The Corridors: Coast to Coast New York/San Francisco

New York rises at the mouth of the Hudson River, where the Atlantic meets the eastern coast of the United States, asserting itself as the most vibrant and cosmopolitan of American metropolises. Its beating heart is Manhattan, the island of skyscrapers that holds some of the world's most iconic landmarks. The walking tour ideally begins at Times Square, a crossroads of glowing signs and Broadway theatres, before slipping into the green calm of Central Park, the vast urban lung laid out in the mid-nineteenth century. Nearby, along Fifth Avenue, boutiques, museums and historic buildings line the way: the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the MoMA hold some of the most important collections on the planet. To the south, the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center offer terrace views that embrace the entire city, while the financial district of Wall Street and the moving Ground Zero memorial recount recent history. From the pier at Battery Park, ferries lead to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, symbols of immigration and the American dream. Crossing the famous Brooklyn Bridge brings you to the creative neighbourhoods of Brooklyn, while the High Line, a former elevated railway turned hanging garden, links the Meatpacking District to Chelsea. New York is also a mosaic of cultures and flavours: from the restaurants of Little Italy and Chinatown to Jewish delicatessens, from the food markets of Greenwich Village to the jazz clubs of Harlem. Between avant-garde art, shopping, shows and tireless nightlife, New York is a city that never sleeps and reinvents itself on every corner.

You cross New Jersey and enter the so-called "Capital Region", consisting of the states of Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and the Federal District, a crucial area for American history since the time of the first colonies. Cradle of the American nation, Philadelphia guards the places where the United States took shape: Independence National Historical Park is home to Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed, and the famous Liberty Bell. A city of red brick and cobbled lanes such as Elfreth's Alley, it blends historic elegance with contemporary energy. The scenic Benjamin Franklin Parkway is lined by the Philadelphia Museum of Art, made iconic by the 'Rocky' steps, alongside the Barnes Foundation and its extraordinary Impressionist collection. Don't miss Reading Terminal Market, a shrine to local food where you can taste the city's signature cheesesteak. Lively, cultured and welcoming, Philadelphia tells the deep story of America. Washington DC rises on the banks of the Potomac River, capital of the United States and political heart of the nation, a city of monumental vistas and broad green spaces best explored on foot. Its centrepiece is the National Mall, the long esplanade lining up the symbols of American democracy: the white-domed Capitol, the soaring Washington Monument obelisk, the Lincoln Memorial overlooking the Reflecting Pool, and the memorials to Jefferson, Roosevelt and the war veterans. Along the Mall stand the world-class, free-admission museums of the Smithsonian Institution, from the National Air and Space Museum to the National Gallery of Art, the Museum of Natural History and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Nearby, the White House can be admired across the gardens of Pennsylvania Avenue. Yet Washington is far more than its institutions: its neighbourhoods tell another story. Georgetown, the oldest, lines federal townhouses, boutiques and cafés along the C&O Canal and the Potomac; Dupont Circle is the bohemian heart of galleries and bookshops; U Street keeps alive the legacy of jazz and historic venues; Adams Morgan buzzes with ethnic kitchens and nightlife. The capital's tables mirror this diversity, from markets such as Eastern Market to an international dining scene and the local classic of the half-smoke sausage. In spring the city turns pink with the cherry blossom around the Tidal Basin, a gift from Japan and the occasion for the famous Cherry Blossom Festival. Nearby, a trip to Alexandria in Virginia or to Mount Vernon, George Washington's residence, rounds off the journey. Between neoclassical marble, great museums and neighbourhoods of distinct character, Washington DC blends the solemnity of power with the vibrancy of a capital that invites discovery step by step.

Gettysburg is a small Pennsylvania town whose name is inextricably tied to American history: here, in July 1863, the bloodiest battle of the Civil War was fought, the turning point of the conflict. The vast Gettysburg National Military Park preserves the battlefields, artillery and hundreds of commemorative monuments, which can be explored on foot, by car or on horseback. The national cemetery is the site where Abraham Lincoln delivered the famous Gettysburg Address. The historic centre, with its brick streets, period inns and museums, retains the atmosphere of the nineteenth century intact. Amid historical reenactments and gentle rural hills, Gettysburg offers a profound journey into the memory and identity of the United States. Niagara Falls is the name the American town shares with one of the most famous natural wonders in the world, the imposing falls that thunder down at the border between the United States and Canada. From the US side you can admire the American Falls and the delicate Bridal Veil Falls, reached via the walkways of Niagara Falls State Park, the oldest state park in America. The legendary Maid of the Mist boat tour leads to the foot of the cascades, wrapped in mist and deafening roar, while the Cave of the Winds path brings visitors within metres of the curtain of water. In the evening the falls glow with coloured lights, offering an unforgettable spectacle. All around, trails, bridges and lookout points let you grasp the power of nature from every angle. Niagara Falls is an unmissable stop, a symbol of grandeur and wonder.

Cradle of the American auto industry and home of Motown, Detroit is today a city in full revival, where its industrial heritage coexists with vibrant creative energy. Downtown shows off Art Deco skyscrapers such as the Guardian Building and the Fisher Tower, overlooking the Detroit River and the RiverWalk waterfront. The Detroit Institute of Arts holds masterpieces and Diego Rivera's famous murals devoted to industry, while the Motown Museum tells the story of the musical revolution born in the studios of “Hitsville U.S.A.”. The historic Eastern Market enlivens weekends with markets and murals, and neighbourhoods like Corktown are reborn amid distilleries and restaurants. Detroit wins over those seeking culture, music and the authentic, resilient soul of industrial America.

Chicago rises along the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan, the third-largest city in the United States and the acknowledged birthplace of the modern skyscraper: here, after the Great Fire of 1871, American architecture reinvented itself, giving rise to one of the most famous skylines in the world. Its beating heart is the Loop, the business district encircled by the elevated 'L' train, where masterpieces by Louis Sullivan, Mies van der Rohe and Frank Lloyd Wright stand side by side. A short walk leads to Millennium Park, with the gleaming 'Cloud Gate' sculpture (nicknamed 'The Bean' by locals) and the Jay Pritzker Pavilion designed by Frank Gehry. Nearby, the Art Institute of Chicago, one of America's great museums, guards Impressionist masterpieces and Grant Wood's celebrated 'American Gothic'. Along the water, the Chicago Riverwalk offers another vantage on the city, while the boats of the Architecture River Cruise glide between the façades, recounting a century and a half of building ingenuity. Toward the lake, Navy Pier with its Ferris wheel and the Magnificent Mile, the elegant stretch of Michigan Avenue lined with shops and hotels, set the rhythm of city life. Yet Chicago is also music and flavour: the home of electric blues and jazz resounds in the clubs of the South Side, while its tables serve the hearty deep-dish pizza, Chicago-style hot dogs and the food markets of lively neighbourhoods such as Pilsen and West Loop. Rising to the 412-metre Skydeck of the Willis Tower, the gaze sweeps across the lake and the boundless Illinois plain. A city of lakes and skyscrapers, of jazz and bold architecture, Chicago reveals itself on foot, amid the gusts that earned it the nickname 'Windy City' and the unmistakable energy of the American Midwest.

Des Moines is the capital of Iowa, spread at the confluence of two rivers in the agricultural heart of the Midwest, a city of surprising cultural and economic dynamism. Its majestic State Capitol with golden domes dominates the skyline, while the Pappajohn Sculpture Park hosts open-air contemporary artworks. Each summer the Iowa State Fair, one of the largest in the United States, animates the city. Historic districts like East Village offer boutiques and lively restaurants. Between rural heritage, art and Midwestern hospitality, Des Moines is a welcoming, growing capital.

Sioux Falls takes its name from the waterfalls of the Big Sioux River, which tumble over pink quartzite rocks in the heart of the city, now gathered in the striking Falls Park. The main center of South Dakota, it is a lively and growing city, a gateway to the great plains of the American Midwest. The historic Phillips Avenue downtown lines up period buildings, cafés, galleries and a surprising collection of outdoor sculptures scattered along the sidewalks. Among green spaces, riverside bike paths and warm small-town hospitality, the city offers an authentic taste of rural America. Sioux Falls is also a convenient base for reaching South Dakota's icons: Mount Rushmore, the wild spires of the Badlands and the wooded slopes of the Black Hills. A genuine stop along the roads of the Great Plains.

Badlands National Park occupies a stretch of southwestern South Dakota, where the Great Plains break into a maze of eroded buttes, spires and gullies. Banded layers of sediment in ochre, rose and grey record millions of years of deposition and erosion, and fossils of Oligocene mammals are still found here. The Badlands Loop Road (Highway 240) links overlooks along the Badlands Wall, while short trails such as Door, Window and Notch lead onto the formations. Beyond the rock, mixed-grass prairie shelters bison, bighorn sheep and prairie dogs. At dusk, the ridges glow red under an enormous sky. Rapid City rises at the foot of South Dakota's Black Hills and has earned its nickname as the "Gateway to Mount Rushmore," the famous memorial carved into the rock a short drive away. The town is known for its "City of Presidents," a series of life-size bronze statues of American presidents scattered across downtown street corners, and for Art Alley, a lane entirely covered in murals. From here, scenic byways lead to Custer State Park, with its free-roaming bison, the granite spires of the Needles, and the nearby Crazy Horse Memorial, dedicated to the history of the Lakota people. Further east unfold the lunar landscapes of Badlands National Park. An ideal base for exploring the wild nature of the American Midwest, Rapid City blends outdoor adventure with historical memory.

Born during the gold rush of 1876 in the Black Hills of South Dakota, Deadwood is one of the most legendary towns of the Old West, today designated a National Historic Landmark. Its brick streets and restored saloons recount the deeds of mythical figures such as Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane, buried in the Mount Moriah cemetery overlooking the valley. Among gaming tables, staged gunfight reenactments and frontier museums, the whole town relives the golden age of prospectors and outlaws. A short distance away rise Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial. Deadwood is an authentic plunge into the history of the West, between adventure and nostalgia.

Founded in 1896 by the legendary Buffalo Bill Cody, this Wyoming town is the eastern gateway to Yellowstone National Park, reached along the spectacular Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway. Cody preserves the authentic soul of the Old West: the Buffalo Bill Center of the West brings together five museums devoted to the frontier, art, firearms and Native Americans, while every summer evening the Cody Nite Rodeo revives the adrenaline of the rodeo. All around, canyons, dams and prairies open the way to the geysers and wildlife of Yellowstone.

You travel along the Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway, which follows the Shoshone River through the forest and the highest mountains in Wyoming, with very diverse landscapes: expanses of wild sagebrush, fir forests, glaciers, with a wildlife including elk, deer, mountain goats, grizzly bears, and brown bears. Established in 1872 as the world's first national park, Yellowstone spreads across a volcanic plateau between Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, holding one of the most extraordinary concentrations of geothermal phenomena on the planet. Here the famous Old Faithful geyser erupts at regular intervals, while the Grand Prismatic Spring dazzles with its rings of shifting colours and the limestone terraces of Mammoth Hot Springs form surreal landscapes. The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, carved by the river of the same name, plunges into spectacular waterfalls between golden walls. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the park is also a wildlife sanctuary where bison, elk, grizzly bears and wolf packs can be spotted, especially in the Lamar Valley. Among forests, alpine lakes and meadows, Yellowstone offers hikes, wildlife safaris and the thrill of a primordial, powerful nature, a symbol of the American wilderness.

The landscape between Yellowstone and Jackson Hole is marked by the picturesque Teton Mountains, which rise steeply from the flat prairie between lakes, waterfalls, and forests inhabited by elk and bison. The highest peak is the Grand Teton, which exceeds 4,000 meters. The picturesque Teton mountains stand out dramatically in the flat prairie, amidst lakes, waterfalls, and forests inhabited by elks and bisons. The highest peak is the Grand Teton, which exceeds 4,000 meters. The main road runs along the eastern shore of the idyllic Jackson Lake with full view of Mount Moran and the Cathedral Group, the park's iconic peaks. In Colter Bay Village, the Indian Arts Gallery is beautiful, and there are several not-too-long trails to walk. Must-see spots include Willow Flats Overlook, another beautiful view of the Teton mountains, Cathedral Group Turnout, and Menors Ferry Historic District to see a house, a general store, and an 1800s icehouse, and the Chapel of the Transfiguration, perhaps the church with the most picturesque backdrop in the USA. Jackson Hole is a broad Wyoming valley framed by the jagged peaks of Grand Teton National Park, the southern gateway to Yellowstone and a kingdom of outdoor activities. The lively town of Jackson welcomes visitors with its famous arches made of elk antlers, art galleries, saloons and western boutiques. Don't miss a visit to the National Elk Refuge, a winter sanctuary for around 8,000 elk, and the adjacent National Museum of Wildlife Art. Along the Snake River, rafting and canoe trips run through grand landscapes, while the National Elk Refuge shelters thousands of elk in winter, viewable from horse-drawn sleighs. To the north lies Yellowstone, the world's first national park, with its steaming geysers, iridescent hot springs and extraordinary wildlife of bison, bears and wolves. An ideal destination for those seeking wild nature, hiking and skiing.

Today's stage runs along the Great Continental Divide, which separates the basins of rivers that flow into the Pacific Ocean from those that end up in the Atlantic Ocean. Framed by the snow-capped peaks of the Wasatch Mountains, Salt Lake City is the capital of Utah and the spiritual heart of the Mormon community. The majestic Temple Square complex, with its granite temple and the famous Tabernacle of extraordinary acoustics, marks the orderly, light-filled historic centre. Just beyond the city stretches the Great Salt Lake, an immense expanse of briny water home to migratory birds. Its privileged location makes Salt Lake City an exceptional ski base: the renowned resorts of Park City, Alta and Snowbird, host of the 2002 Winter Olympics, lie just a few kilometres away. In summer the surrounding canyons invite hiking, mountain biking and high-altitude trekking. A young food scene and thriving craft breweries enliven a centre in full transformation. Salt Lake City blends devotion, alpine nature and outdoor living in a surprising union.

Bryce Canyon National Park reveals one of the most astonishing landscapes on Earth, a vast natural amphitheatre dotted with hoodoos, amber and pink rock spires sculpted by erosion on the Utah plateau. Viewpoints such as Sunrise and Sunset Point offer breathtaking views at dawn and dusk, while trails descend among the formations into the heart of the canyon. The high elevation ensures some of America's starriest night skies.

After leaving Bryce Canyon, you can stop for some photos at Red Canyon. If you love minerals, at the Orderville Mine Rock Shop in Orderville you will find a wide selection of local stones. It is also recommended to stop at Mount Carmel Junction for a slice of "Ho-made pie" at the Thunderbird Restaurant; try the strawberry and rhubarb one. For a wider choice, stop in Kanab, known as Little Hollywood, due to the many films shot in the region in the 1950s. From Kanab, you have two options: follow the classic and more direct US 89 to Page, or take a detour on 89A, adding about 70 km to the route, but passing through the picturesque Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, the town of Fredonia, and the Colorado River from the Marble Canyon Bridge. If you come from US-89, you will pass the impressive Glen Canyon Dam. The dam forms Lake Powell, one of the largest artificial lakes in the United States (about 300 km long) and undoubtedly one of the most scenic. Page was founded in the heart of the northern Arizona desert as a small service town for the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam, and is today an ideal base for exploring some of the most spectacular landscapes of the American Southwest. A few minutes away opens Lake Powell, a vast turquoise reservoir set among red sandstone canyons, a paradise for boat trips and houseboats. Nearby lie two icons of travel photography: Antelope Canyon, a slot canyon with undulating walls pierced by beams of light, and Horseshoe Bend, the dramatic curve of the Colorado River wrapping around a rock spur. The area, home to the Navajo Nation, offers guided tours, fiery sunsets and starry skies of rare purity. The journey from Page to Grand Canyon National Park is about 230 km and takes about 3 hours. If you haven't been to Horseshoe Bend during your stop in Page, make a stop now. The Horseshoe Bend viewpoint, about 7 km from Page, can be reached by a 2.5 km walk along an easy dirt trail. Bring water with you. Leaving Page, follow Route 89 via Bitter Spring through desert lands until you reach Cameron, where you will find one of the authentic Southwest trading posts. From Cameron, take Route 64, which climbs towards the Kaibab Forest. Don't miss the viewpoint of the deep and narrow canyon of the Little Colorado River, about 18 km from Cameron. Enter Grand Canyon National Park from the park's eastern entrance (East Entrance) following Desert View Drive (Route 64), which runs along the edge of the canyon for about 40 km with several scenic viewpoints: we recommend Grand View, Moran, Lipan, Navajo Point, and Desert View. The South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park is the most visited side of one of the planet's most famous natural wonders, in Arizona. From here open dizzying vistas over the immense gorge carved by the Colorado River, over 1,600 metres deep and up to 29 kilometres wide. Grand Canyon Village, the historic El Tovar Hotel and overlooks such as Mather Point and Yavapai Point offer unforgettable views. Trails like the Bright Angel Trail descend toward the river. A geological spectacle and UNESCO World Heritage Site, the South Rim leaves visitors breathless.

The long journey from the Grand Canyon to Las Vegas has some interesting points. You descend along Route 64 through the ponderosa pines of the Kaibab National Forest until you reach Williams, where we recommend a short stop before getting on the I-40 highway to Las Vegas. Williams' Main Street is the best-preserved stretch of Route 66 in the USA: at every corner, you can see old gas pumps, diners, jukeboxes, and various memories from the 1950s. You continue on Interstate I-40 until you reach Kingman, where you take US-93. You enter Nevada through a new bridge over the Colorado River, downstream from the Hoover Dam, built in the 1930s during the Great Depression and still a spectacular engineering feat. The dam forms Lake Mead, the largest artificial lake in the USA in terms of volume. Flagstaff sits at over 2,100 metres, at the foot of the San Francisco Peaks and surrounded by the world's largest continuous ponderosa pine forest. A laid-back university town, it keeps a brick-built historic centre along the legendary Route 66, lined with cafés, craft breweries and vintage shops. It is the natural gateway to the Grand Canyon, little more than an hour away, as well as to the volcanic landscapes of Sunset Crater and the ancestral ruins of Wupatki and Walnut Canyon. Crystalline skies and minimal light pollution make it one of the world's first dark-sky cities, a haven for stargazing at the Lowell Observatory. In winter, the slopes of Arizona Snowbowl offer surprise skiing in the heart of the Southwest. Flagstaff is an authentic base for exploring both desert and mountain on a single trip. Seligman lines historic Route 66, on the northern Arizona plateau, and is famous as the town that helped revive the legendary Mother Road. A small village of retro charm, it shows off vintage signs, old cars and shops celebrating the golden age of American road travel. It is a must-stop for Route 66 enthusiasts heading to the Grand Canyon. Seligman is a nostalgic plunge into America on the road. Las Vegas rises like a luminous mirage in the Mojave Desert, the world capital of entertainment, where excess becomes spectacle and the night never ends. Its pulsing artery is the Strip, the famous Las Vegas Boulevard lined with themed resorts that recreate the planet's great icons in miniature: at the Bellagio, fountains dance in choreographies of water and music before an artificial lake; the Paris Las Vegas is crowned by a replica of the Eiffel Tower; at the Venetian, gondoliers glide along Venetian-style canals beneath painted skies; at the Luxor, a black glass pyramid and a great sphinx evoke ancient Egypt, while the Mirage and the other gaming giants animate the scene with dazzling casinos. By night the city becomes a continuous stage: Cirque du Soleil shows, concerts, magic acts and residencies by major stars fill the theatres, while celebrated restaurants and gaming tables keep the metropolis awake until dawn. A short distance away, historic Downtown preserves the city's original face around the Fremont Street Experience, a pedestrian arcade canopied by a barrel vault of LED lights that brings the old Las Vegas back to life amid vintage neon signs and a more intimate atmosphere. Yet Las Vegas is also the gateway to magnificent natural landscapes: nearby, the Hoover Dam blocks the Colorado River to create Lake Mead, an ideal basin for boating and outdoor activities; Red Rock Canyon offers red sandstone formations crossed by trails and climbing walls; the Valley of Fire sets the desert ablaze with scarlet rock; and to the east opens the immensity of the Grand Canyon, one of the most beloved day trips. The city's most theatrical tradition is here too, that of the wedding chapels where couples marry in minutes, now an integral part of its legend. Between lights, desert and desire, Las Vegas remains a place where anything seems possible.

You cross the Mojave Desert dotted with Joshua Trees (a variety of yucca), between canyons, hills, mesas, dunes, volcanic ash cones, and, in the very short spring, expanses of wildflowers: an oasis of solitude between metropolises. Mojave Desert National Preserve extends at the heart of the Californian desert, a vast reserve of singing sand dunes, volcanic cones and Joshua-tree forests. Its solitary, wild landscapes offer absolute silence, extraordinary starry skies and trails among centuries-old rock formations. The historic Kelso Depot tells the region's railroad past. Mojave Desert National Preserve is a sanctuary of pristine desert and immense calm. Los Angeles, home to Hollywood, Disneyland, and Universal Studios, is the epitome of carefree living for visitors: year-round sunshine, palm trees swaying in the wind, movie stars with luxurious residences in the hills of Beverly Hills, stunning museums, avant-garde architecture, and surf beaches.

Along the Pacific coast, one encounters several iconic locations: Malibu, long famous for its long sandy beaches, perfect waves for surfing, luxurious hillside mansions, and spa culture; Ventura, where one can stop to visit the beautiful old town and stroll along the pier that stretches out over the ocean; luxurious Montecito, residence of many international jet set stars. Santa Barbara stretches along the coast of Southern California, nestled between the waters of the Pacific and the slopes of the Santa Ynez Mountains. Nicknamed the "American Riviera" for its mild climate and Spanish colonial architecture, the city charms with its red-tiled roofs and whitewashed walls. Its historic heart is the Old Mission Santa Barbara, a beautiful 18th-century Franciscan mission, while the County Courthouse tower offers a spectacular view over the rooftops and the ocean. The seafront promenade of Stearns Wharf invites sunset strolls, and the golden beaches are ideal for surfing and relaxing. All around stretch the vineyards of the Santa Ynez Valley, renowned for their fine wines and tastings. Santa Barbara enchants those seeking Mediterranean elegance and Californian dolce vita. Miles of golden sand and waves made for surfing define Pismo Beach, a lively seaside resort set along California's central coast. Famous for generations for its carefree summer atmosphere, the town centres on the historic pier reaching out over the ocean, a gathering point for anglers and sunset lovers. The broad sandy expanses are perfect for long walks, while the nearby Oceano Dunes invite off-road trails and outdoor adventures. Between November and February, groves of eucalyptus host thousands of monarch butterflies that overwinter here, creating a remarkable natural spectacle. Between a feast of fried clams, a visit to the wineries of nearby Edna Valley and a sunny day on the shore, Pismo Beach embodies the authentic, sun-drenched spirit of coastal California.

Monterey stretches along its namesake bay on California's central coast, where the nature of the Pacific puts on a show. Its celebrated Monterey Bay Aquarium, overlooking the old canning district of Cannery Row immortalised by John Steinbeck, ranks among the finest in the world. From here begins the scenic 17-Mile Drive, winding past wind-sculpted cypresses, cliffs and coastal mansions to Pebble Beach. Nearby, Carmel-by-the-Sea charms with its art galleries and white beaches, while the bay rewards visitors with sightings of whales, otters and sea lions. Between seafood cuisine and inland vineyards, Monterey is an invitation to experience the most authentic and wild side of California. You follow one of the most spectacular stretches of coastline in all of America, passing famous locations such as Big Sur, Carmel, and Monterey. Wrapped in the fog that drifts in from the bay and draped over steep hills facing the Pacific, San Francisco is one of America's most beloved cities, refined, rebellious and deeply cosmopolitan. Its symbol is the Golden Gate Bridge, the unmistakable red span reaching out towards the ocean, revealed and hidden by the morning mists. To walk the city is to be surprised by its rolling streets, still climbed today by the famous cable cars that scale the heights of Nob Hill and Russian Hill, offering sudden glimpses of the water. Along the Fisherman's Wharf waterfront the sea lions of Pier 39 bark and the air smells of sourdough bread and fresh crab, while offshore stands the island of Alcatraz, with its historic penitentiary reachable by boat. The charm of San Francisco lives in its neighbourhoods: the Victorian Painted Ladies around Alamo Square, the Chinese energy of Chinatown, the oldest and liveliest in America, the rainbow, activist streets of the Castro, and the bohemian ferment of Haight-Ashbury, cradle of hippie culture. At the city's core, Union Square buzzes with shopping and theatres, while the Civic Center and museums such as SFMOMA and the de Young reveal its cultured soul. Green spaces abound: the vast Golden Gate Park holds Japanese gardens, conservatories and trails down to the ocean. The dining scene is among the most innovative in the country, from fusion cuisine to the wines of the nearby Napa and Sonoma Valley and organic markets. From San Francisco it is easy to set out for California's national parks, the redwoods of Muir Woods and the Big Sur coast. Free, creative and swept by the ocean wind, San Francisco wins over anyone willing to be led by its hills and its suspended light.