special deals on Disney vacations (or Disney lodging) if you’re willing to sit through a timeshare presentation that can last between 90 minutes and 4 hours. These presentations don’t require a purchase but often include high-pressure sales techniques. While some of these pitches offer free or discounted hotel stays, others offer free tickets to a local Disney park in exchange for your time.
While these opportunities can absolutely help you save on a Disney trip, Griswold says you should think long and hard about pursuing this option and what your time is worth.“You will see booths all over Orlando offering discounted park tickets,” he says. “You are going to waste at least half a day in timeshare presentations and most have very high-pressure sales people.” If your trip is fairly short already, the time you spend may not be worth it.
Skip Disney during one day of your trip
Just because you’re in Florida or California near a Disney park doesn’t mean you have to spend every waking moment soaking up the Disney experience. If you plan a “free day” or skip the park for a single day, your savings can be substantial.
A free day can be anything you want it to be. Maybe your kids would be happy as clams swimming in the hotel pool. If you’re near the beach, you can also pack a picnic and let the kids play in the surf for the day (this option would require a rental car). Lastly, you could shop or explore other less expensive parks nearby such as city parks or water parks. You could even go roller skating or take the family to the movies!
— For more ways to save on a Disney vacation, check out the full guide at CouponChief.com.

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Look no further for the perfect destination for great nightlife, cultural attractions, and diverse dining experiences. San Francisco, California is bursting with new experiences, attractions, and more. Plan a jam-packed weekend getaway, or even a longer trip full of entertainment and flavorful culinary delights.Stay at these reimagined hotels
Hundreds of millions of dollars have been invested in San Francisco hotels in the last few years. Newly built properties such as the LINE SF, LUMA Hotel, and CitizenM Union Square are neighbors with dozens of renovated and rebranded hotels, including The Jay, Beacon Grand, 1 Hotel SF, and Kimpton Alton Hotel. While other properties such as The Clift Sonesta, St. Regis San Francisco, and Hyatt Regency San Francisco have completed major renovations.
The most recent to undergo renovation include Inn at the Presidio and Hotel Drisco. Meanwhile, The Westin St. Francis, which celebrated its 120th anniversary in March, will unveil a new lobby, restaurant, bar and terrace later this year. In March, the historic property unveiled the St. Francis Museum, which showcases iconic artifacts, including the world’s only coin cleaning operation (introduced in 1939 to preserve the cleanliness of guests’ white gloves.) The museum opening followed the unveiling of six renovated luxury suites in fall 2023.Enjoy endless seafood
Recently opened seafood restaurants include Popi’s Oysterette in the Marina. Popi’s serves items like the Dungeness Crab Roll firebrand brioche and other seasonal seafood sourced from some of California’s top purveyors. Broad Street Oyster Co. debuted its first Northern California outpost in Ghirardelli Square last month, dishing up seafood towers and lobster rolls in a décor drenched in color. Fisch & Flore took over the space of former longtime Castro favorite Café Flore with the goal of keeping the former restaurant’s neighborhood hangout vibe. It serves fresh seafood and zesty drinks. In Pacific Heights, the bright, light-filled Little Shucker has become a chic destination for oysters, wine, and more since its opening last year.
See a new perspective at these attractions
The Golden Gate Bridge by Ragnar Vorel – Unsplash
The 150-foot-high SkyStar Wheel offers never-before-seen perspectives of San Francisco from its new location in Fisherman’s Wharf. Moved from Golden Gate Park to the Wharf, the SkyStar Wheel’s views span from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Bay Bridge, taking in the San Francisco Bay, Presidio of San Francisco, Alcatraz Island, North Beach, Russian Hill, Telegraph Hill, and the downtown skyline.
Visitors can climb “halfway to the stars” on a cable car recently dedicated to Tony Bennett. The newly refurbished cable car 53 carries special plaques and unique markings to commemorate Bennett, who passed away in 2023. The legendary singer premiered “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” in 1961 in the Fairmont Hotel’s Venetian Room, and the hotel’s lobby recently became the permanent home of a hand-painted heart sculpture by Bennett. Visit the sculpture and more on a self-guided tour of Tony Bennett’s San Francisco via Local Getaways’ free guide.
A new Behind-the-Scenes Tour explores restricted, non-public areas of the 175-year-old Grace Cathedral. Led by trained docents, the Behind-the-Scenes Tour includes the opportunity to climb nearly 100 stairs to the South Tower’s observation level and scale across a catwalk for a vertical view and an insider’s perspective. The French-inspired neo-Gothic church features 90-foot-high vaulted ceilings and sixty-eight intricate stained-glass windows covering over 7,200 square feet. Visitors on the tour will enjoy interior vistas of the massive cathedral and its arches from the Gallery overlooking the labyrinth; step through secret doors and glimpse hidden passageways of the Ambulatory and historic rooms, which store some of the cathedral’s oldest treasures; and gain access to the restricted Chapel of Grace that houses historic furnishings, circa 1400s and 1500s.
Visit revitalized parks
The revitalization of San Francisco’s southern waterfront continues with the April opening of the five-acre China Basin Park, part of San Francisco’s newest neighborhood, Mission Rock. The park is located just across from Oracle Park (home of the San Francisco Giants) and McCovey Cove and features extensive recreational areas, including a one-acre Great Lawn, a Gathering Grove, and the Shoreline Sands – a stretch of sand along the shoreline designed to bring visitors closer to the water. China Basin Park also extends the 350-mile Bay Trail, now connecting downtown and SoMa to the revived southeastern waterfront.
An array of new parks and public spaces is taking shaping in the middle of San Francisco Bay on Treasure Island and Yerba Buena Island. These include new picnic spots in the protected seal colony area of Clipper Cove, which boasts spectacular views of San Francisco, Alcatraz, and the East Bay, and “the world’s most beautiful dog park.” Opening in May is Panorama Park, which features dramatic 360-degree views radiating from the 69-foot-tall Point of Infinity sculpture by Japanese artist Hiroshi Sugimoto. Point of Infinity is the renowned artist’s first large-scale permanent installation in the U.S. The islands are now reachable by a new, 10-minute ferry ride from downtown San Francisco.
In the city’s Financial District, an expanded Transamerica Redwood Park will partially reopen in May before its grand opening in September as part of a revitalization of the iconic Transamerica Pyramid.
Plan for playtime
Skateboarders can experience the city’s new 13,000-square-foot urban skate plaza—the first of its kind in the U.S. Located in U.N. Plaza within sight of City Hall, the skate plaza was designed by local professional skateboarders and skate park advocates. It features street curbs, concrete benches, and brick walkways for urban skateboarding.
America’s first destination municipal short course, the nine-hole, par-3 Golden Gate Park Golf Course, completed a redesign and renovated its clubhouse earlier this year. Also in Golden Gate Park, visitors can now rent in-line or roller skates on weekends and join roller-skaters at Golden Gate Park’s Skatin’ Place, which is located on the park’s car-free JFK Promenade near 6th Avenue.
With the rise of pickleball, San Francisco’s Recreation and Parks department increased the number of places to play pickleball to over 90 courts. Among the new locations are pickleball courts at the historic Palace of Fine Arts. Last year, San Francisco also debuted the first padel courts in Northern California in the Embarcadero and on Treasure Island. The game combines tennis and squash into a sport played by 10 million people around the world.

Don’t miss outdoor concert season
SF Live, a new free outdoor concert series kicks off in May, bringing arts and culture into the city’s parks and plaza. The series will feature live music curated by entertainment venues and showcase local, national, and international talent. Each concert offers a diverse lineup of artists, ranging from rising indie bands to well-established jazz ensembles and high-energy pop acts. Over the next six months, SF Live concerts will be held at iconic open spaces and locations such as the Golden Gate Park Bandshell, Jerry Garcia Amphitheater, Union Square Plaza, Civic Center Plaza, Crane Cove Park, Fulton Plaza, and Eagle Plaza. A who’s who of San Francisco entertainment and music venues is curating the entertainment lineup, including Mr. Tipple’s, The Great Northern, Monarch, Madrone Art Bar, Bottom of the Hill, El Rio, Neck of the Woods, Great American Music Hall, Rickshaw Stop, The EndUp, Pandora Karaoke, Kilowatt, Cafe Du Nord, The Chapel, and The SF Eagle.
The SF Live music series in Union Square will encompasses four free happy hour concerts every second Thursday starting from June 13, plus three free large concerts on June 15, Sept. 21, and Oct. 12.
The Illuminate Live series in Golden Gate Park at the historic Golden Gate Bandshell runs through mid-November. The free concert series, held every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, features over 125 diverse concerts and genres.
Fisherman’s Wharf will host a Pier Party at the Wharf with free performances every Saturday from May 25 and through the end of October.
A monthly Downtown First Thursdays (DFT) all-ages dance party in SoMa with seven entertainment zones will launch May 2 and run every first Thursday through April 2, 2025. DFT boasts an outdoor discoteca; an “Art Car Stage” with drag, DJs and more, a dance hall; bands and live music on Jessie; two outdoor bar areas, food trucks, retail vendors, and free kid’s activities. DFT takes place on Second Street between Market and Howard streets.
The new Chinatown Night Market on Grant Street takes place every second Friday evening of the month through November. The Chinatown Night Market features traditional foods along with music, performances, and activities for all ages.
Back for a second year, the popular Bhangra & Beats Night Market brings South Asian Bhangra and popular Bay Area music, street food, cocktails, and local artisans to downtown. The night market will take over three city blocks on May 10, July 12, Sept. 13, and Nov. 15.
Hip Hop on the Plaza, a series of free, all-ages events celebrating the rich history and diverse artistry of hip hop dance in San Francisco, returns this year. Running through September 2024 on UN Plaza, the series’ dynamic lineup of programming includes weekly dance workshops and bi-monthly dance battles.
Civic Center Soundtrack, a free concert series between the San Francisco Main Library and the Asian Art Museum, brings diverse performances every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday afternoons throughout the summer.
The Golden Gate Park Band, San Francisco’s oldest musical organization, returns to the park for its 142nd season with free weekly performances showcasing San Francisco Bay Area cultural organizations and heritages every Sunday through Oct. 6. Visitors will also find permitted buskers playing in Golden Gate Park and on Market Street in the Mid-Market district.
The nation’s longest-running free music festival, Stern Grove Festival, is a free ticketed concert series taking place on Sundays in June, July, and August. In early October, the free Hardly Strictly Bluegrass returns to Golden Gate Park with a lineup of country, soul, folk, and more performers across stages.
Listen to live jazz music
A number of jazz and jazz-inspired venues have opened recently, including Stookey’s Club Moderne’s sister venue The Blue Room—a new bar and cabaret venue with a post-Prohibition theme featuring live music; The Dawn Club, which evokes a historic 1930s jazz club; Keys Jazz Bistro in North Beach, and GeeLou in the Marina. These complement classic jazz spots like Mr. Tipple’s Recording Studio and the Black Cat supper club.
SFJAZZ, the largest non-profit jazz presenter in the world, will feature over 100 concerts across the 41st Annual San Francisco Jazz Festival (June 11 to 23), and the SFJazz Summer Sessions series. The San Francisco Fillmore Jazz Festival—the largest free jazz festival on the West Coast—will take place from July 6 to 7.
In the 1950s, San Francisco’s Fillmore District was known as the “Harlem of the West” and was home to over 70 jazz clubs along with record stores and other Black-owned businesses. The Fillmore Eclipse, a new immersive theater production, aims to transport audiences to the height of the ’50s Bebop Jazz era and explores the Fillmore’s history of Black art and entrepreneurship and the enormous disenfranchisement the community went through during Urban Renewal. Held at the intimate Honey Art Studio, the production is modeled after Bop City, an after-hours jazz joint and a confluence point for San Francisco’s thriving African American community and Japanese Americans rebuilding their lives after internment. The family friendly experience features a house band, a range of actors, cocktails, and hidden artifacts to explore. Thirteen performances are scheduled from April 26 to May 12.
Boxcar Theatre relaunched its hit immersive theater experience set in a Prohibition-era nightclub: The Speakeasy: Age of Scofflaws (playing through June 23). The show transports audiences back to the Roaring 1920s inside an intricately designed space complete with a two-story cabaret, three bars, a casino, secret passageways, and disguised entrances.

Enjoy glam libations
The long-awaited rebirth of the former Harry Denton’s Starlight Room was realized with the opening of the Starlite in February. Beacon Grand’s glamorous revisioning of the iconic venue was inspired by the city’s icons—gold, fog, cable cars, and a celebration of the city’s flavors. Boasting 360-degree views from the 21st floor, Starlite is decked out in a deep emerald and golden jewel tone palette reminiscent of the Art Deco Era. Velvet upholstered banquettes with fringes and opulent print as well as Venini glass chandeliers elevate the design.
Also opened in February, the Dark Bar in the LINE SF celebrates the rich Asian culture and history of San Francisco with a spirit list sourced from Asia and Southeast Asia. Service features a table-side highball cart, and a cocktail menu spotlighting fresh seasonal elements as well as preserved and fermented ingredients.
Designed like a chic friend’s city apartment, RTB Wine Lounge on Fillmore Street brings together exquisite wines, Champagnes, and sakes with a menu designed by Chef Rodney Wages, whose resume includes The French Laundry, Benu, Atelier Crenn, and Saison.
The Harlequin opened in the historic Mosser Building last year, with a design all decadent 1920s glamour. The Harlequin features an opulent copper-clad Gold Bar and a great room lit by a flowing gingko leaf chandelier. The intimate Left Door began welcoming guests to its bedecked Cow Hollow setting in 2023. The chic hideaway cocktail lounge serves classics in a lush setting decorated with bold floral wallpaper and plush velvet and leather chairs.
Try sweet treats and artisanal coffees
A proliferation of bakeries and cafes is catering to crowds with creative, mouthwatering treats, joining stalwarts like Arsicault, Breadbelly and Tartine. In Union Square, Miller & Luxe Provisions’ soft-serve croissant cone has gone viral while Butter & Crumble in North Beach is channeling a flaky, buttery heaven with its pistachio cardamom sugar and mortadella pistachio pesto croissants.
Magic Donuts & Coffee in Potrero Hill uses sourdough yeast and serves such creations as crème brûlée, taro cheesecake, and blood orange donuts. And opening this summer in West Portal is George’s Donuts & Merriment, an elevated and whimsical donut café. Menu highlights will include a flight of fried-fresh donut holes with dips and ‘drunken’ donuts.
For those who prefer dessert before dinner, Bellaria Dessert Studio serves an all-dessert tasting menu from noon to 4 pm on Sunday. The sit-down menu includes cakes, cookies, parfaits, and desserts created by virtuoso pastry chef Luis Villavelazquez.
Even mixologists are paying homage to the sweet trend. Causewells’ debuted the ’30-minute Soufflé’ cocktail this year made of ‘skrewball peanut butter whiskey, oloroso sherry, banana, oat milk, nilla wafer’).

San Francisco’s coffee scene is second to none, with numerous artisanal coffee roasters, cafes, and baristas dedicated to perfecting the craft of brewing.
The scene’s next iteration is third-wave coffee culture. Hot drinks and spots include Yemeni coffee at Delah, Indonesia coffee at Kopiku, Vietnamese coffee at Telescope, and Ethiopian coffee at Sextant Coffee. Shops like Pixlcat give a creative hat-tip to Asia (think ube or black sesame dopo panna lattes), as does Outset, which claims to venture where no barista has gone before, with fruit-flavored coffee drinks like Thai durian and toasted banana lattes on the menu.
Take in the stars from dazzling rooftop patios
Night in San Francisco by Aniket Deole – Unsplash
San Francisco could be counted among the “coolcation” destinations, but its rooftop bar scene is sizzling. New venues include the Chotto Matte, a rooftop restaurant with a wraparound terrace in Union Square, and The Jay Hotel’s The Third Floor.
Other elevated spots include Latin American bar Cavaña atop the LUMA hotel in Mission Bay (recently named the “Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar” in the U.S. West category by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation), Shelby’s Rooftop at the Canopy by Hilton in SoMa, and Rise Over Run, a bar and restaurant solarium at the LINE SF featuring cocktails and southeast Asian-inspired street fare.
Hidden away at the Sunset location of Fiorella is the intimate Bar Nonnina, a rooftop patio with a small, curated list of drinks. Near Oracle Park, Kaiyo Rooftop atop Hyatt Place Hotel in SoMa is contemporary Peruvian Nikkei bar designed as an “Amazonian” oasis. And the rooftop destination that launched the trend in 2017, the Kelly Wearstler-designed Charmaine’s at San Francisco’s Proper, is still going strong with curated events frequently taking place. Additional rooftop bars can be found here.

Experience urban foraging
One of the best ways to explore San Francisco is through its diverse foods and neighborhoods, and there are food tours to suit all flavors.
Dylan’s Tours recently introduced the Dylan’s Infamous Tour, a culinary journey through the city’s vibrant streets and neighborhoods featuring food tastings and a cocktail pairing.Flora & Fungi Wild Food Adventures’ Urban Foraging: Wild Food & Medicinals tour in Golden Gate Park educates attendees about the park’s trees, flowers, history, and urban foraging ethics and how to identify seasonal edibles, like springtime’s miner’s lettuce, chickweed, and magnolia blossoms. It finishes with a tasting of wild foods.Edible Excursions offers tours of Japantown, the Ferry Building and Farmer’s Market, and a Mission District tours.Avital Food Tours features North Beach and Mission District food tours as well as Michelin a Food tour.Local Tastes of the City Tours offers Chinatown, North Beach, or a combination of the two neighborhoods tours.Sidewalk Food Tours combined the unique tastes of San Francisco with cultural context, historical architecture features and more, with tours of the Mission District, Chinatown, and North Beach neighborhoods.
Enjoy art and culture showcasing life in the Bay Area

Fashioning San Francisco at the de Young chronicles how style in the Bay Area has evolved over generations and spans a century of high fashion and haute couture. The exhibit presents the work of over 50 fashion designers, from Balmain to Miyake, Valentino to McQueen, with the majority of the over 90 ensembles on view for the first time. On view through Aug. 11, the exhibit also features an interactive augmented reality installation enabling visitors to “try-on” three fashions.
San Francisco On Stage explores the city’s long and colorful tradition of performing arts, which date to the Gold Rush. The exhibit features historical artifacts from the worlds of dance, music, and theater, including costumes, programs, videos of performances, and other unique memorabilia. Presented by the San Francisco Historical Society in collaboration with San Francisco’s Museum of Performance + Design, the exhibit is on view until Aug. 15.
The massive Art of Noise exhibit at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (from May 4 to Aug. 18) covers over 100 years of music’s visual aesthetics. It features an immersive floor-to-ceiling installation of 700 works of graphic design including concert posters (mainly drawn from the 1960s and ’70s), album covers, music advertising, and fliers for shows, many highlighting Bay Area concerts, and performances. The exhibition also has an interactive seating environment designed by Stockholm-based studio teenage engineering with custom-designed devices for audio playback embedded.
Beyond that are nine tables displaying industrial designs for listening to music dating from the early 1900s to 2023. Cutting-edge listening experiences are featured in two dedicated galleries, including teenage engineering’s Choir, a set of sonic sculptures programmed to sing as a choral group, and the immersive “HiFi Pursuit Listening Room Dream No. 2” audio installation by Devon Turnbull (OJAS). His functional sculpture facilitates super high-fidelity music playback and will be activated through a series of performances with renowned record collectors, musicians, and music labels, drawing heavily on the Bay Area’s robust music culture and history. Arborhythm by Yuri Suzuki is also part of the new exhibition. The commissioned project can be experienced on the publicly accessible Floor 2 terrace and on the Floor 7 terrace. Composed of tree-like sculptures of yellow, orange, and green metal tubes, Arborhythm is a seating structure and sonic landscape, remixing sounds of San Francisco’s natural and urban surroundings together into an ambient soundtrack.
RetroBlakesberg: The Music Never Stopped showcases Bay Area artist Jay Blakesberg’s photographs of legendary musicians. It captures San Francisco’s music scene, evolution, and widespread impact. The exhibition, on view at the Contemporary Jewish Museum through July 28, includes images of artists like the Grateful Dead, Joni Mitchell, Soundgarden, and others.
A new permanent exhibit at Fort Point National Historic Site provides an immersive experience of the fort’s unique history, featuring Civil War era artifacts and weaponry, contemporary and archival images and projections, and interactive elements. The exhibit highlights individuals from all backgrounds who contributed to Fort Point’s construction and operation. Built in the 1850s as a coastal defense point by the US Army, Fort Point never fired its guns during wartime.
Get a taste of new and diverse dining
Chinatown in San Francisco by Kae Ng – Unsplash
San Francisco’s dining scene continues to welcome new restaurants to the scene, adding to the city’s vibrant diversity of culinary options.
Chef Lijun Han, owner of Chinatown’s premier Szechuan dining destination Z&Y Restaurant, debuted a sister restaurant, Z&Y Peking Duck, in early 2024. Chef Han’s menu focuses on authentic Peking Duck along with a selection of contemporary Beijing-inspired dim sum small plates in a recently renovated building on Jackson Street near the original restaurant.Il Parco, an Italian-inspired cafe and pizzeria, opened in the Presidio of San Francisco this year with a fresh take on Italian classics reimagined with California’s seasonal bounty. Guests can enjoy salads, focaccia pizzas and more at nearby public picnicking locations. Il Parco is open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch, happy hour, and dinner.Featuring a Cantopop soundtrack, Four Kings opened to fanfare in Chinatown, serving elevated and reimaged dishes inspired by the cafes and street food of Hong Kong and Guangzhou and the Cantonese food the two chefs, alums of Mister Jiu’s, grew up eating.Husband-and-wife chef duo David Fisher and Serena Chow Fisher, formerly at Marlena, opened 7 Adams in the Fillmore. The restaurant features a 5-course tasting menu ($87) celebrating the nuanced seasonal moments of California. The restaurant steps away from the traditional tasting menu format and creates an experience with a distinctive cadence. Some courses are set while others are chosen, and some are served individually while others are shared. In a matter of months after opening, the restaurant was added to Michelin’s California Guide.The Post Room, a Mediterranean-inspired bar and lounge, opened inside the historic Beacon Grand. The restaurant takes guests through a coastal culinary journey from the northern Italian city of Genoa, through southern France and on to Barcelona in northern Spain and features a robust cocktail program. The Post Room serves breakfast through supper daily. Its name was inspired by the property’s original glass-front mail chute, which stretches from the 20th floor to the basement.Early to Rise in NoPa (north of the Panhandle) marks Chef Andrew McCormack’s first full-service restaurant and brunch haven. The restaurant celebrates high-quality, locally sourced ingredients and simple homestyle meals made from scratch. After operating as a successful pop-up for six years, the new dedicated space provides a bright and inviting modern diner atmosphere.KAIYŌ Restaurant & Bar opened on the ground floor of the Hyatt Place Hotel, where acclaimed cocktail bar KAIYŌ Rooftop is perched. The restaurant features an all-new elevated menu of Nikkei dishes by Chef Alex Reccio, KAIYŌRestaurant Group’s Executive Chef, and some guest favorites from their Cow Hollow location.Saluhall, a plant-forward incubator for enticing takes on more sustainable and good eating opened in April as part of Ingka Centres’ the Meeting Place. (Ingka Centres is the real estate sister company to IKEA, and the centre is home to San Francisco’s first IKEA store.) The 450-seat food hall highlights local and independent traders and includes a beer bar, cocktail bar, the Burgare Bar, Snöberg soft serve, Smörgåsland (a bakery/eatery), Curry Up Now, Puerto Rican Casa Borinqueñ, MOMO Noodle, vegan Mexican La Venganza, and Skola, a cooking school.

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Look no further for the perfect destination for great nightlife, cultural attractions, and diverse dining experiences. San Francisco, California is bursting with new experiences, attractions, and more. Plan a jam-packed weekend getaway, or even a longer trip full of entertainment and flavorful culinary delights.Stay at these reimagined hotels
Hundreds of millions of dollars have been invested in San Francisco hotels in the last few years. Newly built properties such as the LINE SF, LUMA Hotel, and CitizenM Union Square are neighbors with dozens of renovated and rebranded hotels, including The Jay, Beacon Grand, 1 Hotel SF, and Kimpton Alton Hotel. While other properties such as The Clift Sonesta, St. Regis San Francisco, and Hyatt Regency San Francisco have completed major renovations.
The most recent to undergo renovation include Inn at the Presidio and Hotel Drisco. Meanwhile, The Westin St. Francis, which celebrated its 120th anniversary in March, will unveil a new lobby, restaurant, bar and terrace later this year. In March, the historic property unveiled the St. Francis Museum, which showcases iconic artifacts, including the world’s only coin cleaning operation (introduced in 1939 to preserve the cleanliness of guests’ white gloves.) The museum opening followed the unveiling of six renovated luxury suites in fall 2023.Enjoy endless seafood
Recently opened seafood restaurants include Popi’s Oysterette in the Marina. Popi’s serves items like the Dungeness Crab Roll firebrand brioche and other seasonal seafood sourced from some of California’s top purveyors. Broad Street Oyster Co. debuted its first Northern California outpost in Ghirardelli Square last month, dishing up seafood towers and lobster rolls in a décor drenched in color. Fisch & Flore took over the space of former longtime Castro favorite Café Flore with the goal of keeping the former restaurant’s neighborhood hangout vibe. It serves fresh seafood and zesty drinks. In Pacific Heights, the bright, light-filled Little Shucker has become a chic destination for oysters, wine, and more since its opening last year.
See a new perspective at these attractions
The Golden Gate Bridge by Ragnar Vorel – Unsplash
The 150-foot-high SkyStar Wheel offers never-before-seen perspectives of San Francisco from its new location in Fisherman’s Wharf. Moved from Golden Gate Park to the Wharf, the SkyStar Wheel’s views span from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Bay Bridge, taking in the San Francisco Bay, Presidio of San Francisco, Alcatraz Island, North Beach, Russian Hill, Telegraph Hill, and the downtown skyline.
Visitors can climb “halfway to the stars” on a cable car recently dedicated to Tony Bennett. The newly refurbished cable car 53 carries special plaques and unique markings to commemorate Bennett, who passed away in 2023. The legendary singer premiered “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” in 1961 in the Fairmont Hotel’s Venetian Room, and the hotel’s lobby recently became the permanent home of a hand-painted heart sculpture by Bennett. Visit the sculpture and more on a self-guided tour of Tony Bennett’s San Francisco via Local Getaways’ free guide.
A new Behind-the-Scenes Tour explores restricted, non-public areas of the 175-year-old Grace Cathedral. Led by trained docents, the Behind-the-Scenes Tour includes the opportunity to climb nearly 100 stairs to the South Tower’s observation level and scale across a catwalk for a vertical view and an insider’s perspective. The French-inspired neo-Gothic church features 90-foot-high vaulted ceilings and sixty-eight intricate stained-glass windows covering over 7,200 square feet. Visitors on the tour will enjoy interior vistas of the massive cathedral and its arches from the Gallery overlooking the labyrinth; step through secret doors and glimpse hidden passageways of the Ambulatory and historic rooms, which store some of the cathedral’s oldest treasures; and gain access to the restricted Chapel of Grace that houses historic furnishings, circa 1400s and 1500s.
Visit revitalized parks
The revitalization of San Francisco’s southern waterfront continues with the April opening of the five-acre China Basin Park, part of San Francisco’s newest neighborhood, Mission Rock. The park is located just across from Oracle Park (home of the San Francisco Giants) and McCovey Cove and features extensive recreational areas, including a one-acre Great Lawn, a Gathering Grove, and the Shoreline Sands – a stretch of sand along the shoreline designed to bring visitors closer to the water. China Basin Park also extends the 350-mile Bay Trail, now connecting downtown and SoMa to the revived southeastern waterfront.
An array of new parks and public spaces is taking shaping in the middle of San Francisco Bay on Treasure Island and Yerba Buena Island. These include new picnic spots in the protected seal colony area of Clipper Cove, which boasts spectacular views of San Francisco, Alcatraz, and the East Bay, and “the world’s most beautiful dog park.” Opening in May is Panorama Park, which features dramatic 360-degree views radiating from the 69-foot-tall Point of Infinity sculpture by Japanese artist Hiroshi Sugimoto. Point of Infinity is the renowned artist’s first large-scale permanent installation in the U.S. The islands are now reachable by a new, 10-minute ferry ride from downtown San Francisco.
In the city’s Financial District, an expanded Transamerica Redwood Park will partially reopen in May before its grand opening in September as part of a revitalization of the iconic Transamerica Pyramid.
Plan for playtime
Skateboarders can experience the city’s new 13,000-square-foot urban skate plaza—the first of its kind in the U.S. Located in U.N. Plaza within sight of City Hall, the skate plaza was designed by local professional skateboarders and skate park advocates. It features street curbs, concrete benches, and brick walkways for urban skateboarding.
America’s first destination municipal short course, the nine-hole, par-3 Golden Gate Park Golf Course, completed a redesign and renovated its clubhouse earlier this year. Also in Golden Gate Park, visitors can now rent in-line or roller skates on weekends and join roller-skaters at Golden Gate Park’s Skatin’ Place, which is located on the park’s car-free JFK Promenade near 6th Avenue.
With the rise of pickleball, San Francisco’s Recreation and Parks department increased the number of places to play pickleball to over 90 courts. Among the new locations are pickleball courts at the historic Palace of Fine Arts. Last year, San Francisco also debuted the first padel courts in Northern California in the Embarcadero and on Treasure Island. The game combines tennis and squash into a sport played by 10 million people around the world.

Don’t miss outdoor concert season
SF Live, a new free outdoor concert series kicks off in May, bringing arts and culture into the city’s parks and plaza. The series will feature live music curated by entertainment venues and showcase local, national, and international talent. Each concert offers a diverse lineup of artists, ranging from rising indie bands to well-established jazz ensembles and high-energy pop acts. Over the next six months, SF Live concerts will be held at iconic open spaces and locations such as the Golden Gate Park Bandshell, Jerry Garcia Amphitheater, Union Square Plaza, Civic Center Plaza, Crane Cove Park, Fulton Plaza, and Eagle Plaza. A who’s who of San Francisco entertainment and music venues is curating the entertainment lineup, including Mr. Tipple’s, The Great Northern, Monarch, Madrone Art Bar, Bottom of the Hill, El Rio, Neck of the Woods, Great American Music Hall, Rickshaw Stop, The EndUp, Pandora Karaoke, Kilowatt, Cafe Du Nord, The Chapel, and The SF Eagle.
The SF Live music series in Union Square will encompasses four free happy hour concerts every second Thursday starting from June 13, plus three free large concerts on June 15, Sept. 21, and Oct. 12.
The Illuminate Live series in Golden Gate Park at the historic Golden Gate Bandshell runs through mid-November. The free concert series, held every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, features over 125 diverse concerts and genres.
Fisherman’s Wharf will host a Pier Party at the Wharf with free performances every Saturday from May 25 and through the end of October.
A monthly Downtown First Thursdays (DFT) all-ages dance party in SoMa with seven entertainment zones will launch May 2 and run every first Thursday through April 2, 2025. DFT boasts an outdoor discoteca; an “Art Car Stage” with drag, DJs and more, a dance hall; bands and live music on Jessie; two outdoor bar areas, food trucks, retail vendors, and free kid’s activities. DFT takes place on Second Street between Market and Howard streets.
The new Chinatown Night Market on Grant Street takes place every second Friday evening of the month through November. The Chinatown Night Market features traditional foods along with music, performances, and activities for all ages.
Back for a second year, the popular Bhangra & Beats Night Market brings South Asian Bhangra and popular Bay Area music, street food, cocktails, and local artisans to downtown. The night market will take over three city blocks on May 10, July 12, Sept. 13, and Nov. 15.
Hip Hop on the Plaza, a series of free, all-ages events celebrating the rich history and diverse artistry of hip hop dance in San Francisco, returns this year. Running through September 2024 on UN Plaza, the series’ dynamic lineup of programming includes weekly dance workshops and bi-monthly dance battles.
Civic Center Soundtrack, a free concert series between the San Francisco Main Library and the Asian Art Museum, brings diverse performances every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday afternoons throughout the summer.
The Golden Gate Park Band, San Francisco’s oldest musical organization, returns to the park for its 142nd season with free weekly performances showcasing San Francisco Bay Area cultural organizations and heritages every Sunday through Oct. 6. Visitors will also find permitted buskers playing in Golden Gate Park and on Market Street in the Mid-Market district.
The nation’s longest-running free music festival, Stern Grove Festival, is a free ticketed concert series taking place on Sundays in June, July, and August. In early October, the free Hardly Strictly Bluegrass returns to Golden Gate Park with a lineup of country, soul, folk, and more performers across stages.
Listen to live jazz music
A number of jazz and jazz-inspired venues have opened recently, including Stookey’s Club Moderne’s sister venue The Blue Room—a new bar and cabaret venue with a post-Prohibition theme featuring live music; The Dawn Club, which evokes a historic 1930s jazz club; Keys Jazz Bistro in North Beach, and GeeLou in the Marina. These complement classic jazz spots like Mr. Tipple’s Recording Studio and the Black Cat supper club.
SFJAZZ, the largest non-profit jazz presenter in the world, will feature over 100 concerts across the 41st Annual San Francisco Jazz Festival (June 11 to 23), and the SFJazz Summer Sessions series. The San Francisco Fillmore Jazz Festival—the largest free jazz festival on the West Coast—will take place from July 6 to 7.
In the 1950s, San Francisco’s Fillmore District was known as the “Harlem of the West” and was home to over 70 jazz clubs along with record stores and other Black-owned businesses. The Fillmore Eclipse, a new immersive theater production, aims to transport audiences to the height of the ’50s Bebop Jazz era and explores the Fillmore’s history of Black art and entrepreneurship and the enormous disenfranchisement the community went through during Urban Renewal. Held at the intimate Honey Art Studio, the production is modeled after Bop City, an after-hours jazz joint and a confluence point for San Francisco’s thriving African American community and Japanese Americans rebuilding their lives after internment. The family friendly experience features a house band, a range of actors, cocktails, and hidden artifacts to explore. Thirteen performances are scheduled from April 26 to May 12.
Boxcar Theatre relaunched its hit immersive theater experience set in a Prohibition-era nightclub: The Speakeasy: Age of Scofflaws (playing through June 23). The show transports audiences back to the Roaring 1920s inside an intricately designed space complete with a two-story cabaret, three bars, a casino, secret passageways, and disguised entrances.

Enjoy glam libations
The long-awaited rebirth of the former Harry Denton’s Starlight Room was realized with the opening of the Starlite in February. Beacon Grand’s glamorous revisioning of the iconic venue was inspired by the city’s icons—gold, fog, cable cars, and a celebration of the city’s flavors. Boasting 360-degree views from the 21st floor, Starlite is decked out in a deep emerald and golden jewel tone palette reminiscent of the Art Deco Era. Velvet upholstered banquettes with fringes and opulent print as well as Venini glass chandeliers elevate the design.
Also opened in February, the Dark Bar in the LINE SF celebrates the rich Asian culture and history of San Francisco with a spirit list sourced from Asia and Southeast Asia. Service features a table-side highball cart, and a cocktail menu spotlighting fresh seasonal elements as well as preserved and fermented ingredients.
Designed like a chic friend’s city apartment, RTB Wine Lounge on Fillmore Street brings together exquisite wines, Champagnes, and sakes with a menu designed by Chef Rodney Wages, whose resume includes The French Laundry, Benu, Atelier Crenn, and Saison.
The Harlequin opened in the historic Mosser Building last year, with a design all decadent 1920s glamour. The Harlequin features an opulent copper-clad Gold Bar and a great room lit by a flowing gingko leaf chandelier. The intimate Left Door began welcoming guests to its bedecked Cow Hollow setting in 2023. The chic hideaway cocktail lounge serves classics in a lush setting decorated with bold floral wallpaper and plush velvet and leather chairs.
Try sweet treats and artisanal coffees
A proliferation of bakeries and cafes is catering to crowds with creative, mouthwatering treats, joining stalwarts like Arsicault, Breadbelly and Tartine. In Union Square, Miller & Luxe Provisions’ soft-serve croissant cone has gone viral while Butter & Crumble in North Beach is channeling a flaky, buttery heaven with its pistachio cardamom sugar and mortadella pistachio pesto croissants.
Magic Donuts & Coffee in Potrero Hill uses sourdough yeast and serves such creations as crème brûlée, taro cheesecake, and blood orange donuts. And opening this summer in West Portal is George’s Donuts & Merriment, an elevated and whimsical donut café. Menu highlights will include a flight of fried-fresh donut holes with dips and ‘drunken’ donuts.
For those who prefer dessert before dinner, Bellaria Dessert Studio serves an all-dessert tasting menu from noon to 4 pm on Sunday. The sit-down menu includes cakes, cookies, parfaits, and desserts created by virtuoso pastry chef Luis Villavelazquez.
Even mixologists are paying homage to the sweet trend. Causewells’ debuted the ’30-minute Soufflé’ cocktail this year made of ‘skrewball peanut butter whiskey, oloroso sherry, banana, oat milk, nilla wafer’).

San Francisco’s coffee scene is second to none, with numerous artisanal coffee roasters, cafes, and baristas dedicated to perfecting the craft of brewing.
The scene’s next iteration is third-wave coffee culture. Hot drinks and spots include Yemeni coffee at Delah, Indonesia coffee at Kopiku, Vietnamese coffee at Telescope, and Ethiopian coffee at Sextant Coffee. Shops like Pixlcat give a creative hat-tip to Asia (think ube or black sesame dopo panna lattes), as does Outset, which claims to venture where no barista has gone before, with fruit-flavored coffee drinks like Thai durian and toasted banana lattes on the menu.
Take in the stars from dazzling rooftop patios
Night in San Francisco by Aniket Deole – Unsplash
San Francisco could be counted among the “coolcation” destinations, but its rooftop bar scene is sizzling. New venues include the Chotto Matte, a rooftop restaurant with a wraparound terrace in Union Square, and The Jay Hotel’s The Third Floor.
Other elevated spots include Latin American bar Cavaña atop the LUMA hotel in Mission Bay (recently named the “Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar” in the U.S. West category by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation), Shelby’s Rooftop at the Canopy by Hilton in SoMa, and Rise Over Run, a bar and restaurant solarium at the LINE SF featuring cocktails and southeast Asian-inspired street fare.
Hidden away at the Sunset location of Fiorella is the intimate Bar Nonnina, a rooftop patio with a small, curated list of drinks. Near Oracle Park, Kaiyo Rooftop atop Hyatt Place Hotel in SoMa is contemporary Peruvian Nikkei bar designed as an “Amazonian” oasis. And the rooftop destination that launched the trend in 2017, the Kelly Wearstler-designed Charmaine’s at San Francisco’s Proper, is still going strong with curated events frequently taking place. Additional rooftop bars can be found here.

Experience urban foraging
One of the best ways to explore San Francisco is through its diverse foods and neighborhoods, and there are food tours to suit all flavors.
Dylan’s Tours recently introduced the Dylan’s Infamous Tour, a culinary journey through the city’s vibrant streets and neighborhoods featuring food tastings and a cocktail pairing.Flora & Fungi Wild Food Adventures’ Urban Foraging: Wild Food & Medicinals tour in Golden Gate Park educates attendees about the park’s trees, flowers, history, and urban foraging ethics and how to identify seasonal edibles, like springtime’s miner’s lettuce, chickweed, and magnolia blossoms. It finishes with a tasting of wild foods.Edible Excursions offers tours of Japantown, the Ferry Building and Farmer’s Market, and a Mission District tours.Avital Food Tours features North Beach and Mission District food tours as well as Michelin a Food tour.Local Tastes of the City Tours offers Chinatown, North Beach, or a combination of the two neighborhoods tours.Sidewalk Food Tours combined the unique tastes of San Francisco with cultural context, historical architecture features and more, with tours of the Mission District, Chinatown, and North Beach neighborhoods.
Enjoy art and culture showcasing life in the Bay Area

Fashioning San Francisco at the de Young chronicles how style in the Bay Area has evolved over generations and spans a century of high fashion and haute couture. The exhibit presents the work of over 50 fashion designers, from Balmain to Miyake, Valentino to McQueen, with the majority of the over 90 ensembles on view for the first time. On view through Aug. 11, the exhibit also features an interactive augmented reality installation enabling visitors to “try-on” three fashions.
San Francisco On Stage explores the city’s long and colorful tradition of performing arts, which date to the Gold Rush. The exhibit features historical artifacts from the worlds of dance, music, and theater, including costumes, programs, videos of performances, and other unique memorabilia. Presented by the San Francisco Historical Society in collaboration with San Francisco’s Museum of Performance + Design, the exhibit is on view until Aug. 15.
The massive Art of Noise exhibit at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (from May 4 to Aug. 18) covers over 100 years of music’s visual aesthetics. It features an immersive floor-to-ceiling installation of 700 works of graphic design including concert posters (mainly drawn from the 1960s and ’70s), album covers, music advertising, and fliers for shows, many highlighting Bay Area concerts, and performances. The exhibition also has an interactive seating environment designed by Stockholm-based studio teenage engineering with custom-designed devices for audio playback embedded.
Beyond that are nine tables displaying industrial designs for listening to music dating from the early 1900s to 2023. Cutting-edge listening experiences are featured in two dedicated galleries, including teenage engineering’s Choir, a set of sonic sculptures programmed to sing as a choral group, and the immersive “HiFi Pursuit Listening Room Dream No. 2” audio installation by Devon Turnbull (OJAS). His functional sculpture facilitates super high-fidelity music playback and will be activated through a series of performances with renowned record collectors, musicians, and music labels, drawing heavily on the Bay Area’s robust music culture and history. Arborhythm by Yuri Suzuki is also part of the new exhibition. The commissioned project can be experienced on the publicly accessible Floor 2 terrace and on the Floor 7 terrace. Composed of tree-like sculptures of yellow, orange, and green metal tubes, Arborhythm is a seating structure and sonic landscape, remixing sounds of San Francisco’s natural and urban surroundings together into an ambient soundtrack.
RetroBlakesberg: The Music Never Stopped showcases Bay Area artist Jay Blakesberg’s photographs of legendary musicians. It captures San Francisco’s music scene, evolution, and widespread impact. The exhibition, on view at the Contemporary Jewish Museum through July 28, includes images of artists like the Grateful Dead, Joni Mitchell, Soundgarden, and others.
A new permanent exhibit at Fort Point National Historic Site provides an immersive experience of the fort’s unique history, featuring Civil War era artifacts and weaponry, contemporary and archival images and projections, and interactive elements. The exhibit highlights individuals from all backgrounds who contributed to Fort Point’s construction and operation. Built in the 1850s as a coastal defense point by the US Army, Fort Point never fired its guns during wartime.
Get a taste of new and diverse dining
Chinatown in San Francisco by Kae Ng – Unsplash
San Francisco’s dining scene continues to welcome new restaurants to the scene, adding to the city’s vibrant diversity of culinary options.
Chef Lijun Han, owner of Chinatown’s premier Szechuan dining destination Z&Y Restaurant, debuted a sister restaurant, Z&Y Peking Duck, in early 2024. Chef Han’s menu focuses on authentic Peking Duck along with a selection of contemporary Beijing-inspired dim sum small plates in a recently renovated building on Jackson Street near the original restaurant.Il Parco, an Italian-inspired cafe and pizzeria, opened in the Presidio of San Francisco this year with a fresh take on Italian classics reimagined with California’s seasonal bounty. Guests can enjoy salads, focaccia pizzas and more at nearby public picnicking locations. Il Parco is open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch, happy hour, and dinner.Featuring a Cantopop soundtrack, Four Kings opened to fanfare in Chinatown, serving elevated and reimaged dishes inspired by the cafes and street food of Hong Kong and Guangzhou and the Cantonese food the two chefs, alums of Mister Jiu’s, grew up eating.Husband-and-wife chef duo David Fisher and Serena Chow Fisher, formerly at Marlena, opened 7 Adams in the Fillmore. The restaurant features a 5-course tasting menu ($87) celebrating the nuanced seasonal moments of California. The restaurant steps away from the traditional tasting menu format and creates an experience with a distinctive cadence. Some courses are set while others are chosen, and some are served individually while others are shared. In a matter of months after opening, the restaurant was added to Michelin’s California Guide.The Post Room, a Mediterranean-inspired bar and lounge, opened inside the historic Beacon Grand. The restaurant takes guests through a coastal culinary journey from the northern Italian city of Genoa, through southern France and on to Barcelona in northern Spain and features a robust cocktail program. The Post Room serves breakfast through supper daily. Its name was inspired by the property’s original glass-front mail chute, which stretches from the 20th floor to the basement.Early to Rise in NoPa (north of the Panhandle) marks Chef Andrew McCormack’s first full-service restaurant and brunch haven. The restaurant celebrates high-quality, locally sourced ingredients and simple homestyle meals made from scratch. After operating as a successful pop-up for six years, the new dedicated space provides a bright and inviting modern diner atmosphere.KAIYŌ Restaurant & Bar opened on the ground floor of the Hyatt Place Hotel, where acclaimed cocktail bar KAIYŌ Rooftop is perched. The restaurant features an all-new elevated menu of Nikkei dishes by Chef Alex Reccio, KAIYŌRestaurant Group’s Executive Chef, and some guest favorites from their Cow Hollow location.Saluhall, a plant-forward incubator for enticing takes on more sustainable and good eating opened in April as part of Ingka Centres’ the Meeting Place. (Ingka Centres is the real estate sister company to IKEA, and the centre is home to San Francisco’s first IKEA store.) The 450-seat food hall highlights local and independent traders and includes a beer bar, cocktail bar, the Burgare Bar, Snöberg soft serve, Smörgåsland (a bakery/eatery), Curry Up Now, Puerto Rican Casa Borinqueñ, MOMO Noodle, vegan Mexican La Venganza, and Skola, a cooking school.

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Hundreds of millions of dollars have been invested in San Francisco hotels in the last few years. Newly built properties such as the LINE SF, LUMA Hotel, and CitizenM Union Square are neighbors with dozens of renovated and rebranded hotels, including The Jay, Beacon Grand, 1 Hotel SF, and Kimpton Alton Hotel. While other properties such as The Clift Sonesta, St. Regis San Francisco, and Hyatt Regency San Francisco have completed major renovations.

The most recent to undergo renovation include Inn at the Presidio and Hotel Drisco. Meanwhile, The Westin St. Francis, which celebrated its 120th anniversary in March, will unveil a new lobby, restaurant, bar and terrace later this year. In March, the historic property unveiled the St. Francis Museum, which showcases iconic artifacts, including the world’s only coin cleaning operation (introduced in 1939 to preserve the cleanliness of guests’ white gloves.) The museum opening followed the unveiling of six renovated luxury suites in fall 2023.

Recently opened seafood restaurants include Popi’s Oysterette in the Marina. Popi’s serves items like the Dungeness Crab Roll firebrand brioche and other seasonal seafood sourced from some of California’s top purveyors. Broad Street Oyster Co. debuted its first Northern California outpost in Ghirardelli Square last month, dishing up seafood towers and lobster rolls in a décor drenched in color. Fisch & Flore took over the space of former longtime Castro favorite Café Flore with the goal of keeping the former restaurant’s neighborhood hangout vibe. It serves fresh seafood and zesty drinks. In Pacific Heights, the bright, light-filled Little Shucker has become a chic destination for oysters, wine, and more since its opening last year.

The 150-foot-high SkyStar Wheel offers never-before-seen perspectives of San Francisco from its new location in Fisherman’s Wharf. Moved from Golden Gate Park to the Wharf, the SkyStar Wheel’s views span from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Bay Bridge, taking in the San Francisco Bay, Presidio of San Francisco, Alcatraz Island, North Beach, Russian Hill, Telegraph Hill, and the downtown skyline.

Visitors can climb “halfway to the stars” on a cable car recently dedicated to Tony Bennett. The newly refurbished cable car 53 carries special plaques and unique markings to commemorate Bennett, who passed away in 2023. The legendary singer premiered “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” in 1961 in the Fairmont Hotel’s Venetian Room, and the hotel’s lobby recently became the permanent home of a hand-painted heart sculpture by Bennett. Visit the sculpture and more on a self-guided tour of Tony Bennett’s San Francisco via Local Getaways‘ free guide.

A new Behind-the-Scenes Tour explores restricted, non-public areas of the 175-year-old Grace Cathedral. Led by trained docents, the Behind-the-Scenes Tour includes the opportunity to climb nearly 100 stairs to the South Tower’s observation level and scale across a catwalk for a vertical view and an insider’s perspective. The French-inspired neo-Gothic church features 90-foot-high vaulted ceilings and sixty-eight intricate stained-glass windows covering over 7,200 square feet. Visitors on the tour will enjoy interior vistas of the massive cathedral and its arches from the Gallery overlooking the labyrinth; step through secret doors and glimpse hidden passageways of the Ambulatory and historic rooms, which store some of the cathedral’s oldest treasures; and gain access to the restricted Chapel of Grace that houses historic furnishings, circa 1400s and 1500s.

The revitalization of San Francisco’s southern waterfront continues with the April opening of the five-acre China Basin Park, part of San Francisco’s newest neighborhood, Mission Rock. The park is located just across from Oracle Park (home of the San Francisco Giants) and McCovey Cove and features extensive recreational areas, including a one-acre Great Lawn, a Gathering Grove, and the Shoreline Sands – a stretch of sand along the shoreline designed to bring visitors closer to the water. China Basin Park also extends the 350-mile Bay Trail, now connecting downtown and SoMa to the revived southeastern waterfront.

An array of new parks and public spaces is taking shaping in the middle of San Francisco Bay on Treasure Island and Yerba Buena Island. These include new picnic spots in the protected seal colony area of Clipper Cove, which boasts spectacular views of San Francisco, Alcatraz, and the East Bay, and “the world’s most beautiful dog park.” Opening in May is Panorama Park, which features dramatic 360-degree views radiating from the 69-foot-tall Point of Infinity sculpture by Japanese artist Hiroshi Sugimoto. Point of Infinity is the renowned artist’s first large-scale permanent installation in the U.S. The islands are now reachable by a new, 10-minute ferry ride from downtown San Francisco.

In the city’s Financial District, an expanded Transamerica Redwood Park will partially reopen in May before its grand opening in September as part of a revitalization of the iconic Transamerica Pyramid.

Skateboarders can experience the city’s new 13,000-square-foot urban skate plaza—the first of its kind in the U.S. Located in U.N. Plaza within sight of City Hall, the skate plaza was designed by local professional skateboarders and skate park advocates. It features street curbs, concrete benches, and brick walkways for urban skateboarding.

America’s first destination municipal short course, the nine-hole, par-3 Golden Gate Park Golf Course, completed a redesign and renovated its clubhouse earlier this year. Also in Golden Gate Park, visitors can now rent in-line or roller skates on weekends and join roller-skaters at Golden Gate Park’s Skatin’ Place, which is located on the park’s car-free JFK Promenade near 6th Avenue.

With the rise of pickleball, San Francisco’s Recreation and Parks department increased the number of places to play pickleball to over 90 courts. Among the new locations are pickleball courts at the historic Palace of Fine Arts. Last year, San Francisco also debuted the first padel courts in Northern California in the Embarcadero and on Treasure Island. The game combines tennis and squash into a sport played by 10 million people around the world.

SF Live, a new free outdoor concert series kicks off in May, bringing arts and culture into the city’s parks and plaza. The series will feature live music curated by entertainment venues and showcase local, national, and international talent. Each concert offers a diverse lineup of artists, ranging from rising indie bands to well-established jazz ensembles and high-energy pop acts. Over the next six months, SF Live concerts will be held at iconic open spaces and locations such as the Golden Gate Park Bandshell, Jerry Garcia Amphitheater, Union Square Plaza, Civic Center Plaza, Crane Cove Park, Fulton Plaza, and Eagle Plaza. A who’s who of San Francisco entertainment and music venues is curating the entertainment lineup, including Mr. Tipple’s, The Great Northern, Monarch, Madrone Art Bar, Bottom of the Hill, El Rio, Neck of the Woods, Great American Music Hall, Rickshaw Stop, The EndUp, Pandora Karaoke, Kilowatt, Cafe Du Nord, The Chapel, and The SF Eagle.

The SF Live music series in Union Square will encompasses four free happy hour concerts every second Thursday starting from June 13, plus three free large concerts on June 15, Sept. 21, and Oct. 12.

The Illuminate Live series in Golden Gate Park at the historic Golden Gate Bandshell runs through mid-November. The free concert series, held every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, features over 125 diverse concerts and genres.

Fisherman’s Wharf will host a Pier Party at the Wharf with free performances every Saturday from May 25 and through the end of October.

A monthly Downtown First Thursdays (DFT) all-ages dance party in SoMa with seven entertainment zones will launch May 2 and run every first Thursday through April 2, 2025. DFT boasts an outdoor discoteca; an “Art Car Stage” with drag, DJs and more, a dance hall; bands and live music on Jessie; two outdoor bar areas, food trucks, retail vendors, and free kid’s activities. DFT takes place on Second Street between Market and Howard streets.

The new Chinatown Night Market on Grant Street takes place every second Friday evening of the month through November. The Chinatown Night Market features traditional foods along with music, performances, and activities for all ages.

Back for a second year, the popular Bhangra & Beats Night Market brings South Asian Bhangra and popular Bay Area music, street food, cocktails, and local artisans to downtown. The night market will take over three city blocks on May 10, July 12, Sept. 13, and Nov. 15.

Hip Hop on the Plaza, a series of free, all-ages events celebrating the rich history and diverse artistry of hip hop dance in San Francisco, returns this year. Running through September 2024 on UN Plaza, the series’ dynamic lineup of programming includes weekly dance workshops and bi-monthly dance battles.

Civic Center Soundtrack, a free concert series between the San Francisco Main Library and the Asian Art Museum, brings diverse performances every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday afternoons throughout the summer.

The Golden Gate Park Band, San Francisco’s oldest musical organization, returns to the park for its 142nd season with free weekly performances showcasing San Francisco Bay Area cultural organizations and heritages every Sunday through Oct. 6. Visitors will also find permitted buskers playing in Golden Gate Park and on Market Street in the Mid-Market district.

The nation’s longest-running free music festival, Stern Grove Festival, is a free ticketed concert series taking place on Sundays in June, July, and August. In early October, the free Hardly Strictly Bluegrass returns to Golden Gate Park with a lineup of country, soul, folk, and more performers across stages.

A number of jazz and jazz-inspired venues have opened recently, including Stookey’s Club Moderne’s sister venue The Blue Room—a new bar and cabaret venue with a post-Prohibition theme featuring live music; The Dawn Club, which evokes a historic 1930s jazz club; Keys Jazz Bistro in North Beach, and GeeLou in the Marina. These complement classic jazz spots like Mr. Tipple’s Recording Studio and the Black Cat supper club.

SFJAZZ, the largest non-profit jazz presenter in the world, will feature over 100 concerts across the 41st Annual San Francisco Jazz Festival (June 11 to 23), and the SFJazz Summer Sessions series. The San Francisco Fillmore Jazz Festival—the largest free jazz festival on the West Coast—will take place from July 6 to 7.

In the 1950s, San Francisco’s Fillmore District was known as the “Harlem of the West” and was home to over 70 jazz clubs along with record stores and other Black-owned businesses. The Fillmore Eclipse, a new immersive theater production, aims to transport audiences to the height of the ’50s Bebop Jazz era and explores the Fillmore’s history of Black art and entrepreneurship and the enormous disenfranchisement the community went through during Urban Renewal. Held at the intimate Honey Art Studio, the production is modeled after Bop City, an after-hours jazz joint and a confluence point for San Francisco’s thriving African American community and Japanese Americans rebuilding their lives after internment. The family friendly experience features a house band, a range of actors, cocktails, and hidden artifacts to explore. Thirteen performances are scheduled from April 26 to May 12.

Boxcar Theatre relaunched its hit immersive theater experience set in a Prohibition-era nightclub: The Speakeasy: Age of Scofflaws (playing through June 23). The show transports audiences back to the Roaring 1920s inside an intricately designed space complete with a two-story cabaret, three bars, a casino, secret passageways, and disguised entrances.

The long-awaited rebirth of the former Harry Denton’s Starlight Room was realized with the opening of the Starlite in February. Beacon Grand’s glamorous revisioning of the iconic venue was inspired by the city’s icons—gold, fog, cable cars, and a celebration of the city’s flavors. Boasting 360-degree views from the 21st floor, Starlite is decked out in a deep emerald and golden jewel tone palette reminiscent of the Art Deco Era. Velvet upholstered banquettes with fringes and opulent print as well as Venini glass chandeliers elevate the design.

Also opened in February, the Dark Bar in the LINE SF celebrates the rich Asian culture and history of San Francisco with a spirit list sourced from Asia and Southeast Asia. Service features a table-side highball cart, and a cocktail menu spotlighting fresh seasonal elements as well as preserved and fermented ingredients.

Designed like a chic friend’s city apartment, RTB Wine Lounge on Fillmore Street brings together exquisite wines, Champagnes, and sakes with a menu designed by Chef Rodney Wages, whose resume includes The French Laundry, Benu, Atelier Crenn, and Saison.

The Harlequin opened in the historic Mosser Building last year, with a design all decadent 1920s glamour. The Harlequin features an opulent copper-clad Gold Bar and a great room lit by a flowing gingko leaf chandelier. The intimate Left Door began welcoming guests to its bedecked Cow Hollow setting in 2023. The chic hideaway cocktail lounge serves classics in a lush setting decorated with bold floral wallpaper and plush velvet and leather chairs.

A proliferation of bakeries and cafes is catering to crowds with creative, mouthwatering treats, joining stalwarts like Arsicault, Breadbelly and Tartine. In Union Square, Miller & Luxe Provisions‘ soft-serve croissant cone has gone viral while Butter & Crumble in North Beach is channeling a flaky, buttery heaven with its pistachio cardamom sugar and mortadella pistachio pesto croissants.

Magic Donuts & Coffee in Potrero Hill uses sourdough yeast and serves such creations as crème brûlée, taro cheesecake, and blood orange donuts. And opening this summer in West Portal is George’s Donuts & Merriment, an elevated and whimsical donut café. Menu highlights will include a flight of fried-fresh donut holes with dips and ‘drunken’ donuts.

For those who prefer dessert before dinner, Bellaria Dessert Studio serves an all-dessert tasting menu from noon to 4 pm on Sunday. The sit-down menu includes cakes, cookies, parfaits, and desserts created by virtuoso pastry chef Luis Villavelazquez.

Even mixologists are paying homage to the sweet trend. Causewells’ debuted the ’30-minute Soufflé’ cocktail this year made of ‘skrewball peanut butter whiskey, oloroso sherry, banana, oat milk, nilla wafer’).

San Francisco’s coffee scene is second to none, with numerous artisanal coffee roasters, cafes, and baristas dedicated to perfecting the craft of brewing.

The scene’s next iteration is third-wave coffee culture. Hot drinks and spots include Yemeni coffee at Delah, Indonesia coffee at Kopiku, Vietnamese coffee at Telescope, and Ethiopian coffee at Sextant Coffee. Shops like Pixlcat give a creative hat-tip to Asia (think ube or black sesame dopo panna lattes), as does Outset, which claims to venture where no barista has gone before, with fruit-flavored coffee drinks like Thai durian and toasted banana lattes on the menu.

San Francisco could be counted among the “coolcation” destinations, but its rooftop bar scene is sizzling. New venues include the Chotto Matte, a rooftop restaurant with a wraparound terrace in Union Square, and The Jay Hotel’s The Third Floor.

Other elevated spots include Latin American bar Cavaña atop the LUMA hotel in Mission Bay (recently named the “Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar” in the U.S. West category by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation), Shelby’s Rooftop at the Canopy by Hilton in SoMa, and Rise Over Run, a bar and restaurant solarium at the LINE SF featuring cocktails and southeast Asian-inspired street fare.

Hidden away at the Sunset location of Fiorella is the intimate Bar Nonnina, a rooftop patio with a small, curated list of drinks. Near Oracle Park, Kaiyo Rooftop atop Hyatt Place Hotel in SoMa is contemporary Peruvian Nikkei bar designed as an “Amazonian” oasis. And the rooftop destination that launched the trend in 2017, the Kelly Wearstler-designed Charmaine’s at San Francisco’s Proper, is still going strong with curated events frequently taking place. Additional rooftop bars can be found here.

One of the best ways to explore San Francisco is through its diverse foods and neighborhoods, and there are food tours to suit all flavors.

• Dylan’s Tours recently introduced the Dylan’s Infamous Tour, a culinary journey through the city’s vibrant streets and neighborhoods featuring food tastings and a cocktail pairing.
• Flora & Fungi Wild Food Adventures‘ Urban Foraging: Wild Food & Medicinals tour in Golden Gate Park educates attendees about the park’s trees, flowers, history, and urban foraging ethics and how to identify seasonal edibles, like springtime’s miner’s lettuce, chickweed, and magnolia blossoms. It finishes with a tasting of wild foods.
• Edible Excursions offers tours of Japantown, the Ferry Building and Farmer’s Market, and a Mission District tours.
• Avital Food Tours features North Beach and Mission District food tours as well as Michelin a Food tour.
• Local Tastes of the City Tours offers Chinatown, North Beach, or a combination of the two neighborhoods tours.
• Sidewalk Food Tours combined the unique tastes of San Francisco with cultural context, historical architecture features and more, with tours of the Mission District, Chinatown, and North Beach neighborhoods.

Fashioning San Francisco at the de Young chronicles how style in the Bay Area has evolved over generations and spans a century of high fashion and haute couture. The exhibit presents the work of over 50 fashion designers, from Balmain to Miyake, Valentino to McQueen, with the majority of the over 90 ensembles on view for the first time. On view through Aug. 11, the exhibit also features an interactive augmented reality installation enabling visitors to “try-on” three fashions.

San Francisco On Stage explores the city’s long and colorful tradition of performing arts, which date to the Gold Rush. The exhibit features historical artifacts from the worlds of dance, music, and theater, including costumes, programs, videos of performances, and other unique memorabilia. Presented by the San Francisco Historical Society in collaboration with San Francisco’s Museum of Performance + Design, the exhibit is on view until Aug. 15.

The massive Art of Noise exhibit at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (from May 4 to Aug. 18) covers over 100 years of music’s visual aesthetics. It features an immersive floor-to-ceiling installation of 700 works of graphic design including concert posters (mainly drawn from the 1960s and ’70s), album covers, music advertising, and fliers for shows, many highlighting Bay Area concerts, and performances. The exhibition also has an interactive seating environment designed by Stockholm-based studio teenage engineering with custom-designed devices for audio playback embedded.

Beyond that are nine tables displaying industrial designs for listening to music dating from the early 1900s to 2023. Cutting-edge listening experiences are featured in two dedicated galleries, including teenage engineering’s Choir, a set of sonic sculptures programmed to sing as a choral group, and the immersive “HiFi Pursuit Listening Room Dream No. 2” audio installation by Devon Turnbull (OJAS). His functional sculpture facilitates super high-fidelity music playback and will be activated through a series of performances with renowned record collectors, musicians, and music labels, drawing heavily on the Bay Area’s robust music culture and history. Arborhythm by Yuri Suzuki is also part of the new exhibition. The commissioned project can be experienced on the publicly accessible Floor 2 terrace and on the Floor 7 terrace. Composed of tree-like sculptures of yellow, orange, and green metal tubes, Arborhythm is a seating structure and sonic landscape, remixing sounds of San Francisco’s natural and urban surroundings together into an ambient soundtrack.

RetroBlakesberg: The Music Never Stopped showcases Bay Area artist Jay Blakesberg’s photographs of legendary musicians. It captures San Francisco’s music scene, evolution, and widespread impact. The exhibition, on view at the Contemporary Jewish Museum through July 28, includes images of artists like the Grateful Dead, Joni Mitchell, Soundgarden, and others.

A new permanent exhibit at Fort Point National Historic Site provides an immersive experience of the fort’s unique history, featuring Civil War era artifacts and weaponry, contemporary and archival images and projections, and interactive elements. The exhibit highlights individuals from all backgrounds who contributed to Fort Point’s construction and operation. Built in the 1850s as a coastal defense point by the US Army, Fort Point never fired its guns during wartime.

San Francisco’s dining scene continues to welcome new restaurants to the scene, adding to the city’s vibrant diversity of culinary options.

• Chef Lijun Han, owner of Chinatown’s premier Szechuan dining destination Z&Y Restaurant, debuted a sister restaurant, Z&Y Peking Duck, in early 2024. Chef Han’s menu focuses on authentic Peking Duck along with a selection of contemporary Beijing-inspired dim sum small plates in a recently renovated building on Jackson Street near the original restaurant.
• Il Parco, an Italian-inspired cafe and pizzeria, opened in the Presidio of San Francisco this year with a fresh take on Italian classics reimagined with California’s seasonal bounty. Guests can enjoy salads, focaccia pizzas and more at nearby public picnicking locations. Il Parco is open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch, happy hour, and dinner.
• Featuring a Cantopop soundtrack, Four Kings opened to fanfare in Chinatown, serving elevated and reimaged dishes inspired by the cafes and street food of Hong Kong and Guangzhou and the Cantonese food the two chefs, alums of Mister Jiu’s, grew up eating.
• Husband-and-wife chef duo David Fisher and Serena Chow Fisher, formerly at Marlena, opened 7 Adams in the Fillmore. The restaurant features a 5-course tasting menu ($87) celebrating the nuanced seasonal moments of California. The restaurant steps away from the traditional tasting menu format and creates an experience with a distinctive cadence. Some courses are set while others are chosen, and some are served individually while others are shared. In a matter of months after opening, the restaurant was added to Michelin’s California Guide.
• The Post Room, a Mediterranean-inspired bar and lounge, opened inside the historic Beacon Grand. The restaurant takes guests through a coastal culinary journey from the northern Italian city of Genoa, through southern France and on to Barcelona in northern Spain and features a robust cocktail program. The Post Room serves breakfast through supper daily. Its name was inspired by the property’s original glass-front mail chute, which stretches from the 20th floor to the basement.
• Early to Rise in NoPa (north of the Panhandle) marks Chef Andrew McCormack’s first full-service restaurant and brunch haven. The restaurant celebrates high-quality, locally sourced ingredients and simple homestyle meals made from scratch. After operating as a successful pop-up for six years, the new dedicated space provides a bright and inviting modern diner atmosphere.
• KAIYŌ Restaurant & Bar opened on the ground floor of the Hyatt Place Hotel, where acclaimed cocktail bar KAIYŌ Rooftop is perched. The restaurant features an all-new elevated menu of Nikkei dishes by Chef Alex Reccio, KAIYŌRestaurant Group’s Executive Chef, and some guest favorites from their Cow Hollow location.
• Saluhall, a plant-forward incubator for enticing takes on more sustainable and good eating opened in April as part of Ingka Centres’ the Meeting Place. (Ingka Centres is the real estate sister company to IKEA, and the centre is home to San Francisco’s first IKEA store.) The 450-seat food hall highlights local and independent traders and includes a beer bar, cocktail bar, the Burgare Bar, Snöberg soft serve, Smörgåsland (a bakery/eatery), Curry Up Now, Puerto Rican Casa Borinqueñ, MOMO Noodle, vegan Mexican La Venganza, and Skola, a cooking school.

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It’s the quintessential way to travel across the States in the summertime: the RV. Pack up the kids and pets and plot out your roadtrip for the 2024 season. The campgrounds below are the perfect spot to park and explore for a few days (or longer) with new amenities, family-friendly activities, and beautiful scenery.
Spacious Skies Minute Man (Littleton, Massachusetts)
Spacious Skies Minute Man in Littleton has been named one of the top 10 campgrounds in the U.S. by USA Today in a Reader’s Choice contest. Located 33 miles from the heart of Boston, Spacious Skies Minute Man is the only campground on the list on the East Coast. Others top campgrounds are in Indiana, California, Mississippi, Pennsylvania and Texas. Nominations for the contest were made by a panel of top travel journalists with an expertise in RV travel.
“Spacious Skies Minute Man is a destination where guests can experience the very best of RV adventures, and our staff there works incredibly hard to make sure that everyone who stays here feels welcome,” said Ali Rasmussen, co-founder of Spacious Skies Campgrounds. “This campground is a terrific choice for vacationers who want a mix of adventures, from peaceful play in the countryside to metropolitan fun in downtown Boston. You truly can do it all here.”
Situated among tall shade trees, the campground features 93 RV sites with full hookups, seven rustic cabins, a camp store, accessible sites and facilities, swimming pool, dog park, WiFi, sport courts and a recreation hall. Public transportation to Boston is a short drive away.
Attractions close to the campground include Kimbal Farm, an 85-year-old attraction known for its ice cream and confections; Nashoba Paddler, providing canoes, kayaks and stand up paddle boards; Doe Orchards with pick-your-own apples as well as various fruits and Christmas trees and Metro Rock Littleton featuring rock climbing for all ages and abilities.
Members of the Spacious Skies Loyalty Program, called “Cosmic Campers” can save up to 12 percent on all RV sites, cabins and other accommodations. The cost to join the Loyalty Program is $31.90, a reflection of the company’s founding date of March 19, 2021. Registration for the loyalty program can be completed online. Some restrictions apply. While the Loyalty Program discount cannot be combined with other discounts, the discount with the greatest savings is rewarded, providing campers with the best possible deal on their stay.
Jellystone Park (Warrens, Wisconsin)
A retro camper parked in a field by Lance Anderson – Unsplash
Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park in Warrens, one of Wisconsin’s most beloved family camping and RV resorts, has been given an extreme makeover just in time for summer vacations. Owner Great Escapes RV Resorts began revamping the destination after buying it in 2021. The popular Camp-Resort is less than three hours from nearby cities including Minneapolis, Milwaukee and Madison.
“Anyone who hasn’t been to the Warrens Jellystone Park in a few years will hardly recognize it,” said General Manager Travis Walsh. “We’re about to open two new large, resort-style pools, including one that is zero entry, luxury glamping cabins and new amenities. We also have updated the RV sites.”
Over the winter 66 new glamping cabins were installed to replace older ones. A Wibit floating obstacle course was recently added, as were AquaBanas that float in the lake and feature canopies, comfortable seating, tables, coolers and even Bluetooth speakers. The new amenities complement the resort’s lazy river, six lane water slide, splash pad and wave pool.
The bath houses, café, activities center and camp store have been remodeled. The dog park has been renovated, and pickleball has been added, as well as a new playground area.
“This really is the next generation of family outdoor vacations,” Walsh said. “The focus is on fun and entertainment with all the comforts of home, whether you are staying in your own RV or one of our new, fully equipped glamping cabins.”
Of course, Jellystone Park’s namesake, Yogi Bear, is still in residence, entertaining kids and stealing pic-a-nic baskets. All the activities that have made the Warrens Jellystone Park such a popular destination are still available, including character interactions, hayrides, outdoor movies, train rides, sports, arts and crafts, mini golf, themed celebrations and more. Visit www.jellystonewarrens.com for information on special events, to check availability and make reservations.
Jellystone Park Warrens is offering a number of special promotions, making camping, glamping and RVing an even more affordable alternative to other types of vacations. Visit https://www.jellystonewarrens.com/deals for details. Day passes are available for local residents and visitors to the area.
Great Escapes RV Resort (Bryan-College Station, Texas)
Heading west in an RV by Megan Barber – Unsplash
Less than a three-hour drive from Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Austin and San Antonio, Great Escapes RV Resorts Bryan-College Station is offering families even more exciting ways to vacation this summer.
The Brazos Valley’s newest luxury camping, glamping and RV destination opened in 2022. It now boasts more than 80 acres of family oriented attractions, activities and accommodations. A second resort-style pool was recently completed. Other amenities include a fitness center, a private events center, a sand volleyball court and a sports court with basketball, pickleball and tennis. More glamping cabins, premium pull-through RV sites, laundry facilities and bath houses also were added.
Along with the two pools, Great Escapes Bryan-College Station features a lake with a Wibit floating water obstacle course, making it the perfect outdoors destination for families wanting a respite from life, school and, of course, the Texas heat. When it is time to take a break from the sun, kids can head to the Hangout for games, including pool, table shuffleboard and ping pong.
Early this summer the resort will debut a new food truck court and a live entertainment pavilion that will host professional music acts and guests eager to show off their karaoke talents. Gem mining and a new dog park also will be completed soon.
“Great Escapes has created an all-new resort from the ground up with everything families have been wanting in an outdoor vacation,” said General Manager Craig Sanford. “The focus is on fun and entertainment with all the comforts of home, whether you are staying in your own RV or one of our new, spacious, fully equipped glamping cabins. This really is the next generation of family travel.”
The resort’s luxury cabins boast private bathrooms, air conditioning, fully equipped kitchens and Wi-Fi. Each sleeps at least four people, with larger ones comfortable for eight guests. Linens are provided.
Memory making is non-stop with popular activities including Wet’N’ Wild Hayrides, interactions with Biscuit, the resort’s costumed canine mascot, and themed celebrations, such as Christmas in July. Later this year families will enjoy a second jumping pillow, human foosball, gaga ball, horseshoes and movies.
Visit www.greatescapesbcs.com for information on special events, to check availability and make reservations. Great Escapes Bryan-College Station is offering a number of special promotions, making camping, glamping and RVing an even more affordable alternative to other types of vacations. Day passes are available for Brazos Valley residents and visitors to the area.
Rio Guadalupe RV Resort (New Braunfels, Texas)
Rio Guadalupe Resort, a premier RV park and campground nestled along the Guadalupe River in the heart of Texas Hill Country, is thrilled to announce a series of significant improvements and additions to enhance the guest experience. Over the past 12 months, the resort has undergone extensive renovations and introduced new amenities to solidify the new braunfels rv park as a top destination for outdoor enthusiasts and families seeking a memorable getaway.
As part of its exciting upgrade, the resort has added six new premier RV sites which will accommodate monthly stay guests year round. Each site offers a picnic table and grill along with plenty of ample land to enhance the guest’s longer stay. These spacious sites provide the perfect setting for those looking to immerse themselves in the natural beauty of the surrounding area while enjoying the comfort and convenience of modern amenities. Rio Guadalupe Resort has also constructed a new entrance and exit to streamline traffic flow for resort guests along with the tubing and fishing customers. This improvement ensures a smooth and efficient check-in process, allowing guests to begin their vacation without any unnecessary delays.
To further help guests relax, the pool area has undergone an extensive renovation, featuring fresh furnishings and a large TV with a comfortable sitting area. Guests can now unwind by the pool while enjoying their favorite shows or simply soaking up the sun. The resort has also made significant improvements to its dog park, ensuring that four-legged family members have a safe and enjoyable space to play and socialize.
The front office and store have been revamped to provide a more welcoming and efficient experience for guests. Whether checking in, purchasing essentials, or seeking information about local attractions, the friendly staff is ready to assist. Additionally, to enhance accessibility for guests staying in the cabins, a new road has been constructed. This allows cabin guests to easily navigate the resort and access all the amenities without any inconvenience. Several cabins have also undergone renovations to provide an even more comfortable and memorable stay.
To ensure that guests of all ages have a fantastic time, Rio Guadalupe Resort has appointed a new Activities Director. This dedicated team member is focused on organizing weekly events, activities, such as Guadalupe River tubing and live music, creating a vibrant and engaging atmosphere throughout the resort. Fishing enthusiasts will be delighted to learn about the opening of Rio Anglers, the resort’s new full-service fly fishing business. Guests can now enjoy an all-inclusive experience of nightly stays, meals, drinks, guided fishing trips and wader rentals, all a few steps from the front door of your cabin or RV site. This new service makes it easier than ever to catch rainbow trout in the Guadalupe River without ever having to get in the car during your stay. .
Last but not least, the resort has welcomed two new office pets, Theo and Gus, who have quickly become beloved members of the Rio Guadalupe Resort family. These friendly companions are always ready to greet guests with a wagging tail and a warm smile, adding an extra touch of warmth and personality to the resort experience.
Mission Bay RV Resort (San Diego, California)
An RV sits along the coastline by Kojiro Inui – Unsplash
Campland on the Bay and Mission Bay RV Resort, the iconic resort campgrounds nestled in San Diego’s Mission Bay, are thrilled to announce the summer return of family-friendly activities and the Campland Rocks live entertainment series beginning Memorial Day weekend, May 24-26, 2024. The 147 newly added campsites at Mission Bay RV Resort offer beachfront RV and tent accommodations on Mission Bay, along with resort-style amenities.
“With our two beautiful waterfront locations in Mission Bay, we offer unique experiences tailored to different kinds of camping preferences,” said Jacob Gelfand, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Terra Vista Management. “Campland provides vibrant and family-friendly entertainment, while Mission Bay RV Resort offers peaceful surroundings and spacious, new campsites. Camp overnight to enjoy all of our activities and amenities or just come for a day to enjoy the public beaches, the Campland Cantina and our watercraft rentals.”
Guests can dive into the Campland Activities & Events calendar, offering a diverse range of entertaining activities for guests of all ages. Kids will love the arts and crafts sessions, bubble soccer, pickleball, dodgeball and ping pong tournaments, capture the flag and other games. Adults will enjoy bingo, bean bag and horseshoe tournaments. For those looking to relax and stay centered, Campland offers complimentary yoga classes held on the Central Park lawn every Monday and Thursday at 10:30 a.m. For the full calendar of events, visit Campland.com/activities-events.
The Campland Rocks live entertainment series returns this summer to the Central Park Stage every weekend at 7 p.m. through the end of September. Starting May 24, sway to smooth yacht rock tunes with Band Overboard. On May 25, enjoy country music by Branded, followed by electrifying rock music with Black Rock Candy on May 26. Bring your blankets and camping chairs to the Central Park Stage for exclusive performances under the stars, only for Campland and Mission Bay RV Resort guests. For more information, visit Campland.com/campland-rocks-schedule/.
Located just steps away from the Central Park Stage, the Campland Cantina offers delicious daily specials guaranteed to please the whole family, including pizza, tacos, burgers and fresh salads. Adult beverages including craft cocktails, beer and wine are also available. Every morning, guests can enjoy made-to-order breakfast burritos, pancakes and delicious breakfast sides. Dine on the patio while enjoying views of the bay or take your meal to-go. Then, after a day of fun in the sun, cool off with a trip to the Ice Cream Parlor and enjoy a variety of ice cream flavors, toppings, shakes and sundaes. Additionally, Campland Cantina’s happy hour promotion runs Monday-Friday from 4-6 p.m., featuring $2 off lite bites and $1 off cocktails, draft beers and wine. Indulge in Taco Tuesday through May 28 every Tuesday starting at 4 p.m. until sold out, where you can savor TJ Street Style Tacos with your choice of carne asada, pollo asada, carnitas or pescado frito, available at two for $7.
Make the most of the premium bayfront location with watersports rentals at Campland Marina. Choose from pedal boats, kayaks and pontoon boats for a leisurely excursion, or opt for more thrilling experiences on ski boats, wave runners and stand-up paddleboards from Adventure Water Sports. Guests can also explore the beauty of Mission Bay on two wheels with beach cruiser rentals from Campland Marina. Cruise along 12 miles of scenic trails on bikes, or navigate the parks in style with golf cart and surrey cart rentals. For more information, visit campland.com/bike-cart-rentals. Additional Campland amenities include a convenience market, coffee counter, fitness center, sports court, dog park, playground, game room, skate park, two heated pools and spas for ultimate relaxation.
For those seeking a tranquil and peaceful camping experience, Mission Bay RV Resort offers 147 spacious, new campsites nestled in the serene Northeast corner of De Anza Cove. With full hookups, restrooms and showers available, along with the newly renovated pool and clubhouse, guests can indulge in a relaxing camping getaway surrounded by stunning views of Mission Bay.
Positioned steps away from the sports court, which offers basketball and pickleball, as well as the pool and spa, these spacious sites are ideal for campers seeking the perfect balance of relaxation and recreation. Golf enthusiasts will appreciate the proximity to the Mission Bay Public Golf Course and Practice Center just across the street. Additionally, all of Campland’s activities and amenities are accessible to guests at Mission Bay RV Resort, just a short stroll or bike ride away over the Mike Gotch Memorial Bridge. Lakeside Casino & RV Park (Pahrump, Nevada)
Situated at the gateway to Death Valley National Park and just an hour outside of Las Vegas, the smalltown of Pahrump is packed with big outdoor thrills, casino gaming and luxury RV resorts to chill and recharge between adventures. Roadtrippers can take a break from the road at Pahrump’s premier RV resort, Lakeside Casino & RV Park featuring top notch amenities such as a swimming pool, hot tub and a seven-acre lake for lazy days of kayaking, pedal boating or fishing for largemouth bass and bluegill which are all stocked.
A Good Sam 10/10*/10 rated RV Park, Lakeside has 159 large sites all including full-service hook-ups with 30 and 50-amp electrical service and a concrete patio. 24-hour gaming fun can be found just steps away at the resort’s casino offers 170 slots and video poker machines, in addition to a bingo room and multiple dining options.
For those looking for a little less chill and more adrenaline-fueled thrills, the Pahrump Valley is a dream for hikers, mountain bikers, rock climbers and off-roaders of all skill levels. With so much to offer, it’s no wonder Pahrump is Nevada’s number one destination for RV adventuring.

The post Explore the Outdoors on these Adventurous Summer Trips appeared first on Deal Price Travel.

Spacious Skies Minute Man in Littleton has been named one of the top 10 campgrounds in the U.S. by USA Today in a Reader’s Choice contest. Located 33 miles from the heart of Boston, Spacious Skies Minute Man is the only campground on the list on the East Coast. Others top campgrounds are in Indiana, California, Mississippi, Pennsylvania and Texas. Nominations for the contest were made by a panel of top travel journalists with an expertise in RV travel.

“Spacious Skies Minute Man is a destination where guests can experience the very best of RV adventures, and our staff there works incredibly hard to make sure that everyone who stays here feels welcome,” said Ali Rasmussen, co-founder of Spacious Skies Campgrounds. “This campground is a terrific choice for vacationers who want a mix of adventures, from peaceful play in the countryside to metropolitan fun in downtown Boston. You truly can do it all here.”

Situated among tall shade trees, the campground features 93 RV sites with full hookups, seven rustic cabins, a camp store, accessible sites and facilities, swimming pool, dog park, WiFi, sport courts and a recreation hall. Public transportation to Boston is a short drive away.

Attractions close to the campground include Kimbal Farm, an 85-year-old attraction known for its ice cream and confections; Nashoba Paddler, providing canoes, kayaks and stand up paddle boards; Doe Orchards with pick-your-own apples as well as various fruits and Christmas trees and Metro Rock Littleton featuring rock climbing for all ages and abilities.

Members of the Spacious Skies Loyalty Program, called “Cosmic Campers” can save up to 12 percent on all RV sites, cabins and other accommodations. The cost to join the Loyalty Program is $31.90, a reflection of the company’s founding date of March 19, 2021. Registration for the loyalty program can be completed online. Some restrictions apply. While the Loyalty Program discount cannot be combined with other discounts, the discount with the greatest savings is rewarded, providing campers with the best possible deal on their stay.

Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park in Warrens, one of Wisconsin’s most beloved family camping and RV resorts, has been given an extreme makeover just in time for summer vacations. Owner Great Escapes RV Resorts began revamping the destination after buying it in 2021. The popular Camp-Resort is less than three hours from nearby cities including Minneapolis, Milwaukee and Madison.

“Anyone who hasn’t been to the Warrens Jellystone Park in a few years will hardly recognize it,” said General Manager Travis Walsh. “We’re about to open two new large, resort-style pools, including one that is zero entry, luxury glamping cabins and new amenities. We also have updated the RV sites.”

Over the winter 66 new glamping cabins were installed to replace older ones. A Wibit floating obstacle course was recently added, as were AquaBanas that float in the lake and feature canopies, comfortable seating, tables, coolers and even Bluetooth speakers. The new amenities complement the resort’s lazy river, six lane water slide, splash pad and wave pool.

The bath houses, café, activities center and camp store have been remodeled. The dog park has been renovated, and pickleball has been added, as well as a new playground area.

“This really is the next generation of family outdoor vacations,” Walsh said. “The focus is on fun and entertainment with all the comforts of home, whether you are staying in your own RV or one of our new, fully equipped glamping cabins.”

Of course, Jellystone Park’s namesake, Yogi Bear, is still in residence, entertaining kids and stealing pic-a-nic baskets. All the activities that have made the Warrens Jellystone Park such a popular destination are still available, including character interactions, hayrides, outdoor movies, train rides, sports, arts and crafts, mini golf, themed celebrations and more. Visit www.jellystonewarrens.com for information on special events, to check availability and make reservations.

Jellystone Park Warrens is offering a number of special promotions, making camping, glamping and RVing an even more affordable alternative to other types of vacations. Visit https://www.jellystonewarrens.com/deals for details. Day passes are available for local residents and visitors to the area.

Less than a three-hour drive from Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Austin and San Antonio, Great Escapes RV Resorts Bryan-College Station is offering families even more exciting ways to vacation this summer.

The Brazos Valley’s newest luxury camping, glamping and RV destination opened in 2022. It now boasts more than 80 acres of family oriented attractions, activities and accommodations. A second resort-style pool was recently completed. Other amenities include a fitness center, a private events center, a sand volleyball court and a sports court with basketball, pickleball and tennis. More glamping cabins, premium pull-through RV sites, laundry facilities and bath houses also were added.

Along with the two pools, Great Escapes Bryan-College Station features a lake with a Wibit floating water obstacle course, making it the perfect outdoors destination for families wanting a respite from life, school and, of course, the Texas heat. When it is time to take a break from the sun, kids can head to the Hangout for games, including pool, table shuffleboard and ping pong.

Early this summer the resort will debut a new food truck court and a live entertainment pavilion that will host professional music acts and guests eager to show off their karaoke talents. Gem mining and a new dog park also will be completed soon.

“Great Escapes has created an all-new resort from the ground up with everything families have been wanting in an outdoor vacation,” said General Manager Craig Sanford. “The focus is on fun and entertainment with all the comforts of home, whether you are staying in your own RV or one of our new, spacious, fully equipped glamping cabins. This really is the next generation of family travel.”

The resort’s luxury cabins boast private bathrooms, air conditioning, fully equipped kitchens and Wi-Fi. Each sleeps at least four people, with larger ones comfortable for eight guests. Linens are provided.

Memory making is non-stop with popular activities including Wet’N’ Wild Hayrides, interactions with Biscuit, the resort’s costumed canine mascot, and themed celebrations, such as Christmas in July. Later this year families will enjoy a second jumping pillow, human foosball, gaga ball, horseshoes and movies.

Visit www.greatescapesbcs.com for information on special events, to check availability and make reservations. Great Escapes Bryan-College Station is offering a number of special promotions, making camping, glamping and RVing an even more affordable alternative to other types of vacations. Day passes are available for Brazos Valley residents and visitors to the area.

Rio Guadalupe Resort, a premier RV park and campground nestled along the Guadalupe River in the heart of Texas Hill Country, is thrilled to announce a series of significant improvements and additions to enhance the guest experience. Over the past 12 months, the resort has undergone extensive renovations and introduced new amenities to solidify the new braunfels rv park as a top destination for outdoor enthusiasts and families seeking a memorable getaway.

As part of its exciting upgrade, the resort has added six new premier RV sites which will accommodate monthly stay guests year round. Each site offers a picnic table and grill along with plenty of ample land to enhance the guest’s longer stay. These spacious sites provide the perfect setting for those looking to immerse themselves in the natural beauty of the surrounding area while enjoying the comfort and convenience of modern amenities. Rio Guadalupe Resort has also constructed a new entrance and exit to streamline traffic flow for resort guests along with the tubing and fishing customers. This improvement ensures a smooth and efficient check-in process, allowing guests to begin their vacation without any unnecessary delays.

To further help guests relax, the pool area has undergone an extensive renovation, featuring fresh furnishings and a large TV with a comfortable sitting area. Guests can now unwind by the pool while enjoying their favorite shows or simply soaking up the sun. The resort has also made significant improvements to its dog park, ensuring that four-legged family members have a safe and enjoyable space to play and socialize.

The front office and store have been revamped to provide a more welcoming and efficient experience for guests. Whether checking in, purchasing essentials, or seeking information about local attractions, the friendly staff is ready to assist. Additionally, to enhance accessibility for guests staying in the cabins, a new road has been constructed. This allows cabin guests to easily navigate the resort and access all the amenities without any inconvenience. Several cabins have also undergone renovations to provide an even more comfortable and memorable stay.

To ensure that guests of all ages have a fantastic time, Rio Guadalupe Resort has appointed a new Activities Director. This dedicated team member is focused on organizing weekly events, activities, such as Guadalupe River tubing and live music, creating a vibrant and engaging atmosphere throughout the resort. Fishing enthusiasts will be delighted to learn about the opening of Rio Anglers, the resort’s new full-service fly fishing business. Guests can now enjoy an all-inclusive experience of nightly stays, meals, drinks, guided fishing trips and wader rentals, all a few steps from the front door of your cabin or RV site. This new service makes it easier than ever to catch rainbow trout in the Guadalupe River without ever having to get in the car during your stay. .

Last but not least, the resort has welcomed two new office pets, Theo and Gus, who have quickly become beloved members of the Rio Guadalupe Resort family. These friendly companions are always ready to greet guests with a wagging tail and a warm smile, adding an extra touch of warmth and personality to the resort experience.

Campland on the Bay and Mission Bay RV Resort, the iconic resort campgrounds nestled in San Diego’s Mission Bay, are thrilled to announce the summer return of family-friendly activities and the Campland Rocks live entertainment series beginning Memorial Day weekend, May 24-26, 2024. The 147 newly added campsites at Mission Bay RV Resort offer beachfront RV and tent accommodations on Mission Bay, along with resort-style amenities.

“With our two beautiful waterfront locations in Mission Bay, we offer unique experiences tailored to different kinds of camping preferences,” said Jacob Gelfand, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Terra Vista Management. “Campland provides vibrant and family-friendly entertainment, while Mission Bay RV Resort offers peaceful surroundings and spacious, new campsites. Camp overnight to enjoy all of our activities and amenities or just come for a day to enjoy the public beaches, the Campland Cantina and our watercraft rentals.”

Guests can dive into the Campland Activities & Events calendar, offering a diverse range of entertaining activities for guests of all ages. Kids will love the arts and crafts sessions, bubble soccer, pickleball, dodgeball and ping pong tournaments, capture the flag and other games. Adults will enjoy bingo, bean bag and horseshoe tournaments. For those looking to relax and stay centered, Campland offers complimentary yoga classes held on the Central Park lawn every Monday and Thursday at 10:30 a.m. For the full calendar of events, visit Campland.com/activities-events.

The Campland Rocks live entertainment series returns this summer to the Central Park Stage every weekend at 7 p.m. through the end of September. Starting May 24, sway to smooth yacht rock tunes with Band Overboard. On May 25, enjoy country music by Branded, followed by electrifying rock music with Black Rock Candy on May 26. Bring your blankets and camping chairs to the Central Park Stage for exclusive performances under the stars, only for Campland and Mission Bay RV Resort guests. For more information, visit Campland.com/campland-rocks-schedule/.

Located just steps away from the Central Park Stage, the Campland Cantina offers delicious daily specials guaranteed to please the whole family, including pizza, tacos, burgers and fresh salads. Adult beverages including craft cocktails, beer and wine are also available. Every morning, guests can enjoy made-to-order breakfast burritos, pancakes and delicious breakfast sides. Dine on the patio while enjoying views of the bay or take your meal to-go. Then, after a day of fun in the sun, cool off with a trip to the Ice Cream Parlor and enjoy a variety of ice cream flavors, toppings, shakes and sundaes. Additionally, Campland Cantina’s happy hour promotion runs Monday-Friday from 4-6 p.m., featuring $2 off lite bites and $1 off cocktails, draft beers and wine. Indulge in Taco Tuesday through May 28 every Tuesday starting at 4 p.m. until sold out, where you can savor TJ Street Style Tacos with your choice of carne asada, pollo asada, carnitas or pescado frito, available at two for $7.

Make the most of the premium bayfront location with watersports rentals at Campland Marina. Choose from pedal boats, kayaks and pontoon boats for a leisurely excursion, or opt for more thrilling experiences on ski boats, wave runners and stand-up paddleboards from Adventure Water Sports. Guests can also explore the beauty of Mission Bay on two wheels with beach cruiser rentals from Campland Marina. Cruise along 12 miles of scenic trails on bikes, or navigate the parks in style with golf cart and surrey cart rentals. For more information, visit campland.com/bike-cart-rentals. Additional Campland amenities include a convenience market, coffee counter, fitness center, sports court, dog park, playground, game room, skate park, two heated pools and spas for ultimate relaxation.

For those seeking a tranquil and peaceful camping experience, Mission Bay RV Resort offers 147 spacious, new campsites nestled in the serene Northeast corner of De Anza Cove. With full hookups, restrooms and showers available, along with the newly renovated pool and clubhouse, guests can indulge in a relaxing camping getaway surrounded by stunning views of Mission Bay.

Positioned steps away from the sports court, which offers basketball and pickleball, as well as the pool and spa, these spacious sites are ideal for campers seeking the perfect balance of relaxation and recreation. Golf enthusiasts will appreciate the proximity to the Mission Bay Public Golf Course and Practice Center just across the street. Additionally, all of Campland’s activities and amenities are accessible to guests at Mission Bay RV Resort, just a short stroll or bike ride away over the Mike Gotch Memorial Bridge.

Situated at the gateway to Death Valley National Park and just an hour outside of Las Vegas, the smalltown of Pahrump is packed with big outdoor thrills, casino gaming and luxury RV resorts to chill and recharge between adventures. Roadtrippers can take a break from the road at Pahrump’s premier RV resort, Lakeside Casino & RV Park featuring top notch amenities such as a swimming pool, hot tub and a seven-acre lake for lazy days of kayaking, pedal boating or fishing for largemouth bass and bluegill which are all stocked.

A Good Sam 10/10*/10 rated RV Park, Lakeside has 159 large sites all including full-service hook-ups with 30 and 50-amp electrical service and a concrete patio. 24-hour gaming fun can be found just steps away at the resort’s casino offers 170 slots and video poker machines, in addition to a bingo room and multiple dining options.

For those looking for a little less chill and more adrenaline-fueled thrills, the Pahrump Valley is a dream for hikers, mountain bikers, rock climbers and off-roaders of all skill levels. With so much to offer, it’s no wonder Pahrump is Nevada’s number one destination for RV adventuring.

The post Fun RV Campgrounds to Visit This Summer appeared first on Deal Price Travel.

Take a vacation that inspires creativity and imagination, and celebrates artistic skills and ingenuity. These fun exhibits and showings around the country are a great way to explore local culture or add an educational element to your next vacation.
Check out street art in San Francisco, California
A mural in progress in San Francisco – courtesy of the San Francisco Travel Association
Street art has a long history in San Francisco that dates back to the 1800s and has played an important part in the city’s art scene, culture, and political activism. Nestled amidst the eclectic neighborhoods and bustling streets of San Francisco lies a treasure trove of vibrant murals, thought-provoking graffiti, and captivating street art installations. From the colorful alleys of the Mission District to the iconic walls of Balmy Alley, San Francisco’s diverse neighborhoods serve as an ever-evolving canvas for local and international artists alike.
Drag queen, party impresario, activist, and philanthropist Juanita MORE! is one of San Francisco’s most beloved residents, so much so that she’s been celebrated with over half a dozen different street murals throughout the city. Juanita MORE!’s murals can be found in neighborhoods including in SoMa (Elliott C. Nathan’s Loads of Love at the Powerhouse), the Castro (by J. Manuel Carmona, outside Unionmade), Polk Gulch (Serge Gay Jnr’s creation on the exterior of Lush Lounge at Fern and Polk streets), Steiner Street at Grove (by J. Manuel Carmona and Guilherme Lemes Cardoso e Silva) and also outside the revived Love Shack by SPARC at 502 14th St., in the Mission (again by Gay Jnr.).
The Polk Gulch neighborhood is known for its vibrant tapestry of street art and testifies to the city’s rich cultural history. Once hailed as San Francisco’s ‘first LGBTQIA+ neighborhood’ with a thriving scene from the 1950s to the late 1970s, before the Castro neighborhood claimed the spotlight. Among the latest additions to its artistic landscape is a captivating piece by Serge Gay Jnr, located on the corner of Post Street and Larkin Street.
Renowned San Francisco artist, Amos Goldbaum, has recently decorated the public garden walkway in Bernal Heights with one of his iconic murals. Titled “City in a Garden,” Goldbaum’s masterpiece spans 13 panels and was crafted in just over a month. The mural showcases stencil-like depictions of the city’s iconic landscape, adding a touch of vibrant creativity to the neighborhood’s scenery.
Murals first appeared along Balmy Alley in the mid-1980s as a poignant expression of outrage over human rights violations and political corruption in Central America. Today, the themes depicted have evolved to include broader societal issues such as gentrification and government injustice. The Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts is just a few blocks away for those seeking additional arts and culture when visiting San Francisco. Alongside its impressive collection of exhibits, it offers several theatre, music, and dance workshops.
Kick off the summer in Virginia Beach, Virginia
Sunset in Virginia Beach by Daniel Halseth – Unsplash
The summer travel season is just around the corner, and Virginia Beach is poised to welcome visitors to its sunny shoreline with a packed opening weekend of festivals to suit a variety of entertainment themes. A pair of brand-new events build on the destination’s arts and music scene paired with the return of a top international action sports competition and a spotlight on the city’s patriotic personality. Add some sizzle to a summer vacation plan with a visit to enjoy any, or all, of the events planned for the first weekend in June.
Outdoor street-corner sculptures that dot the primary corridors of Virginia Beach’s ViBe District add color and creativity to the walkable arts community. A group of 15 artists will live paint all the neighborhood identifiers during the inaugural festival weekend (May 30-June 2, 2024), and an interactive and family-friendly community mural invites all visitors to contribute to its design. Shop a vibrant community of artisans, crafters and restaurants that add to the appeal of the free, new event just steps from the beach.
Additionally, three other festivals are happening the same weekend — so be sure to hit up all the entertainment while in town. Virginia Beach will be jammin’ as a new, seaside festival spotlights reggae music, food and culture. Gates open daily at noon for the Point Break Reggae Festival (June 1 & 2, 2024) with more than 20 concerts headlined by Grammy-nominated Rebelution and alternative rock band Sublime plus performances by Steel Pulse, Stephen Marley and Wiz Khalifa. General admission tickets and travel packages are on sale now.
More than 500 athletes from eight countries bring their skills back to the beach when the nation’s premier adventure sports competition returns this summer, JACKALOPE. Adrenaline rushes fuel competitors and spectators alike with mind-blowing exhibitions in street and vert skateboarding, bouldering, freestyle motocross, BASE jumping and skimboarding. This free event held at 31st Street Park and on oceanfront courses is a perfect match for thrill seekers this summer. Hotel and VIP viewing packages plus a series of ticketed athlete-led workshops are available now.
Finally, there’s the USO Experience, May 30 – June 2. Virginia Beach is home to four military installations and thousands of U.S. military servicemembers, and the city celebrates their service with a series of live concerts and informational exhibits in the 17th and 24th Street Parks on the oceanfront.
Visit a hidden gem museum in Raleigh, North Carolina
Skyline of Raleigh, North Carolina by TJ Wallace – Unsplash
Where can you find one of North America’s largest museum art parks, a collection of 30 Rodin sculptures and one of only two permanent Judaic art displays in the country? Raleigh, the state capital of North Carolina, offers all of this and more.
The North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA) may not have the fame of the Louvre or the name recognition of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, but it is undeniably a hidden gem in the art world, welcoming more than one million visitors to its campus in 2023. Nestled in Raleigh, N.C., this international art museum is home to a collection of 4,353 artworks from around the globe. With its diverse exhibitions and exquisite displays, it is a destination that deserves recognition and exploration. The idea for the Museum traces back to the establishment of the North Carolina State Art Society in 1924, with a mission to generate support for a state-funded art museum. An ambitious mission at the time, the Museum received funding from the North Carolina General Assembly in 1947, becoming the first state-funded art museum in the nation.
Today the NCMA showcases an impressive collection that spans over 5,000 years of artistic history. The permanent collection, The People’s Collection, was fully re-installed in 2022 to share a more inclusive art historical narrative and to re-imagine a more dynamic experience of the arts through newly conceived geographic and thematic galleries. Notable changes include joining Egyptian art with African art, interactive and accessible digital labels and community voices, which invited citizens throughout North Carolina to respond to objects in the collection in conversation with labels written by museum curators. The People’s Collection includes works by renowned artists such as Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet, Georgia O’Keeffe, El Anatsui and Yayoi Kusama, among many others. Remarkably, public admission to The People’s Collection is always free.
The Museum’s Rodin collection of 30 sculptures is the most extensive Rodin collection between Philadelphia and the West Coast and is always on view inside the West Building and outdoors in the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Court and Garden. The Museum is also celebrating its 40th year of Judaic art and has a gallery devoted to historic ceremonial Jewish objects. This collection is one of only two permanent Judaic art displays in an American art museum.
One of the distinctive features of NCMA is its stunning outdoor park, filled with sculptures and installations that surprise and delight. As one of North America’s largest museum art parks, the 164-acre campus provides a serene and immersive experience where art and nature intertwine. Visitors can bike or stroll along 4.7 miles of trails, marvel at outdoor artworks, native plants and wildlife and enjoy live music in the Museum’s amphitheater. The Museum Park has been transformed over the last 40 years with the goals of stewardship and sustainability in mind. An ever-evolving space, current projects focus on stream restoration, stormwater management and connectivity.
Consciousness is supported and spearheaded by NCMA’s Director, Valerie Hillings, who took on the role in 2018. Hillings previously worked in various senior positions at the Guggenheim and its partner institutions, curating more than 15 exhibitions on four continents. She is the ninth director of the Museum and the first woman in this role. With a strong leadership and curatorial background, Hillings initiated the reimagining of The People’s Collection in 2022, lifting diverse curatorial voices and enhancing the Museum’s accessibility features.
In addition to its permanent collection and outdoor park, the Museum hosts a variety of temporary exhibitions catering to diverse artistic interests. Current exhibitions include To Take Shape and Meaning: Form and Design in Contemporary American Indian Art. Upcoming exhibitions include Venice and the Ottoman Empire, The Time is Always Now: Artists Reframe the Black Figure and the sell-out annual floral art installation Art In Bloom, which returns every March. The NCMA also offers educational programs, lectures, workshops, markets and performing arts and film events that engage visitors and community members of all ages and foster a deeper appreciation for the arts. Museum programs engaged over 220,000 people across all 100 North Carolina counties, reflecting collaborations with over 415 partners for 797 programs in 2023.
Whether you are an art or history enthusiast or simply looking for a unique cultural experience, the North Carolina Museum of Art is a destination worth adding to your bucket list. From its expansive collection to its beautiful outdoor park, this hidden gem offers a rich and immersive journey through the world of art.
Encounter Mesoamerican sculptures in Illinois
Fernando Ramirez Founder and President of MCCD with an artist from Mexico – courtesy of MCCD / DuPage Convention & Visitors Bureau
Mexican Cultural Center DuPage (MCCD) in coordination with Meztli Mexico and in partnership with the College of DuPage Public Art Project (COD) and the DuPage Convention & Visitors Bureau (DCVB) is proud to announce an exciting new project: “Olmec Trails: Culture and Legacy.” This new outdoor exhibit featuring hand-painted large-scale renditions of iconic Mesoamerican sculptures will be displayed this summer throughout DuPage County in an expansive exhibition highlighting the culture of the ancient Olmec civilization in a fresh and accessible way.
The colossal stone heads, crafted by the Olmecs between 1400 BCE to 400 BCE, originated in the southern part of Veracruz, Mexico, the cultural heart of this early Mesoamerican civilization. Each multi-ton sculpture, chiseled from a single stone using primitive tools, reflected the Olmecs’ artistic prowess and their significant influence on subsequent Mesoamerican cultures. Today, these iconic heads are celebrated globally as prime examples of pre-Columbian art and adorn various museums and public spaces. Notably, the Olmecs, Mesoamerica’s earliest civilization, left enduring legacies, including the precursor to sports like basketball and soccer.
“Olmec Trails” pays tribute to the indigenous roots of Mexican heritage as well as brings attention to the importance of public art by showcasing the immense talent and creativity of more than 30 contemporary artists from across North America. The artwork will connect spectators to these one-of-a-kind works in a healthy and enjoyable outdoor setting with both physical and mental benefits. Installations will be located numerous sites throughout DuPage County including the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, campus of COD, National Museum of Mexican Art and the City of West Chicago. The project is looking to partner in additional host cities. For more information visit OlmecTrails.com.
The creation of the works for this exciting international exhibition is already underway and will be completed in June of 2024. Artists in Mexico have begun painting some of the Olmec head sculptures and 18 international artists will arrive in May to paint on-site at two locations in DuPage County: the MCCD, 103 W. Washington St. in The City of West Chicago, Ill. and the MAC, 425 Fawell Blvd. on the campus of COD in Glen Ellyn, Ill. Installations and openings at the MCCD, COD and various forest preserves will begin June 1.
The exhibition will be celebrated throughout the summer with a variety of events including the Olmec Trails Family Fiesta Kick-Off Party at the MAC’s Lakeside Pavilion June 30. More information about events, sponsorship opportunities and exhibition updates will be available at OlmecTrails.com.
Support for “Olmec Trails: Culture and Legacy” is provided in part by the Mexican Cultural Center DuPage, College of DuPage, the DuPage Convention & Visitors Bureau, Illinois Office of Tourism and the National Museum of Mexican Art. Artist support is provided in part by Meztli Mexico and the Mexican Cultural Arts Alliance.

The post Top 10 Affordable, Up-and-Coming Destinations to Visit this Summer appeared first on Deal Price Travel.

Often called home of the world’s most famous beaches, Daytona Beach, Florida, continues to delight and surprise visitors with its diverse and growing array of attractions. Encompassing Ormond Beach, Daytona Beach, Daytona Beach Shores, Ponce Inlet, Holly Hill and South Daytona, the destination has long been known for its iconic beaches and auto racing history. Today a slate of exciting new attractions, upscale lodging, a vibrant arts scene and an amazing collection of parks, preserves and outdoor activities are all part of Daytona Beach’s year-round appeal. This year’s Memorial Day weekend also has special events for those looking to take a quick holiday trip to kickoff summer.

Any visit to the Daytona Beach area must include a beach day. Visitors can spend the day relaxing or playing on the area’s 23 miles of world-famous beaches where they will discover loads of family-friendly activities such as swimming, biking, fishing, surfing, parasailing, paddle boarding, kayaking, jet skis, boats and more. Beyond the beach, visitors will find even more to do.

On Sunday, May 26, at 6 p.m., the oceanfront Daytona Beach Bandshell will host Freestyle by the Beach Summer Throwback Jam. Some of the biggest freestyle artists from the 1980s and 1990s, including Lisa Lisa, Rob Base, Lisette Melenzez, TKA and more, will perform. Tickets start at $40.

The summer concert series at the Daytona Beach Bandshell kicks off on Saturday, May 25 with Rushour and Kiss American, Rush and Kiss Tributes. The free concert begins at 7:15 p.m. and fireworks over the ocean will follow at 9:45 p.m.

From May through September, the Daytona Beach Bandshell will be hosting live summer concerts every Friday and Saturday night. The concerts at the historic coquina amphitheater are free to the public and reserved VIP tickets are also available. Fireworks will be launched from the Pier every Saturday night following the concert.

Arrive early and enjoy the Ocean Walk Shoppes or stroll the Daytona Beach Boardwalk and Pier.

The Minor League team Daytona Tortugas, the Class A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, are home at historic Jackie Robinson Ballpark throughout the Memorial Day Weekend. The Tortugas face off against Fort Myers on May 24 through May 26 and Jupiter on Monday, May 27.

Witness America’s favorite pastime at Jackie Robinson Ballpark, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the site where ground-breaking African American baseball player Jackie Robinson played in the first integrated Major League Baseball spring training game in 1946.

Arrive early and enjoy a stroll through the Riverfront Esplanade or dine at one of the local restaurants located along nearby Beach Street.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has waived admission for all visitors to Florida State Parks for Memorial Day weekend. This includes May 24-27, 2024.

Tomoka State Park located in Ormond Beach is popular for outdoor activities such as canoeing, boating, fishing and protects a variety of wildlife habitats and endangered species, such as the West Indian manatee, and is a bird watcher’s paradise with over 160 species sighted.

Located in West Volusia is Blue Spring State Park in Orange City and De Leon Springs State Park, both known for swimming, canoeing and kayaking, boat tours and hiking trails.

There are numerous veteran memorials and museums in the destination where visitors can pay their respects and honor our fallen heroes on Memorial Day such as the Veterans Memorial at Riverfront Esplanade and the Veterans Museum & Education Center, both located in Daytona Beach, and the Ormond Memorial Art Museum & Gardens.

In addition, there are several special events planned throughout the community including a Memorial Day Remembrance Service at Rockefeller Gardens adjacent to The Casements in Ormond Beach on Monday, May 27 at 9 a.m. This solemn event honors the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the United States Armed Forces. The service will include patriotic music, guest speakers, a wreath-laying ceremony, and a moment of silence to reflect and remember.

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The Palm Beaches, renowned for 47 miles of sun-kissed coastline and a vibrant collection of activities, welcomes the arrival of spring with an array of fresh offerings. Visitors will find new experiences through the destination’s tremendous growth, with The Palm Beaches seeing a total combined investment of more than $500 million across a dozen hotels over the past few months alone. Within the next two years, an anticipated $1 billion collective investment for 16 new properties in the pipeline is expected to add nearly 2,200 more rooms.
To help travelers plan their perfect getaway, Discover The Palm Beaches recently introduced an interactive quiz on its official website. This personalized tool highlights the new brand campaign, “The Palm Beaches Collection,” and recommends tailored experiences based on individual interests, offering insights into the destination’s diverse offerings and unique attractions, including arts and culture, shopping, sports, spa and wellness, nature and outdoors, or culinary. The website offers free tools to simplify the planning process, including a comprehensive Visitors Guide, direct hotel booking platform, a calendar of upcoming events, dining recommendations, and more.
Book accommodations at one of these new hotels
A family at Hilton West Palm Beach – courtesy of Discover the Palm Beaches
Several hotels and resorts throughout The Palm Beaches have recently undergone substantial updates to enhance the guest experience. Tideline Palm Beach Ocean Resort and Spa has been reimagined with a dramatic new design, following a $20 million renovation by owner and financier Jeff Greene. The refurbishment has touched all areas of this coveted resort, including the stylistic pool entrance, the grand lobby, and the outdoor dining patio offering stunning views alongside a private beachfront.

The Renaissance Boca Raton recently debuted in Midtown Boca Raton after a multimillion-dollar renovation, including updated guest rooms, main lobby, corridors, meeting space, club lounge, and fitness center. The renovation also includes the addition of a 30,000-square-foot resort-style pool deck with a waterfall backdrop, and a “WET by Meat Market” tiki bar to service pool and VIP cabana guests with food and beverage options.
The Hilton West Palm Beach has debuted a $25 million renovation with 400 refreshed guestrooms, including 43 suites, four enhanced dining destinations, a reimagined pool deck, and six newly constructed cabanas. In addition, there is a new lobby bar and a variety of wellness activities such as meditative sound healing, poolside sessions, weekly fitness classes, and more.
Flagler Club, the ultra-luxury, private-access boutique hotel nestled within the top two floors of The Breakers Palm Beach, experienced a full-scale renovation with a new, modern aesthetic extending throughout 21 guest rooms and suites, as well as its lounge and terrace. The transformative new look from Tihany Design was inspired by the cosmopolitan lifestyle of The Breakers’ clientele.
The Seagate Golf Club in Delray Beach has reopened its course after a major renovation to its Joe Lee-designed 18-hole championship golf course and practice facilities. World-renowned architect J. Drew Rogers oversaw the renovation, which enhanced the gameplay of each hole and, in some instances, resulted in complete redesigns. The Seagate also renovated its 41,064-square-foot Golf Clubhouse.
The Singer Oceanfront Resort is set to debut this spring after a multimillion-dollar renovation and conversion to Curio Collection by Hilton. The property will offer a coastal escape on Singer Island with 223 freshly renovated guest rooms and suites, all with private outdoor balconies. The vibrant culinary program will offer three new concepts, including the island’s only beachfront bar, “Top Shell,” signature restaurant “Caretta Caretta,” and grab-and-go style gourmet retail at “The Market at Singer.”
Dine out for amazing views, Mediterranean food, and more
A couple enjoys drinks on a rooftop – courtesy of Discover the Palm Beaches
Elevate Skye Bar & Lounge has opened on the rooftop at the Opal Grand in Delray Beach, overlooking the city’s bustling Atlantic Avenue with stunning ocean views. The casually sophisticated open-air sanctuary offers a menu starring small plates and shareable dishes. For more amazing views, Elisabetta’s Ristorante, Bar and Pizzeria has just opened Bar Capri, a rooftop bar with sweeping views of West Palm Beach, including the Intracoastal Waterway and the town of Palm Beach. The 75-seat covered bar area will serve Elisabetta’s bar bites and pizza, as well as cocktails, wine, and beer, Monday-Friday starting at 4 p.m. and on Saturdays and Sundays starting at 12 p.m.
Mediterranean cuisine lovers will have plenty of options to choose from. Tutto Mare will be developed inside the Palm Beach Playhouse at The Royal Poinciana Plaza as Palm Beach’s first and only intra-coastal waterfront restaurant. The Mediterranean concept is from Tutto il Giorno restaurant group, founded by husband-and-wife team, Gianpaolo de Felice and Gabby Karan de Felice, daughter of fashion designer Donna Karan. The restaurant is set to debut later this year and will seat 200 guests. The Blue Door, a coastal bistro in West Palm Beach’s “SoSo” (South of Southern Boulevard) district, has opened with indoor and al fresco seating. The restaurant offers a Mediterranean-inspired menu with an emphasis on seafood, and a beverage program featuring wines from smaller vineyards in coastal Europe. NiMo Coastal Mediterranean, a new restaurant in Tequesta, offers dishes that pay homage to the Mediterranean and Middle East. Acclaimed star chef Niven Patel and his business partner Mohamed Alkassar earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand Honor for their Miami restaurant, Ghee Indian Kitchen, and NiMo is their first restaurant in The Palm Beaches. Corvina Seafood Grill in Boca Raton has kicked off Santorini Saturdays with an Aegean Sea-inspired selection of Coastal Greek specialties and cocktails and live music on Saturday evenings, along with a Complimentary Cava Cart. In addition, the restaurant has unveiled new dishes under the direction of Executive Chef Jeff Tunks, who has been at the helm of the restaurant since it first opened.
For great Italian, Campi Italian has opened at The Ray Hotel in Delray Beach. The casual yet swanky experience seeks to transport diners on an Italian voyage by serving age-old Italian favorites with an upscale twist, from in-house made fresh pasta to tableside flambéed Fiorentina steak. Fiolina Pasta, a new restaurant in Boca Raton’s Restaurant Row, is inspired by the female pasta makers of Italy who carry on the art of making pasta by hand. Michelin-starred and James Beard Award-winning Chef Fabio Trabocchi leads the restaurant, which features authentic classic and regional Italian cuisine.
For a fun experience, Radcliffe’s Speakeasy & Supper Club has been reborn with a “secret alley entrance” behind its sister restaurant, The Wine Room Kitchen & Bar. The revival of this historic Delray Beach hidden treasure offers a unique dining and entertainment experience with live jazz and R&B performances and an eclectic, upscale menu.The area has also recently welcomed five new immersive Omakase dining experiences: Bōken at Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa in Manalapan, Sushi By Bou Omakase at PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Konro in West Palm Beach’s Flamingo Park area, and AlleyCat Boca and Kapow Noodle Bar in Boca Raton. These establishments offer intimate seating of 12 or fewer, providing the perfect setting to indulge in an interactive chef-driven meal. Guests at Bōken can enhance their culinary journey by pairing meals with a selection of drinks, ranging from premium sake, Japanese craft beer, house-infused cucumber sake, and Fukucho Seaside, a sparkling sake from a female-owned brewery in Japan. Meanwhile, at Sushi by Bou, guests can sit back and let the chef decide their menu and unique libations. Konro is a Japanese Grill helmed by Chef Jacob Bickelhaupt that serves a 10-14 course tasting menu with classic old-world techniques, such as the A6 “drunken” Wagyu tripled seared over rare Binchotan charcoal which earned the chef two Michelin stars from his first restaurant in Chicago. AlleyCat Boca now offers an exciting omakase-meets izakaya social dining experience by award-winning celebrity Chef David Bouhadana and Chef Eric Baker. Kapow offers a Sake Sommelier for seasoned enthusiasts and newcomers to enjoy a selection along with signature dishes, providing a harmonious blend of delicate flavors and nuanced profiles at all price points.
Take the whole family out to these fun attractions
Rapids Waterpark in Riviera Beach has unveiled its newest and biggest attraction: MEGA MAYHEM, Florida’s only dueling water coaster, and the longest one of its kind. The ride features two side-by-side flumes where riders speed down twists and turns and then are propelled uphill by a unique blast of water jet technology.
PopStroke Palm Beach has broken ground on its new location in West Palm Beach and is expected to open later this year. The mini-golf experience, which Tiger Woods and TaylorMade back, will boast two 18-hole putting greens with views of Palm Beach International Airport along with a two-story modern restaurant, sushi bar, club, rooftop pool, outdoor beer garden with games, lounge, and an outdoor playground.
The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, in association with INFINITY Experiences, Felix & Paul Studios and PHI Studio, will present Space Explorers: THE INFINITE funded by William A. Meyer, from June 4 through September 2, 2024. The highly acclaimed experience will transport visitors on a journey as they roam freely inside a state-of-the-art, virtual 3D replica of the International Space Station (ISS), float in space alongside the astronauts, and admire breathtaking sights of Earth that only a handful have ever seen before — all without ever leaving the ground.
Get up close to wildlife with these encounters and exhibits
Snorkeler at Phil Foster Park – courtesy of Mike Scott Photography/Discover the Palm Beaches
Manatee Lagoon – An FPL Eco-Discovery Center is expected to debut an innovative seagrass nursery exhibit this spring. The new tanks will serve as an educational resource for visitors, as well as a functioning nursery to facilitate the growth of seagrass, manatee’s preferred food source.
Loggerhead Marinelife Center is launching new sea turtle experiences during nesting season this summer. From Sunrise Nest Excavations to Hatchling Releases and Guided Turtle Walks, these new Eco Experiences offer an insightful and hands-on approach to understanding the importance of preserving our ocean and the creatures that call it home.
Lion Country Safari has welcomed a male southern white rhinoceros calf to its herd, one of the country’s largest. “Orion” the calf is a significant addition to the park’s rhino herd and to the White Rhinoceros Species Survival Plan, a national collaboration to save imperiled species from extinction. Guests can see “Orion” and his mother, “Bloom,” from their vehicles in the park’s Hwange National Park section of the safari.
Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society has welcomed a baby Hoffman’s two-toed sloth to mother sloth “Wilbur” and father “Dustin” through a Sloth Species Survival Plan. Guests can see “Wilbur” and her baby in the sloth habitat. In addition, guests can also enjoy a new Bear Experience, which offers an unforgettable experience with the zoo’s resident rescued black bear brothers “Lewis” and “Clark.”
Take in the local arts and culture scene
Japanese Gardens at the Morikami Museum – courtesy of Discover the Palm Beaches
Maltz Jupiter Theatre has a new $5 million state-of-the-art 198-seat “black box” style theatre, located adjacent to the MainStage, named The Island Theatre. The Island Theatre features a two-story layout with 198 comfortable seats and cutting-edge technical infrastructure. Its flexible design allows for various performance configurations, from intimate musicals and thought-provoking plays to captivating museum exhibitions, movie screenings, and vibrant cabarets.
MOSAIC (Month of Shows, Art, Ideas and Culture) is an annual month-long celebration of The Palm Beaches’ art and cultural scene from the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County. All during May, visitors can take advantage of special offers such as “buy one, get one” deals and up to 50 percent off discounts on admission tickets, retail purchases, and unique experiences throughout the culturally rich region. Participating organizations range from the beloved Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society to the interactive Cox Science Center and Aquarium and the world-class Norton Museum of Art. Throughout the month, more than 90 artists will participate in Palm Beach County Open Studios on Saturday, May 18, and Sunday, May 19 between 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. With more than 25 limited-time, one-of-a-kind deals on a wide range of experiences, MOSAIC is the perfect time to visit The Palm Beaches.
SunFest is marking its 40th celebration along the West Palm Beach waterfront May 3-5. The lineup for SunFest 2024 includes Nelly, Cole Swindell, Rebelution, Third Eye Blind, Billy Idol, Yung Gravy, The Revivalists, Elle King, Shaggy, Dashboard Confessional, and many more. New this year, SunFest is introducing The Palm, a three-hour all-inclusive VIP culinary experience with views of the Ideal Nutrition Stage and amenities.
A Delray Beach Family Affair celebrates freedom, history, and family on May 19 in the backyard of the Spady Cultural Heritage Museum. The family-reunion-style event features speakers who will engage the audience with accounts of Florida’s history, which includes news of the emancipation of enslaved people that reached the state’s citizens on May 20, 1865.
The Center for Arts and Innovation in Boca Raton is hosting the “RPBW Exhibition” on display from April 20-May 19. Renzo Piano is a renowned Pritzker Prize-winning architect who spearheaded the Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW), the company selected to design the center as the new arts and cultural destination in the city.

Focus on wellness
Eudēmonia (Greek for “life well lived”) is launching this year from November 1-3 in West Palm Beach. Through a partnership between DTPB and the team that brought Wanderlust festivals to more than 20 countries, this transformational three-day summit is designed to empower guests to cultivate their well-being in all dimensions of life: physical, mental, and social. The event will offer a range of talks from leaders on the frontiers of health and longevity, experiential activities such as treatments, classes, and workouts, an expo hall filled with the latest brands in wellness tech, and daily culinary experiences designed to fuel guests’ journeys. Guests can sign up for the newsletter for early access to tickets.

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Summer is right around the corner. Get excited with these fun ideas for a great family vacation, including road trip inspiration, educational attractions, and outdoor activities.
Take a ride on this giant indoor roller coaster in Missouri
Town scene on the Fire in the Hole coaster – courtesy of Silver Dollar City
The largest family roller coaster in the Heartland, Fire In The Hole, is now open at the internationally awarded Silver Dollar City theme park, in the heart of the Ozarks.
At over 32,000 square feet, Fire In The Hole represents the 1880s theme park’s single-largest attraction investment to date — a nearly 3-minute long ride retelling an account of the night the real town Silver Dollar City now sits on was burnt to the ground. Integral to the ride’s story, “volunteers” are asked to board their very own “pumper” — an 1880s steam-powered, firefighting wagon — and save the burning town from notorious vigilantes, the Baldknobbers. 14 iconic show scenes are paired with 3 gravity-driven drops, while the journey ends with a surprise, quick water-splash finale. The final product is a result of years of collaboration with Idaho’s Rocky Mountain Construction and Herschend Creative Studios.
“Fire In The Hole is truly one-of-a-kind,” said Duane Marden, founder of the Roller Coaster Database, a worldwide database with statistics on over 10,000 roller coasters and counting from around the world. “The ride combines a family coaster experience all can enjoy with indoor elements illustrating the history of this area, all in a massive building that ends with a water splash. There’s nothing like it anywhere and will be an absolute must-ride every visit.”
True to the theme park’s 1880s roots, the new coaster recounts the story of a real night in Ozark Mountain history when the mining town of Marmaros — the once-real town Silver Dollar City now resides on and inspiration for the park’s theme — was burned to the ground by the Baldknobbers. This new coaster follows in the legendary footsteps of the original Fire In The Hole, a 51-year-old coaster that held final rides on Dec. 30, 2023, after hosting over 25 million riders since 1972. Now, housed in a 5-story, temperature-controlled building, the new family coaster will always be open regardless of the day’s weather and temperature.
“Fire In The Hole is a testament to the hard work and ingenuity of the men and women who work here at Silver Dollar City,” said Brad Thomas, President of the Silver Dollar City Company. “Work on this massive addition started back in 2021, with planning much before that. They have poured tens of thousands of hours into this project, and their craftsmanship can be seen in every nook of this ride, from the queue line and coaster building, all the way to the hand-painted backdrops and lush foliage.”
Effectively doubling the size of one The City’s most popular areas, Fire In The Hole is the new centerpiece in the newly incorporated Fire District. Additionally located in The Fire District is Sadie’s Pretzel Cafe, an all-new restaurant serving handmade pretzels, pretzel dogs and pretzel sandwiches. Plus, just across the street, the new Flanders Dry Goods offers a line of “Flanders-branded” merchandise, connecting the store location back to Fire In The Hole’s rich lore.
“This new Fire In The Hole continues our mission of creating memories worth repeating, as we look to always improve the experience for our guests and towards the future of our park,” said Thomas. “This coaster, just like the original, ensures the whole family makes lasting memories for the foreseeable future, and the only place you can ride something like this is Silver Dollar City.
Fire In The Hole marks the beginning of an action-packed summer this year at Silver Dollar City, with the park’s Summer Celebration kicking off June 8, with extended nighttime hours starting July 13 with Summer Nights, all the way through August 4. And, there’s plenty of fun between now and then, too, as this spring The City celebrates the final year of Street Fest from April 11-29. Then, Bluegrass & BBQ from May 2-27, awarded “Top Bluegrass Event” by the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA).
Enjoy inshore and ocean fishing Florida
Fishing in the waters of St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra, and The Beaches – courtesy fo Florida’s Historic Coast
Spend a leisurely day casting a line into the surf with toes in the sand or wrestling a sport fish out of the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, it’s easy to understand why fishing is Florida’s favorite pastime. And there’s no better place than St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra and The Beaches, where there’s a myriad of backwater honey holes, guided charters, challenging tournaments, and passionate fishing experts.
Saltwater fishing is king here—kingfish, that is. St. Augustine is home to the Southern Kingfish Association, which sanctions more than 100 tournaments throughout the Southeast. The ocean waters are also home to blackfin tuna, tarpon, flounder, wahoo, mahi mahi, sailfish, cobia, and king mackerel. Hop on board one of Sea Love Charters’ public trips for a deep-water adventure or charter a fishing boat from the Conch House Marina or the Nix Boat Yard Road Marina.
The ever-popular fishing tournaments are on. If you want to put a little more on the line, enter one of the many tournaments hosted on Florida’s Historic Coast. Kingfish tournaments lure in large crowds of fishermen and fisherwomen after big fish and even bigger cash prizes. St. Augustine Kingfish Mayhem kicks off on May 30th and Old School Kingfish Tournament follows on June 8th. The Ancient City Game Fish Association hosts the Kingfish Challenge on June 28th and 29th.
Go from the big water to the backwater with any number of guided fishing charters that explore the marshes, creeks, and bays that vein Florida’s Historic Coast. The area is known for its local redfish, as well as flounder, tarpon, black drum, and speckled sea trout. The aptly named Drum Man Charters and Fishardy Charters can navigate St. Augustine’s inland waters and venture 30 miles offshore, while First Coast Inshore Fishing, Chips Coastal Charters, and Prime Time Charters specialize in Ponte Vedra’s inland waterways.
Bringing your own boat? Get bait, gear, hot local tips, and tie-up overnight at Devil’s Elbow Fishing Resort or Genung’s Fish Camp.
Along Florida’s Historic Coasts 42 miles of pristine beaches, Surf fishing at sunrise is a must-do. Cast past the waves during the warm summer months and land speckled sea trout, pompano, or jack crevalle. Vilano Beach, St. Augustine Beach, Crescent Beach, Matanzas Inlet, and South Ponte Vedra Beach Recreation Area are all perfect places to surf cast – just remember to be respectful of other beach-goers!
Anglers also have tremendous fun fishing from the area’s piers and bridges. Most well-known is the St. Johns County Ocean Pier on St. Augustine Beach. The $6 fee to fish includes a fishing license! There are also Lighthouse Park on Anastasia Island, the Vilano Beach Pier and Usina Boat Ramp Fishing Pier on Vilano Beach, Vaill Point Park in St. Augustine South, and the Rose of Sharon Pier just north of the Bridge of Lions. Give bridge fishing a try at the Matanzas Inlet Bridge on A1A or the May Street Bridge.
Having fun on the water is key, but remember, these waters are very sensitive ecosystems that can easily be damaged. Help preserve the natural environment for future generations by following a few simple rules. Don’t discard any fishing materials or refuse in the water; discard used fishing line in designated receptacles, where it can be safely recycled; stay off the dunes; and boat at safe speeds.
Fishing, fresh air, and the water are sure to stoke the appetite. Grab some delicious bites packaged to enjoy in the great outdoors from Kaiser’s Deli on Anastasia Island, the Floating Food Company on Vilano Beach, Stir It Up on St. Augustine Beach, or Trasca and Company in Ponte Vedra Beach.
Fishing is just the beginning of the adventure on Florida’s Historic Coast. Be sure to take advantage of the unforgettable stays and deals available on Florida’s Historic Coast this Spring and summer.
Explore outdoor recreation in the Laurel Highlands
Visitors enjoy the rivers in the Laurel Highlands – courtesy of GO Laurel Highlands
The Laurel Highlands is home to excellent outdoor recreation on the Youghiogheny and Stonycreek rivers as well as eight state parks (Keystone, Kooser, Laurel Hill, Laurel Mountain, Laurel Ridge, Laurel Summit, Linn Run and Ohiopyle) and two state forests (Forbes and Gallitzin).
Architecture aficionados flock to the Laurel Highlands to see Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater – a UNESCO World Heritage site – as well as Mantyla and the Duncan House, both of which are located at Polymath Park, and Kentuck Knob. History lovers are drawn to Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Fort Ligonier and the Flight 93 National Memorial.
Family vacations are especially popular in the region, which is home to Idlewild and SoakZone, Laurel Caverns, Jennerstown Speedway and Seven Springs Mountain Resort.
Ann Nemanic, executive director of GO Laurel Highlands – the official destination marketing organization of Fayette, Somerset and Westmoreland counties – said the region’s diverse range of activities and experiences make it the perfect summer getaway. “Summer is a season filled with anticipation,” she said. “Three months filled with dates circled for family gatherings, celebrations, parades, and vacations simply are not enough.
“The Laurel Highlands has always been a summer destination because the region checks many boxes for visitors,” Nemanic said. “An entire week could be filled with outdoor experiences alone – hiking numerous trails, biking the Great Allegheny Passage, floating a kayak on calm water, or screaming excitedly over Class IV rapids on the Yough. A blend of history and cultural assets is appealing to many, with museums and artist studios scattered throughout the landscape. For little tots, Idlewild and SoakZone create memories for their first amusement park experience. Pepper in farmers markets for fresh-grown ingredients to take home, and you have yourself one tremendous escape this summer.”
Recently, Ohiopyle Borough, which has about a dozen year-round residents captured the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Award as the Best Small Town in the Northeast. The popularity of Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands has been showcased multiple times by USA Today 10Best: Keystone State Park was named the Best Destination for Fall Foliage in the U.S., and the Foggy Goggle at Seven Springs Mountain Resort was chosen the Best Apres-Ski Bar in North America. Ohiopyle outfitter Wilderness Voyageurs was voted one of the 10 Best Whitewater Rafting Tours last year, and Greensburg’s El Diablo Brewing Co. was one of the nation’s top new breweries. The Great Allegheny Passage was recently in a contest for the top recreational trails in the U.S., and Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Mill Run – just a few miles outside of Ohiopyle – is currently a nominee for Favorite RV Campground.
Save on sight-seeing in San Antonio, Texas
The Alamo by Gower Brown – Unsplash
As of March 1, admission to The Alamo’s – Exhibit and Church is now included in San Antonio CityPASS® tickets. CityPASS tickets, the first-ever bundled attraction tickets in North America, offer substantial discounts on combined admission to iconic attractions in 16 North American destinations. The Alamo, part of Texas’ only UNESCO World Heritage Site and the Lone Star State’s top tourist destination, is a fantastic addition to the already impressive San Antonio CityPASS lineup of attractions.
Renowned worldwide for its significant role in American history, the Alamo offers a unique and immersive journey through 300 years of history. While first established as a Spanish mission in the 1700’s, the Alamo is best known as the site of a tragic battle during Texas’ quest for independence from Mexico. It was during this 1836 Siege of The Alamo by Mexican General Santa Anna that every last Texas defender, including famed frontiersmen David Crockett, William B. Travis and James Bowie, perished while fighting for freedom. That tragic event transformed the site into a sacred place to which travelers have paid homage for nearly 200 years.
One of the most iconic of the historical buildings at the Alamo is the Church, dating back to the site’s Spanish Mission era. The Long Barrack, located near the cherished Alamo Church, houses exhibits detailing the Alamo’s history and the events leading up to the famed Battle of the Alamo. Visitors can engage in interactive demonstrations of early 19th–century daily life, military drills and other activities in the Living History Encampment.
While entry to the Alamo grounds and Church is always free to the public, admission is charged for the Alamo Exhibit located inside the Ralston Family Collections Center. San Antonio CityPASS tickets cover this admission fee.
The Alamo Exhibit offers a state-of-the-art curatorial environment dedicated to the preservation of the Alamo. Here, visitors can view priceless artifacts gifted to the State of Texas by musician and historian Phil Collins (yes, that Phil Collins!), including the Battle of the Alamo Diorama featuring his narration. Additional period pieces are showcased in the Donald and Louise Yena Spanish Colonial Collection among the many displays and interactive exhibits.
Perfect for budget-conscious travelers, the San Antonio CityPASS program bundles discounted prepaid admission into one easy-to-use mobile ticket. Visitors can now save 39% on combined admission to four of the following must-see San Antonio attractions:
Go Rio San Antonio River CruisesSan Antonio ZooThe Tower of The AmericasThe DoSeumSan Antonio Botanical GardenWitte MuseumSan Antonio Museum of ArtNEW The Alamo — Exhibit and Church
Visiting is easy with a San Antonio CityPASS mobile ticket. The tickets cost $59 (value $92), for adults and $49 for children ages 3-11. Once scanned at the first attraction visited, CityPASS tickets are valid for nine consecutive days starting with the first day of use. (Should travel plans change, a 365-day refund is available for nonactivated tickets.)
Tickets can be purchased online at citypass.com or at one of the participating attractions. Customers can use the My CityPASS app to access their tickets, make reservations, and find entry instructions, directions, special offers, and more for each attraction.
Experience the iconic Route 66 in Illinois
Sprague’s on Route 66 in McLean County, Illinois – courtesy of Bloomington-Normal Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
Nestled in the heart of Illinois, McLean County invites travelers to embark on an unforgettable adventure along Route 66. As the legendary Mother Road weaves through the county, it leaves a trail of history and nostalgia, offering a personalized travel experience. With a multitude of attractions, dining, shopping, and events capturing the essence of Route 66, McLean Countyensures a memorable journey for all. What sets McLean County apart is its commitment to personalized travel, without the hustle and bustle of big city travel. Discover the cultural heritage and create lasting memories in McLean County, where warmth and hospitality await all travelers.
For travelers venturing into McLean County, step back in time at Sprague’s Super Service station in Normal. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places and meticulously restored to its former glory, this landmark, now known as Ryburn Place, serves as a poignant reminder of Route 66’s storied past. This location is great for photo taking and has a popular route 66 gift shop. Bloomington offers travelers a huge array of dining and shopping opportunities along Route 66.
Exploring the Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 Visitor Center in Bloomington to get your passport stamped, shop and discover the local area. Spend time at the McLean County History Museum in Bloomington, where exhibits chronicle the region’s pivotal role in shaping the American landscape. Stroll through the charming streets of Downtown Bloomington, where there’s something to delight every palate and preference.
Funks Grove in Shirley beckons travelers with its idyllic scenery and warm hospitality. Visitors can explore Funks Grove Pure Maple Sirup, a family-owned maple syrup farm that has been producing delicious syrup for generations. Visitors can’t miss Memory Lane in Lexington or the thrill of Dead Man’s Curve in Towanda. And for those seeking great photo locations, the Route 66 Monuments in Bloomington, Normal, Lexington, Chenoa, and McLean stand as the perfect backdrop for your travel photo taking.
The adventure continues with a lineup of Route 66 events that promise excitement and camaraderie. From the annual Route 66 Red Carpet Corridor Festivals hosted in many communities in McLean County to the adrenaline-pumping 11th annual Get Your 6.6 on Route 66 run/walk from Funks Grove to McLean, there’s no shortage of ways to celebrate the spirit of the Mother Road.
Check out the new EV charger at Miller Park pavilion in Bloomington that highlights the region’s commitment to sustainability and accessibility along Route 66. Looking ahead, the eagerly anticipated Route 66 Murals slated for Cruisin’ with Lincoln on Route 66 Visitor Center, Downtown Bloomington, Lexington, and McLean promise to captivate and inspire visitors starting June 2024.

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