San Francisco's most famous landmark is about an hour's drive north from Palo Alto. There are many great ways to experience it. The classic option is to drive from the SF side toward Marin and then (on the far side) pull into the visitor's center to snap some photos and admire the views. Consider continuing along the 101 to the beach town of Sausalito for lunch or turn off after crossing and take in even more scenic views at the Marin Headlands and Point Bonita Lighthouse. Another great option is to start from Baker Beach in San Francisco (there's parking) and explore Fort Point, the Civil War Era fort that sits under the GG Bridge's trusses and protects the San Francisco Bay.

We made sure our wedding aligned with a week the Giants are in town. Oracle Park is a beautiful (though sometimes chilly) stadium right on the Bay and very easy to get to. Taking Caltrain from Palo Alto to the city will drop you off 2 blocks away from the stadium without having to worry about parking. Typically, express trains run after the game to get you back. We hope (but cannot guarantee) that the Giants will still be competitive by mid-September. Games and dates below:

Tu 9/10 vs Brewers 6:45 PM

W 9/11 vs Brewers 6:45 PM

Th 9/12 vs Brewers 6:45 PM

F 9/13 vs. Padres 7:15 PM

Su 9/15 vs. Padres 1:05 PM

There are lots of great spots to explore along the Pacific Coast. We'd recommend you start your trip taking Highway 92 to Half Moon Bay for breakfast. From there, you can walk along the beach and cypress trees toward the Ritz Carlton or watch the surfers at Mavericks. Alternatively, driving north from HMB, you can head to Devil's Slide or Gray Whale Cove (and the most scenic Taco Bell Cantina in the world) to hike up the coastal mountains. If you're looking for the classic day-at-the-beach experience, we'd recommend Ocean Beach in San Francisco, but expect the water to be cold!

Just over the Golden Gate Bridge, Muir Woods is home to a large grove of Redwood Trees (and also where they shot the Ewok scenes in Star Wars). It's truly impressive to stand under the canopy of 250 ft tall trees that are over 800 years old. However, please note that advanced reservations are required. If you're looking for a more flexible option, consider heading to adjacent Mt Tam State Park instead. Maddie (our golden doodle) recommends the hike along Cataract Falls Trail! If you do drive up to Marin, be sure to take in the view down Panoramic Highway toward the coast while you're there.

About 90 minutes north of Palo Alto, over the Golden Gate Bridge, are the many wineries of Napa and Sonoma counties. Many offer drop-in tastings, and all offer great views of the vines and rolling hills. We always recommend stopping at Russian River Brewery while you're up there. If you're looking for a simpler option closer to home, consider the wineries of the Santa Cruz mountains, about 20 minutes southwest of Stanford near Los Gatos, CA.

A great place for a pre-wedding walk, Stanford's sprawling campus is the largest university in America by area. It features a distinctive mission-style architecture and should be relatively quiet as classes won't start until 9/21. Beyond the main quad, be sure to check out Hoover Tower for a birds-eye view of the campus, the Burghers of Calais and other Rodin statues throughout the campus. Please bring all of your toughest flow-physics questions to the experts at the Center for Turbulence Research (Jeff's home lab). For a more nature-focused option, Stanford is also home to "the Dish," a roughly three mile loop in the foothills just behind the campus.