Erika Mailman

If an art museum isn’t on your list when you travel, put one on it. These spaces are filled with paintings, sculptures and immersive experiences that can shake you up a little and fire up parts of your brain that are dormant. You don’t have to love (or understand) everything you see, and it’s just fine to walk past some things and linger in front of others. If you’re of a limited attention span, play a game with yourself where you choose one item in each gallery that you’d be willing to display in your living room. For those who already adore exploring art, this is our list of tried and true collections where you’re bound to fall in love even further. The list isn’t unexpected; most major museums are here, like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Whitney in New York, MOMAs in several cities, the Art Institute of Chicago and others. But we’ve also included some less well-known gems like the Haggin Museum in Stockton, California, and the Colby College Museum of Art in Waterville, Maine (if you love the large-scale Pop-leaning figurative art of Alex Katz, there’s no better place to go; there’s an entire wing dedicated to his work). Note: prices listed are for adults; most institutions offer discounts for seniors, students, children, visitors with disabilities and residents of the city/state. Most have a monthly free day or two, and many add a surcharge for visiting temporary exhibitions—check each museum’s website for details. April 2026: This time, we decided to add an unusu

Basically any cuisine you can think of, you can sit down in San Francisco and dig into it, prepared authentically. We’re periodically tinkering with the list and adding new restaurants; so far, the categories of cuisine we’re spotlighting include: Vietnamese, American, Japanese, Mexican, Mediterranean, vegetarian, Italian, Indian, seafood, French, Argentinian and Chinese. The city is diverse in its offerings, and our list will bring you to the counter to order fast food (well, sort of: it’s vegan fast food and really delicious and healthy) as well as send you sauntering into a Michelin-starred restaurant. Eating our way across the city shows us that there are so many spots where families are making a living while sharing food with customers, and sitting down to eat with something new or unexpected on your plate is an incredible experience. If you can, try to dine out at least once a week to keep the restaurant love flowing. The pandemic taught us that businesses are fragile, and uplifting the restaurant around the corner with your business keeps San Francisco the foodie paradise that it is. Updated: April 2026: Time Out has reformatted its food and beverage features, so a year ago we looked at our lengthy list and started over, with just 11 restaurants listed. Periodically, we add a few more. This time, we’re adding four more: the first Vietnamese restaurant on the list (and what an incredible one it is: Crustacean San Francisco is a feel-good spot with family history), and n

Waiting on the train platform is one of those deliciously anticipatory moments in traveling. You hear the train in the distance, and as it pulls up, you can’t believe your good fortune that you get to board and be whisked away for a true adventure. You’ll press your face to the glass (usually, a wide panoramic view window) and see all the sights that aren’t available any other way. Going through a dark tunnel for five minutes provides a thrill, as does seeing herds of elk scattered by a river (both experiences you can have on the California Zephyr) or other wildlife. Some trains offer specialty dining or wine tastings as you travel through beautiful landscapes—the Napa Valley Wine Train, for instance, is an iconic ride that takes you to three different wineries and serves a gourmet meal. Lucky riders may take a train traveling to or through a national park. You may have a musician on board or a storyteller sharing local lore. Spontaneous conversations will arise with your fellow passengers, especially if you’re parked in an observation car with expansive views, or perhaps you’ll sit quietly in awe of the landscape. Seating sometimes allows for groups, so you’ll want to get your besties to buy tickets with you. Riding a historic train provides a strong connection to our country’s history—like the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad, which takes you into the dense woods outside Yosemite National Park to see what turn-of-the-century loggers saw. Or maybe you prefer a luxury tr

America’s vast stretches make it possible for so many different kinds of landscapes to exist: dry deserts, lush green meadows, impressive mountain ranges, placid lakes and stormy seas. That means there is something for every traveler, whether that’s walking among the biggest trees on the planet, crunching across miles of salt flats, hiking to see the tallest waterfall on the continent or peering into the depths of the Grand Canyon, awestruck and exhilarated. Nature’s show is always the best performance, and if we plan ahead, we can get front row seats. It’s impossible to catalog all the incredible natural wonders of our country, but here is a tantalizing look at our favorite 16, based on repeated visits, the fact that you’ll reliably see what’s wonderful about this site and, in some cases, four-seasons availability (although for sure you’ll want to check weather and local reports before making the trip). Put your phone on “do not disturb,” bring water and prepare to spend time luxuriating in the natural beauty before you. Your itinerary can be loose when you’re inhaling the wonders of raw scenery; move slowly and appreciate the land’s ever-varied offerings which have existed for millennia.

Building an entire vacation around the central concept of wine seems like something we should all be doing. After all, besides the time-honored pleasure of tasting wines, these vacations usually involve beautiful vistas of rows of vines, rolling hillsides, quaint wineries: all things that please the eye. You’re likely to have a deep discussion or two with passionate vintners whose whole lives are caught up in the vines… much more meaningful than just opening a bottle at home. Wine lovers are often food lovers, too, and sitting with a carefully arranged charcuterie board and a row of tastings in front of you is surely one of the best and most relaxing things you can do on vacation. Many wineries offer events and experiences to deepen the fun (we’re looking at you, Santa Barbara County, with your DJs spinning tunes to accompany tastings), and depending on the time of year, you can watch—or even participate in—harvest and all its crush-worthy merriment. Finally, you don’t have to think too hard to conjure up souvenir ideas or to know what to bring home for your dog-sitter to supplement their payment! Check in advance with your airline to see if it lets you fly home a case of wine for free, like you can with Alaska Airlines in Willamette Valley or Yakima Valley.

We love a European vacation as much as the next person, but perhaps less so these days. Despite the innovations in air travel luring us abroad, there’s just too much to see and do right here in America. With plenty of accessible domestic tourism and stunning destinations for year-round travel, a weekend getaway in the U.S. is just the vacation we all need right now. Our picks bypass the obvious choices, say New York or L.A., in favor of smaller cities with booming art scenes, lesser-known towns with incredible restaurants and coastal spots with plenty of room to spread out on the sand. You’ll find fewer crowds and plenty of small-town charm at these unexpected destinations. Looking for someplace to go in 2026? These places should absolutely be on your travel radar this year. RECOMMENDED: The best cities to visit in the U.S.

For the past eight years, we’ve made it our mission to scope out the coolest pockets of the world’s greatest cities in order to create our definitive annual ranking. The places where stuff like nightlife, art, culture, and affordable food and drink can be found on every corner and down every backstreet. Where diversity is championed and independent businesses thrive, from old-school boltholes to the newest avant-garde art space. Put simply, the world’s coolest neighbourhoods are places that represent the soul of our cities, while maintaining their own unique local character that draws people in to live, work and play. So, what are the neighbourhoods that fit the bill this year? To find out, we asked our network of writers and editors across a breadth of cities to nominate the vibiest district in their hometown right now. We then ranked every neighbourhood against criteria including culture, community, liveability, nightlife, food and drink, street life and that hard-to-define sense of ‘nowness’.  On our list this year, you’ll find everything from homely, village-like enclaves with tight-knit communities to revitalised city-centre hubs and formerly dormant, industrial areas transformed into creative districts. Many are underrated spots that sit in the shadow of their commercialised counterparts; others have become unexpected culinary hotspots or magnets for the city’s artists, writers and activists. What they all have in common is a DIY spirit – and an unshakeable proclivity f

Attractions are the kind of things that show up etched on your state’s quarter—each is quirky or awe-inspiring, and utterly distinctive: the kind of thing you can instantly picture when someone mentions it. An example? The Space Needle in Seattle or Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. These destinations draw millions of visitors annually to stare, appreciate and get that bucket list photograph. Although you may find another Golden Gate Bridge in Lisbon and a (much) smaller Statue of Liberty in Paris, usually these attractions are linked to a particular American city, part of its lore and pride: the very thing for which postcards and tote bags were invented. Track these down all over the country and check them off your list; after all, you haven’t really traveled until you’ve seen Abe Lincoln’s statue sitting stoically on its plinth at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., or placed yourself on the brink of the Grand Canyon staring into the vastness. Here’s our list of the 26 best American attractions you need to put on your itinerary this year! RECOMMENDED: The coolest observation decks in America

Right now, it feels like a great time to celebrate our cities. What cities do best is bring people together – everything we love about urban life, from the galleries and bars to the neighbourhood parks, exists thanks to the communities that make it all happen.  That’s why, every year, we raise a toast to the city with our definitive annual ranking, created on the back of a comprehensive survey of city-dwellers worldwide. Our survey asks not only what people love about their cities – the food scene and nightlife, the shops and museums, the parks and people – but also how it feels to live there. We asked you about happiness, affordability and quality of life, among a variety of other criteria. And, in order to dig deeper into the everyday lives of locals, this year we expanded our survey to cover aspects like love, romance and community feel. Time Out’s Best Cities with Intrepid Travel spotlights the destinations that offer the best of both worlds: an endlessly exciting catalogue of reasons to visit, as well as all the good stuff that makes a place feel like home. The 50 cities that made the list this year did so thanks to the insights of more than 24,000 people across 150 cities worldwide. To determine the final Best Cities ranking for 2026, we combined their thousands of responses with the votes of more than 100 Time Out city experts. Then we tapped up our network of local writers to tell us exactly what makes their city worth a visit right now. The result? A rundown of the m

A manicured garden with planned plantings can be an absolutely beautiful thing, tidy and symetrical. But for many people, a wildflower display is infinitely more pleasing: sprawling, reckless and with a mind of its own. Throughout the country, there are places where meadows and woods erupt seasonally in brief and vivid colors, drawing Instagrammers looking for the latest place to pop a hip and look just as wild and wind-tossed as the flowers behind them. But maybe you’re seeking out flowers for a more wholesome reason, to find calm and peace in a chaotic timeline. Study after study shows that connecting with nature elevates our mood. We can get a jolt of happiness seeing the beauty of wildflowers, and that’s even before we burrow our noses into the blooms to boost serotonin and light up the pleasure centers of our brains. So where can you find these springtime beauties? Kind of all over! Idaho, Colorado, even in places we don’t usually associate with flowers, like Death Valley. Check out our favorites here. And don’t forget to stay on designated pathways and leave the flowers intact for the next person’s gaze. RECOMMENDED: The 10 best flower festivals across the U.S.

San Jose is more than just a tech hub—it’s the nation’s 12th largest city, boasting a walkable downtown, a historic Japantown, Little Saigon neighborhood and a few deeply unique museums and attractions (we adore the Rosicrucian Museum as the best replica of Ancient Egypt you can get in the U.S., and the Winchester Mystery House is an eerie, gigantic mansion in which ghosts supposedly pursued an 1800s widow relentlessly). Add in a shopping district bustling with eateries and bespoke stores, plenty of historic spots to explore and a few fun places to drink and dance, and you’ve got a destination worth visiting. Driving up to San Franciso takes just a little under an hour, making this an easy back and forth day trip for your weekend, but why would you want to leave when there are 300 days of sunshine a year in San Jose, compared to San Francisco’s 265? San Jose’s hiking trails, lush parks and a lake attract those looking for a natural experience, too. Since our last update: The once-gorgeous, lush Japanese Friendship Garden built in 1965 has fallen on some hard times and thus we’ve decided to take it off our list until its water features sparkle once more. Several other former inclusions, too, have lost the fight to stay open, such as the Midtown Arts Mercantile and California’s Great America amusement park. Raging Waters has closed, and CaliBunga Waterpark is now in its place. 

Leaving San Francisco is hard—after all, it’s where we left our heart—but getting away for a weekend can be a fantastic choice. There are incredible destinations all around the city. Run north to see the beautiful cities on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge and penetrate into wine country, or head east for Lake Tahoe. Going south means visiting beach towns like Santa Cruz, Monterey and the ever-charming hamlet of Carmel-by-the-Sea. You’ll find a profusion of national parks, giant redwood forests and a long, iconic coastline for an epic Highway 1 road trip. Some of these spots are just an hour away. The farthest spot we talk about is four hours away (but it’s so worth it to see Lake Tahoe in any season—and yes, many skiers and riders get up early and come back the same day). If you haven’t visited Yosemite National Park by now, this is your sign to go: 3.5 hours should get you to the Big Oak Flat gate (remember to check weather conditions before embarking, though: that stretch of road into the park can be terrifying in snowfall). The lesser-known Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park is another stunner with fewer crowds. Although we don’t discuss it because it’s not a breezy getaway, Los Angeles is six hours down the road if you want to stretch things out! RECOMMENDED:🌮 The best restaurants in San Francisco🚗 The best day trips from San Francisco🏨 The best hotels in San Francisco

This old-school San Francisco institution is, they say, the fifth oldest restaurant in the U.S. (est. 1887 and in its present location since 1946, according to the E Clampus Vitus historic plaque on the pavement outside). The menu bears that out with charming items you won’t find elsewhere, like Celery Victor and Clams Casino. We had the former and it was amazing: celery poached in olive oil, soft and without strings, covered with tender baby shrimp (or you could choose anchovies), cherry tomatoes and a wonderful vinaigrette. But the standouts are the nine types of very fresh fish straight out of the bay, prepared one of four ways: mesquite grilled with drawn butter, doré (a French pan-seared method) with caper butter, pan-fried with lemon butter or deep-fried with tartar sauce. The main dining room is filled with throwback photos, but if you book a private booth, you’ll go instead to a hallway filled with curtained-off spaces. They’re not fancy; the walls are barebones wood, but the thrill of privacy is pretty fun. Inside, you can ring a bell for service. Our friendly server pulled me away to show me the mechanism, counting down so my husband, in earshot, would ring it; it pops up with the booth number, reminiscent of the bell system on Downton Abbey. Owner Peter Quartaroli stopped by to talk with us. A San Francisco native, he started working in restaurants from the time he was 10 years old. He landed at Sam’s Grill in 1994, and when he heard it was closing, he pulled toget

This old-school San Francisco institution is, they say, the fifth oldest restaurant in the U.S. (est. 1887 and in its present location since 1946, according to the E Clampus Vitus historic plaque on the pavement outside). The menu bears that out with charming items you won’t find elsewhere, like Celery Victor and Clams Casino. We had the former and it was amazing: celery poached in olive oil, soft and without strings, covered with tender baby shrimp (or you could choose anchovies), cherry tomatoes and a wonderful vinaigrette. But the standouts are the nine types of very fresh fish straight out of the bay, prepared one of four ways: mesquite grilled with drawn butter, doré (a French pan-seared method) with caper butter, pan-fried with lemon butter or deep-fried with tartar sauce. The main dining room is filled with throwback photos, but if you book a private booth, you’ll go instead to a hallway filled with curtained-off spaces. They’re not fancy; the walls are barebones wood, but the thrill of privacy is pretty fun. Inside, you can ring a bell for service. Our friendly server pulled me away to show me the mechanism, counting down so my husband, in earshot, would ring it; it pops up with the booth number, reminiscent of the bell system on Downton Abbey. Owner Peter Quartaroli stopped by to talk with us. A San Francisco native, he started working in restaurants from the time he was 10 years old. He landed at Sam’s Grill in 1994, and when he heard it was closing, he pulled toget

The colorful interior of Rad Radish welcomes you with hanging macramé plants, wall art and plenty of natural light. It all feels wholesome, which makes sense since this is a completely plant-based restaurant. It’s fast food, though, ordered at the counter and brought to you with a number flag at your table; if only it had a drive-through. We loved our lunch here. My vegetarian daughter was in ecstasy both over her crispy chicken sandwich (made with Impossible chicken) loaded with green apple slaw, pickles and herb aioli and over the fact that absolutely everything on the menu was available to her. I ordered a seasonal item, the mezze wrap with green falafel, hummus, tzatziki, and the usual components, which was fantastic, and the manager insisted we also try his seasonal burger. Each month or so, he rolls out a new specialty burger, and this one was the Yassa Queen, a Senegalese-spiced burger, which was my favorite of the three mains we shared. It’s doctored with a spicy nutty aioli, cabbage and mustard grilled onions. I had a mango basil probiotic soda, refreshing in its slender glass that looks like a Mason jar went on Ozempic, and my daughter had the lavendar latté. We shared an appetizer of chili crisp cauliflower, raving about everything we ate. We visited on a rainy San Francisco day, but everything felt bright and uplifting about this space and the meal. The vibe: Fast food (but vegan!) in a cheerful atmosphere. The food: Vegan fare that could fool you into believing i

The first thing you see when you enter Tiya is a massive floral arrangement, and the second thing is a large full bar. The space is divided into several dining areas, and my daughter and I were seated in a special cubby up a few steps, framed by emerald green curtains. Dim lighting and elegant fixtures, like a stamped tin ceiling, make for a pleasing atmosphere, and the food is exquisite, served by attentive servers. We tried the vegetarian chef’s menu, which had 10 courses, some of the produce coming from Hawk Creek Farm, an urban farm here in the city. Three highlights were the morel farcha served with madras curry and nira garlic thecha; the heirloom roots pepper fry, tied up in a pretty bundle atop sunchoke avial with a crowning crisp; and my favorite, one element of a canapé trio, the pyaaz kachori made with two crisps in which you can see the layers of the infinitesimally sliced onion bulb, with tamarind and ginger gel. The spirits list was inspired by San Francisco neighborhoods; I opted for North Beach (vodka, mango shrub, Italicus and Cynar Italian liqueurs, tonic and soda) and loved it, followed by kolsch from San Francisco’s own Standard Deviant Brewing. My daughter had some creative zero-proof drinks. The vibe: Plush and elegant setting in the Marina The food: New Indian food with a chef’s tasting option (Tiya, vegan, vegetarian or pescatarian) The drink: Cocktails named for San Francisco neighborhoods, plus a full bar. Time Out tip: Star Wars fans, take note that

Crustacean San Francisco’s co-owner Monique An recalls sitting on the floor of a cargo plane, rocking with the aircraft’s turns. She was four years old and on one of the flights out of Vietnam after Saigon fell. Today, I sit in front of two plates that represent her mother and grandmother: Dungeness crab according to her grandmother’s recipe, and Spicy Noodles according to her mom’s. In San Francisco, where she and her husband, Kenneth Lew, run the restaurant, a “secret kitchen” preserves these recipes. You’re literally not allowed into that space, where these family recipes are held sacred. But Monique shares that the spicy noodles were a Vietnamese version of pasta, formulated by her mother, who found that an Italian red sauce atop spaghetti was too acidic, while a cream sauce was too heavy. These noodles are gently bathed in garlic and spices, leaving each pasta strand lightly coated and moist. It’s delicious, especially paired with the peppered generous lumps of crab of her grandmother’s dish, hidden under the bright shell of the crab. In the early days of San Francisco, when the family’s first restaurant, Thanh Long, was in the Sunset neighborhood, Monique’s mother would stand outside with free samples of Vietnamese rolls because this cuisine was not yet familiar to Americans. Eventually, she decided to leave behind traditional dishes in favor of adding a Vietnamese flavor to fusion cooking. Crustacean, the family’s second restaurant (there are now six altogether), opene

The culinary offerings at Yank Sing are delectable, earning a Bib Gourmand designation from the Michelin Guide—and the restaurant has the added benefit of being run by a third generation of the family. It began in 1958 on Powell Street and today has two locations: Spear Street and Stevenson Street (the latter has a heated outdoor patio). While the Spear Street interior at Rincon Center—a retail and dining complex inside a historic post office with an impressive atrium—isn’t especially elegant, just look down at the table and the profusion of expertly prepared dishes: chicken mushroom dumplings, turnip cake, crab claw, all served on simple white plateware. There are 100 rotating dishes on offer. George and Alice Chan founded the restaurant after fleeing China during the Communist Revolution, and it has passed through several hands and locations over the decades, today run by Vera Chan Waller and Nathan Waller. A painted portrait of Alice Chan graces the pale yellow walls and a few orchids add a pop of color.  Aware of being part of the fabric of San Francisco’s history, the restaurant’s website mentions the fun fact that the one-time Battery Street location operated for 20 years over the remains of an 1840 Gold Rush ship without knowing it; the General Harrison was rediscovered in 2001.  Michelin says, “Yank Sing is arguably the place in town for dim sum. The upscale setting boasts reasonable prices, and while peak hours entail a wait, one can be assured of quality and abundan

The lines are literally out the door at this fantastic spot tucked in the heart of Chinatown, and if you don’t have a reservation, you might get your heart broken. Here, a half-dozen ducks hang in the front window to let you know this is an authentic Peking Duck (not Peking-style duck) restaurant, where a 48-hour process keeps the duck meat succulent beneath its wildly crispy skin. The procedure involves air-pumping, blanching, drying and then roasting. This is a meticulous dish once prepared only for Chinese emperors, so how lucky are we to have it at our humble table? Fitting for its special status, it’s carved at a central station where you can watch and photograph, and it’s served as a half or full duck with pancakes, thinly sliced vegetables and sauce to create your own delicious roll.  As for dim sum, Z and Y Peking Duck boasts an impressive selection of Beijing-style dim sum, including duck bone and Napa cabbage soup, beef roll pancakes, and XLB dumplings like crab and pork or black truffle. The table next to us was raving about their grilled sea bass, and we loved the very simple yet complex hot and sour soup with cilantro. The tables’ proximity encourages discussion among strangers—it makes for a fun night. Don’t be confused, as we were, by the same-block proximity of Z & Y Restaurant, owned by the same kind family and also with lines out the door. Z & Y Restaurant dates to 2008 and has held a Michelin Bib Gourmand distinction since 2012, serving Szechuan fare. Z & Y

Although the Palette Tea House is found closer to Fisherman’s Wharf than to Chinatown, it’s still a fantastic dim sum house, and its colorful, busy interior ensures that you’ll have a memorable meal. Its placement in Ghirardelli Square (home to the iconic Gold Rush chocolatier Ghirardelli), halfway between Fisherman’s Wharf and Fort Mason, means you can enjoy other walking-distance attractions, whether you're a visitor or a San Franciscan “playing tourist.” Aesthetics rule the day here. The “palette” of the restaurant’s name refers to the plate you receive, shaped like an artist’s palette with five wells to hold differently colored sauces. It makes you feel like an artist preparing paints as you pour the sauces into your own palette. One of the standout dishes, a xiaolongbao sampler, also earns admiration for its five soup dumplings arranged in a rainbow array. The five dumplings have doughs colored red by beets, green by spinach, yellow by turmeric, black by squid ink and white. They each had different fillings and were absolutely delicious, served in a spoon-shaped vessel to catch the broth as you bite into them. We ordered the taro puff black swan with a delicate cracker neck that “floats” on an edible flower-strewn plate (though it is perhaps more beautiful to behold than to eat), and we found the hot and sour soup to be classically delicious.  I indulged on the dessert side with an espresso martini and Portuguese egg tart, while also stealing bites of my daughter’s mango

What is it: A hotel brand so iconic it even has a song in its honor—"Puttin’ on the Ritz," if you remember the 1980s hit. Why we love it: The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park, provides a stay that feels like you’ve checked something off your bucket list. From the moment you enter, you’re aware of the history and elegance of this Forbes five star and AAA five diamond hotel, starting with its brick facade stretching 22 stories high and the entry with a formal vintage canopy. Inside, the hallways are a bright gloss white with coffered ceilings holding glass chandeliers and marble tables with bright orchids. It even looks a bit like the interior of the first class passageways on the Titanic...and in fact, I had been so excited to stay here thinking that this is where Margaret “Molly” Brown stayed upon landing in New York after the ship sank. However, that turned out to be another Ritz-Carlton located on Madison and 46th, opened in 1911 as the first Ritz-Carlton in the U.S. It was demolished in 1951 to build an office building, so I’ll never have the chance! This hotel dates to 1929 and became a Ritz-Carlton in 1999. One of its best aspects is the fact that Central Park is across the street. With my sister, I stayed in a Park View Room that overlooked the park, and we had fun sitting on the generously sized windowsills for people-watching out the window. There’s also a telescope in each room. With such a fantastic home base, we took several rambles through the park, entering by

What is it? An Argentinian steakhouse in the heart of the Mission. Why we love it: The ojo de bife Argentino rib eye (100 percent grass-fed) was supremely buttery in texture, and the wild mushroom sherry sauce had us trying to soak up more with each forkful like a sponge. The pollo skewer with perfectly blackened corn and aji amarillo almost surpassed the steak for me, but we also loved the yuca fries with rocoto aioli—and we had fun moderating our evening with the “sin licor” mocktails, an agridulce citrus beverage and a tutti frutti sweet one. Though I didn’t have room for the empanada options, I’d certainly try them next time. The décor is atmospherically dim and dominated by some fearsome underlit bull head statues, while beautiful chandeliers and metal fixtures that mimic wagon wheels adorn the ceilings. Time Out tip: Arrive before your reservation and head to El Techo, the bar perched on Lolinda’s rooftop, for excellent city views. Also, as much as we love the colorful vibe of the Mission, the homelessness crisis may make visitors feel uncomfortable after dark, so consider that when planning your reservation and parking or transit plans. Address: 2518 Mission St, San Francisco, 94110 Opening hours: Tue–Thu 5:30–10pm; Fri, Sat 5:30–11pm; Sun 5:30–10pm Expect to pay: For a few pequeños (littles), a 12oz rib eye, a beverage and a dessert, you’ll pay around $85.

What is it? A seafood restaurant on the second story of Pier 39. Why we love it: You can count on 100 percent sustainable seafood at this busy waterfront spot with floor-to-ceiling windows that showcase the bay. The clam chowder literally has “award-winning” in its name, and you can order it (as one does here) in a fresh house-baked sourdough bowl. We tried the dual lobster tails (oven roasted with seasonal vegetables), the Petrale sole (pan seared with a pesto cream sauce) and fried scallops, served with roasted jalapeno aioli. The cocktail game is wonderful here with drinks named for local landmarks, like the Alcatraz Escape and the Spicy Mission Margarita. For land-favoring folks just “along for the ride,” there are also sandwiches, steaks and pasta. Time Out tip: Try to sit at the farthest end of the restaurant, where you’ll be able to catch the best view of the sea lions pushing each other off the docks. And if you love flowers, TulipMania is at Pier 39 throughout April with 20,000 tulips in bloom. Address: Pier 39, San Francisco, 94133 Opening hours: Daily 11am–9pm Expect to pay: Seafood mains run $29 to $56, while the clam chowder in sourdough is $16. House specialties include cioppino at $42 and a whole Dungeness crab for $64. Cocktails are $14 to $17.

What is it? A Mediterranean restaurant housed in a former army barracks in the Presidio. Why we love it: Billed as “modern Eastern” rather than “Middle Eastern,” Dalida comes from husband-and-wife chef team Laura and Sayat Ozyilmaz. The flavors here stretched our palates and made our eyebrows rise—even the hummus had some extra zing sitting under the Cypriot lamb chops wrapped in ground lamb and caul fat. Our family’s favorite was the Breaking Bread dish with round tins of spreads accompanied by chubby pita (baked in-house every five minutes). The cocktails were a highlight, served in fun vessels like a miniature silver tankard or with tall, glass-height ice cubes ordered by mail. Stay for dessert and you may catch some Top Chef magic with pistachio three-ways baklava and the sour cherry Maraş ice cream that chef Laura made for one of the show’s challenges. The interior’s muted lighting comes from rice paper chandeliers, and there’s a beautiful mural of trees in bloom. The historic building’s high ceilings really open up the interior, but that does mean the acoustics are rough for conversation.  Time Out tip: If you want to make a night of it, book a room at the Lodge at the Presidio, just a four-minute walk away. Address: 101 Montgomery St, San Francisco, 94129 Opening hours: Tue–Fri 11:30am–2pm, 5–9pm; Sat, Sun 11am–2:30pm, 5–9pm Expect to pay: The chef’s menu is $85. Otherwise, you can expect to pay about $100 per person for appetizers, entrée, a vegetable dish and a few c

The headline for this feature was originally going to be about how this Northern California lodge boasts best-in-class dark skies for stargazing, but as luck would have it, my family and I stayed at the Lodge at Marconi—a little more than an hour north of San Francisco—on a cloudy night. Even after I happened to wake up at 3am and ventured outside to check, the stars were still obscured. Despite that fluke, on most nights the lodge is unusually well-situated for celestial viewing. In fact, West Marin, which encompasses the lodge’s town of Marshall, California, is poised to become Northern California’s first officially designated dark-sky community thanks to ordinances that curb light pollution and protect the unspoiled night sky. At the Lodge at Marconi, lighting across its 62 acres is dimmed, so you get the best possible view of the heavens and can even hike on its 3.5 miles of trails at night or forest bathe under the stars. You’re guaranteed a peaceful experience because the lodge sits within the Marconi State Historic Park, and the scenic campus overlooks Tomales Bay. “Having spent time under Montana’s big sky, I don’t say this lightly… on a clear, moonless night, West Marin has nothing to envy,” says general manager Robert Fegan. “At Marconi, the Milky Way can stretch across the bay, stars reflect off the water, and the darkness creates a remarkable sense of quiet.” Photograph: Erika MailmanA view of Tomales Bay from one of the lodge's hiking trails Although our visit

In honor of America’s 250th birthday, one travel destination that gets you to the heart of our country’s history—and a chapter more than 150 years before the signing of the Declaration of Independence—is Plymouth, Massachusetts. It’s famous for being the place where the Mayflower passengers disembarked and started life in the new (to them) world. Plymouth’s historic downtown boasts charming homes with salt spray weathered clapboards and brick chimneys, as well as bespoke shops, tea shops and pubs. There are statues and historic plaques nearly everywhere you look, and two iconic tourist spots: one of which is a dud and one of which is stellar. Most visitors know to stop by Plymouth Rock, tucked inside Plymouth Memorial State Park. This is reputed to be the stone upon which the pilgrims stepped with their dainty golden-buckled shoes, climbing out from the rowboat that brought them to the shore from the Mayflower—thus, their first point of contact. Many question whether this legend is true, mainly because no one mentioned it in their diaries at the time and because it wasn’t identified as the rock that performed this incredible service until 1741, more than a century after the pilgrims arrived in 1620. Regardless of whether the rock deserves its acclaim or was part of some clever 18th-century marketing, visitors notoriously report underwhelm at seeing this small boulder in its purpose-built pavilion. A plaque on it reads 1620, but other than that, it’s just a … rock. You may hav

Lake Tahoe is already known as a crave-worthy spot for skiers and riders, thanks to its steady level of snowfall each winter, terrain that supports athletes of all levels, sunny days and dramatic mountains ringing a picturesque alpine lake. The winters last long here (the projected closing date for wintertime activities at one resort is May 25, 2026), and the slope-side views of Lake Tahoe make for an exhilarating day. We love several resorts in the area, but have to hand it to the Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe for being situated right on the mountain for ski-in, ski-out ease. This luxurious stay may make you hesitant to ever again stay somewhere you have to wrestle your gear onto a shuttle—a PITA when you just want to get your après-ski going—or drive back and forth to the mountain in traffic. Upon arrival, the Ritz valet parks your car and unloads your ski gear directly into the ski concierge’s area so you don’t have to think about it again. When you’re ready to ski, you just open a door to the outside and get underway. The ski concierge literally puts your snowboard on the ground for you so that all you have to do is step in (and at the end of your day, you hand over care of your equipment to be stored until the next use). Skiers immediately start down a gentle slope and within a minute find themselves at the bottom of one of Northstar California’s chairlifts. Snowboarders paddle the flats for about 35 yards and then are also effortlessly aimed downhill. When fully open, Norths

It may seem early to be thinking about Christmas but on the other hand, when you start looking at these photos of two viral pop-up bars, you will immediately want to be dusting silver glitter onto miniature evergreen trees, hoisting up holly and garlands and easing your body into sleek red velvet tops (or, conversely, ugly Christmas sweaters). Miracle and Sippin’ Santa, two incredibly festive pop-up bars, are returning in 2025 with more than 200 locations worldwide. Photograph: Michelle Hom Miracle offers Christmas drinks in a kitschy setting with the kind of décor you are used to seeing at Grandma’s (there’s also a Hanukkah area, yay!), with cocktails like the Christmapolitan, the Blitzen Barrel and the Run Run Reindeer. If you order the Naughty Shot or the Nice Shot, it comes in a keepsake Miracle glass you can take home. There are also nonalcoholic options including a Snow Day Sipper and a Silent Night. Miracle will open in November at close to 150 locations worldwide. Each location comes with the name of the address tacked on to sound like Miracle on 34th Street, such as Miami’s Miracle on 8th Street or Denver’s Miracle on Highway 16. Photograph: Randy Schmidt Sippin’ Santa carries a tropical theme into the holidays: think Santa meets tiki. The beverages trend towards coconut and pineapple, like the Coco Ho Ho Ho served in a porcelain coconut or the Nui Nui New Year, a multi-person drink with Santa and a friend lounging in a porcelain hot tub with a lime and orchid ga

Believe it or not, ski season is basically here. Time to tune up our skis and snowboards, find our cold weather gear and block out time on the calendar to head to the slopes. We’re all excited for it—but there’s one state whose residents are a little more active about Googling ski-related terms. We could even maybe call those people obsessed? Thanks to a study by KÜHL, which analyzed more than 450 ski-related keywords and over 500 resorts using Google Keyword Planner, we now know which states search for skiing the most. The state most obsessed with whizzing down the mountain is—surprise, surprise—Vermont. According to the report, the state is associated with 8,709 ski-related searches per 100,000 residents—that’s a lot! This year, Vermont residents got to enjoy the snow pretty early, with the first several feet falling during the first week of November. Resorts like Killington (the most searched resort in Vermont) and Stowe (which claims the number one spot on our list of best Christmas vacations) had to scramble to open early. The study says, “Vermont’s search interest far surpasses every other state, showing just how deeply skiing is woven into life in the Green Mountain State.” Second on the list is New Hampshire, with not even half as many searches as Vermont: 3,837 per 100,000 residents. But interest here peaked (ha!) when Black Mountain Ski Area announced it would open earlier than it has in . . . wait for it . . . 91 years. Only centenarians can remember that very earl

Looking for a holiday present for the traveler in your life? TSA PreCheck is an awesome gift... especially considering the limited-time buy one, get one $15 off promotion that's currently being offered. A few things to keep in mind: the promotion is only available for first-time customers and not those seeking to renew their membership. You'll need to enroll yourself as the paid primary customer before you can sign up the second person or find two people wanting to enroll in TSA PreCheck at the same time.    It definitely won’t be a surprise gift, since you and your BOGO friend will have to enroll together, at the same location on the same day, at the same time. If your group is larger than two, you can continue the “buy one, get one” promotion for the others, so a family of four would save $30. The BOGO $15 off deal ends December 31, so make sure you’re enrolled by then. Make your appointment here by entering your zip code and seeing which centers are closest to you. Often these are inside Staples, Office Max or Office Depot locations. You can also go straight to the website of one of the three main providers—Clear, Idemia or Telos—to preregister. Membership, which lasts five years, costs $77–85 depending on which provider you use. One last possible crinkle: some enrollment centers operated by Idemia will rebate the $15 discount five days after you pay the full amount. Shouldn’t be a huge deal but, if you’re unwilling, pay attention when you book your appointment since locat

Get in, losers, we’re going to Mother’s Ruin. Maybe we can’t make “fetch” happen, but we can down some beautiful specialty cocktails at “Jingle Bell Rock: A Mean Girls Christmas,” a Mean Girls-inspired holiday pop-up set to take over the beloved Nolita neighborhood bar nightly from December 11 through December 25, starting at 7pm through midnight.  Expect movie-themed décor, DJs spinning tunes, live music and the chance to snap Polaroid selfies that you'll be able to add to an interactive "burn book." Although not typically categorized as a holiday movie, Mean Girls certainly fits the bill—mostly because of the iconic talent show scene where the Plastics don sexy Santa outfits and perform “Jingle Bell Rock.” The 2004 cult classic, written by Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock's Tina Fey and starring Lindsay Lohan alongside Rachel McAdams and Amanda Seyfried, among others, became a Broadway musical in 2018—and then, in true meta fashion, a movie based on the musical based on the movie. So yes, it’s pretty fetch. Mother’s Ruin has been around since 2011 in New York and now boasts locations in Austin, Chicago and Nashville. The bar’s name references an old nickname for gin—an 18th-century term born from its reputation for cheapness and chaos, though we’re quite certain Regina George’s mom would have handled it just fine. If you stop by during the pop-up, brush up on the rules: don’t wear sweats on Mondays, definitely wear pink on Wednesdays, avoid fast-moving buses and, for your o

Just in time for fun holiday gatherings, Rockefeller Center is hosting a pop-up playground of sorts, GE Vernova’s Innovators Toy Land. The activation will take over the plaza with a bustling playground aimed at kids and adults who are invited to play with hands-on STEM exhibits and meet scientists. It's all meant to inspire creativity, playfulness and innovation. The event takes place on December 8 between 9am and 10:30am and then again between 1pm and 4:30pm. Expect to play around with some time-honored toys like Slinky (the “walking” spring first sold in 1945), Lite-Bright (the light box with colored pegs that lets kids “draw” with light, first sold in 1967) and Rubik’s Cube (the 3-D box puzzle invented in Hungary and first sold in the U.S. in 1980). There will also be Snap Circuits, a toy first released in 2002, which helps kids understand circuits as they build them, teaching the science of electronics by making it fun. Families can visit the Snap Circuit toy grid station where they can connect circuits, activate switches and experiment with energy. Another source of energy at the plaza? The Christmas tree lights, which will be already turned on by that point (the official tree lighting ceremony is on December 3), so the pop-up toy land will be merry and sparkly.  While in the area, you might also want to spend some time inside the adorably cozy chalets, back at Rock Center for the season. The wood-trimmed, twinkly mini-lounges perched above the on-site ice skating rink r

This time of year, we’re all looking forward to exchanging our pumpkin spice latté for a steaming mug of hot chocolate as we gaze out the window at fast-falling snowflakes. Or, perhaps, we're enjoying milder temperatures and actually wishing we could have the hot cocoa in cold form. Is "cold cocoa" even a thing? At Jamba, yes. This year, for the first time, the smoothie palace is rolling out an all-new frozen hot chocolate, a “frozen twist on a classic fave,” in the company's own words. The new treat is made with milk, soy milk, chocolate powder, bananas (some extra potassium as we enter flu and cold season!), frozen yogurt and ice, blended and—here’s the best part—poured into a Nutella-rimmed cup and topped with coconut whip. Coconut and Nutella is the best combo since strings of electric lights met the holidays. So, maybe, instead of an ugly Santa sweater, you’ll be wearing an ugly Santa tank top, sipping on this traditional-takes-a-left-turn treat. The frozen hot chocolate is available now nationwide through January 12, 2026, and joins some of the other quirky menu items like the white gummi drink (a mixture of several sherbets and fruits) and the current “monthly mystery” drink, a banana cream pie smoothie.  In a culinary version of "who wore it best?," Starbucks is teaming up with Target to offer a different take on frozen hot chocolate: Starbucks' version is a frozen peppermint hot chocolate available only in Target stores through the holiday season. Happy cold cocoa dr

When booking a vacation, a destination's affordability can be top of mind—especially as costs of living rise all over the country. From flight prices to car rentals rates, restaurant and hotel room costs, there is a lot to keep track of—which is why we're paying particular attention to a new Forbes Advisor report titled "The U.S. Cities Becoming the Most Expensive to Visit in 2025." The new survey analyzes 75 major U.S. cities to figure out which are becoming the most expensive—the ones that, for whatever reason, are seeing a higher percentage of cost increases. The report is based on visitor costs and covers data from the last three years (post pandemic, which is helpful). If you’re planning to travel, it’s good to be armed with knowledge imparted by the report. Tied in first place are Detroit and Chicago. To be clear: these aren’t the most expensive cities overall (have you ever been to New York?) but they are the top two towns where prices are, overall, on the upswing. In third place is Atlanta, followed by Denver and then Charleston. None of these are cities we traditionally associate with high prices, but something’s happening, according to the report. Some other key facts to keep in mind: across all 75 cities, hotel costs have increased by an average of 3 percent, meal prices by an average of 24 percent and airfare by an average of 8 percent. That's rough to hear. Meal prices leapt the highest in Charleston, by a shocking 92 percent. On the other side of the coin, lucky

Boston has always been chock-full of enticing seafood restaurants reliant on the city's harbor and coastline and, now, serious foodies have an even more legitimate reason to descend on the land of baked beans: for the first time ever, a Boston eatery has received a Michelin star. Japanese destination 311 Omakase has officially earned one Michelin star, considered “worth a stop” by the guide.  For $250 per person, diners can enjoy an 18-course tasting menu helmed by founder and executive chef Wei Fa Chen, who crafts splendid nigiri at the intimate chef's counter using fish imported from Japan. "The chef's omakase features impressive nigiri showcasing high-quality product, much of it imported from Japan; and the range of fish could include fluke, striped beakfish and goldeneye snapper," reads the official Michelin write-up about the restaurant. "Cooked items precede the sushi and highlight a particular cooking method, such as delicately crunchy fried longtooth grouper with ponzu sauce or a simmered bowlful of amadai and abalone in dashi."  Clearly, chef Chen knows what he's doing, having honed his craft alongside Masa Takayama, the chef-owner of the first-ever Michelin-starred Japanese and sushi restaurants in the U.S., Masa in New York City (which recently lost one of its Michelin stars).  "My goal is to create exceptional traditional Japanese cuisine that reflects the artful use of ingredients and meticulous mastery of preparation techniques, while infusing classic dishes w

Grammy Award-winning artist NE-YO is making his Broadway debut in the wildly popular, also-Grammy-winning (and Tony-winning!) musical Hell’s Kitchen on December 4. He will play Davis, a father figure to the main character. Mounted at the Shubert Theatre, the jukebox musical, written and composed by Alicia Keys, tells the coming-of-age story of 17-year-old Ali in 1990s New York. In keeping with that number, the show has already won 17 Grammy Awards. Although this will be NE-YO's first time on Broadway, the artist is clearly no stranger to the stage: he played the Tiin Man in NBC's The Wiz Live! back in 2015. “I’ve performed on a lot of stages in my life, but making my Broadway debut in Hell's Kitchen is something truly special,” NE-YO said on Instagram. “Alicia created a world that’s real, raw and full of soul, and stepping into the role of Davis lets me explore a whole new side of storytelling. I’m honored to join this incredible cast and creative team, and I can’t wait to bring everything I’ve got to the Shubert Theatre.” Keys—whose older hits like "Fallin'," "If I Ain't Got You," "No One" and "Empire State of Mind" feature in the show alongside new tracks—also expressed excitement in an official statement.  “[NE-YO's] special talent is going to bring even more magic to this powerful show,” she said. “Our story is about finding community, finding your place and we are excited to welcome him into the role of Davis. This is going to be unforgettable!” Keep in mind that, althou