By Penelope Lane
Whether you desire delectable cuisine, fine wine samplings or unique cultural and arts experiences,
San Francisco is the place to be. Although rainy days may hinder the city vistas overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz, tourists need not let the weather extinguish their urban experience. Discover the plentiful entertaining activities in the San Francisco area that also offer shelter from the storm.
Distinct Museums
Observe fine art pieces at one of the many exhibits at The Palace of the Legion of Honor. A unique melding of exhibit experiences from luxurious Faberge eggs to quirky Andy Warhol paintings are sure to appeal to diverse tourist tastes.
San Francisco also features a bizarre range of artifacts at the Musee Mecanique. Play vintage arcade games such as strength determinants, music boxes, automatons and fortune telling machines.
Discover the history behind the San Francisco icons at the Cable Car Museum for an educational glimpse into the city's unique transportation system. Admission is complimentary.
Delectable Samplings
Invigorate your taste buds at the world-famous Ghirardelli Square on a rainy afternoon. Discover the story behind the 100-year-old confectionery factory, observe candy-making machinery and try your very own ice cream and chocolate concoction.
Just across the Bay Bridge is the Scharffen Berger Chocolate Factory in Berkeley. Despite limitations on factory exposure, tourists can indulge in premier baking and dark chocolates at the confectionery shop.
Before departure, stop into Takara Sake for brief beverage history and a unique sampling of sake varieties in a traditional Japanese atmosphere.
Regional Wine Tastings
Rainy days offer the perfect opportunity to sample wines made in northern California vineyards (including the world-famous Napa and Sonoma Valleys). Wine aficionados can learn about both Old and New World wine making influences, regional weather influences on grape flavors and the unique wines available for purchase. Discover Wattle Creek Winery in the Ghirardelli Square area for a boutique-style tasting room experience. Take the short drive to Chouinard Vineyards and Winery for an after-dinner taste of Port or apple wine. Nestled in the wooded region outside San Francisco Bay, this charming winery offers a unique setting and award-winning wines. Have more time to spend on regional wine tastings? Take one of the daily wine tours offered from the San Francisco area (with convenient pick-up at the Ferry Building). Shuttles provide round-trip transportation to Napa and Sonoma wineries; Discover the mouth-watering regional flavors and observe first-hand the rain falling upon the beautiful vineyards.
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