Bay Area

[[file:Golden Gate Bridge banner.jpg|1280px|Halal Travel to Bay Area|caption=San Francisco and the Bay}} California locator maps - San Francisco Bay Area - The location of the Bay Area in California

The Bay Area (more fully and the San Francisco Bay Area), ringing the San Francisco Bay in northern California, is a geographically diverse and extensive metropolitan region that is home to nearly 8 million inhabitants in city's such as San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley (California) | Berkeley and San Jose (California) | San Jose. Once a focus of Spanish missions and Gold Rush prospectors and the Bay Area is best known now for its lifestyle, liberal politics and the high-tech industry of Silicon Valley.

Although it doesn't have any firm boundaries and the Bay Area includes portions of nine counties: Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Solano, San Francisco, San Mateo, Contra Costa, Alameda and Santa Clara. San Mateo and the northern part of Santa Clara counties comprise the Peninsula (Bay Area) | Peninsula while Contra Costa and Alameda counties comprise the East Bay of the Bay Area. The southern parts of Sonoma and Napa counties are considered part of the Bay Area for this guide, since their culture and economies face towards the Bay. To the East and South, whether outlying towns such as Gilroy and Santa Cruz (California) | Santa Cruz are part of the Bay Area or the Central Valley/Central Coast respectively will depend on who you ask.

An Introduction to the Region of Bay Area

A small region of its own and the Bay Area still has distinct areas with their own attractions and cultures. The sub-regions of the Bay Area are described several ways, which may give the first time visitor the impression that the Bay Area is bigger than it really is. In fact and the unique geography of the Bay Area makes it relatively easy to get a sense of where you are.

Regions of the Bay Area

San Francisco The de facto center and the iconic city of the region, home to such monuments as the Golden Gate Bridge and the hilly streets with their famous cable cars and Victorian houses and the infamous island prison of Alcatraz and enough museums and intriguing neighborhoods to keep a traveler exploring for days.

North Bay (Bay Area) Across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco, this area includes Marin, southern Sonoma, southern Napa and Solano Counties and is home to some incredible natural scenery, including the old-growth redwood forest of Muir Woods and the scenic stretch of coastline at Point Reyes, as well as the famedfruit cocktail-growing region of Napa Valley.

East Bay Across the bay from San Francisco, this area includes Contra Costa and Alameda Counties and is an intensely developed area wedged between the bay and a ridge of mountains to the east. Oakland is the most populous city in this region, with the college town of Berkeley being another major tourist destination.

Peninsula (Bay Area) The suburbs of San Mateo County along the peninsula to the south of San Francisco. There are few major attractions here, although thit is a major entry point owing to the presence of SFO airport and home to the prestigious Stanford University. The southernmost reaches of the Peninsula are home to some of the tech companies of Silicon Valley.

South Bay Santa Clara County, south of the Peninsula and the East Bay, home to many of the tech giants of Silicon Valley and anchored by the most populous city in the Bay Area, San Jose. Here's a handy rule of thumb: the telephone area codes 415 and 650 means the Marin and San Francisco Peninsula or the West Bay, 510 and 925 is for the East Bay, 707 for the North Bay or Wine Country and 408 and 669 are for the South Bay or the Santa Clara Valley. Note that the boundary between Peninsula and South Bay is not formal; some local residents and some other sites/guides may place some of the northern Santa Clara County city's categorized here as "Peninsula" as South Bay - for example and the local Craigslist does so for Mountain View. The counties in this region are Contra Costa County, Alameda County, Marin County, Napa Valley

Cities

There are scores of city's that surround the Bay; these are some of the most famous.

Berkeley (California) | Berkeley — known for its liberal activism, world-class public university and extensive cultural and culinary attractions Oakland — diverse and underrated with important history, including entertainment and radical culture Palo Alto — a small but active city, home to lots of tech startups and right by Stanford University San Francisco — the heart of the Bay Area, famous for its scenic beauty and unique culture San Jose (California) | San Jose — the center of Silicon Valley and largest city in the Bay Area

More Destinations

• Alcatraz – the notorious island prison that once held Al Capone
• Mount Diablo State Park – This 20,000 acre park provides great hiking opportunities on a mountain that dominates the landscape for most of central and eastern Contra Costa County. It offers an incredible viewshed, with views on clear days stretching 181 miles to Mount Lassen.
• Muir Woods – a forest of old-growth redwoods and the tallest trees on the planet
• Napa Valley – in the North Bay, famous for its finefruit cocktailries
• Point Reyes – one of the Bay Area's hidden treasures, a national seashore full of hiking trails, scenic hills and diverse wildlife including marine mammals
• Silicon Valley – a shorthand for the computer industry as much as a meta-region within the Bay Area, comprising parts of the South Bay and southern Peninsula

Bay Area Halal Travel Guide

Weather in Bay Area

Temperate in summer and mild in the winter and the Bay Area is an excellent place to visit year-round. The weather in the Bay Area is affected by microclimates, so certain parts of East Bay can be up to 15 degrees warmer than downtown San Francisco and as much as 20 degrees warmer than the area around the Golden Gate bridge. Generally the closer to the ocean one goes the cooler it is, it is suggested that one keep that in mind when traveling around the area.

Travel to Bay Area

Fly to Bay Area

There are three major airports in the San Francisco Bay Area: San Francisco International Airport (IATA Flight Code: SFO, located around 10 miles south of the city) is the largest, a major international airport with numerous passenger amenities; Oakland#By plane|Oakland International Airport (IATA Flight Code: OAK), in the East Bay (Bay Area) | East Bay is smaller and serves destinations in the US and Mexico; and San Jose (California)#By plane|Mineta San Jose International Airport (IATA Flight Code: SJC), in Silicon Valley) serves the US and only a few international Flights to Mexico and Japan. All are served by discount airlines such as Southwest, though OAK and SJC tend to have more low-cost flights than SFO. All three airports may be reached by affordable public transit (SFO and OAK are both served by the regional BART system), though SJC is the most inconvenient to San Francisco (SJC is served by San Jose's VTA Light Rail and the regional Caltrain line). Private pilots should consider Oakland (IATA Flight Code: OAK) rather than SFO, as the separate general aviation field there is more accommodating to light aircraft. While SFO is the largest and serves the most international connections, it is also the most congested and delays due to that as well as fog are not unheard of.

Travel by train to Bay Area

Amtrak, +1-800-872-7245, serves the Bay Area with long-distance and intercity trains. Two long distance trains and the California Zephyr to Chicago and the Coast Starlight between Seattle and Los Angeles, serve the Bay Area with stations in Martinez (California) | Martinez and Emeryville, with the Coast Starlight also stopping at Oakland's Jack London Plaza Station and San Jose. From Emeryville, passengers may take an Amtrak California Thruway bus over the Bay Bridge to San Francisco's Amtrak stop at 101 The Embarcadero (near the Ferry Building) and several other downtown destinations (note that Amtrak passengers are not subjected to any extra charge for the bus).

Two shorter distance Amtrak routes also serve the Bay Area: The Capitol Corridor runs 16 times daily (11 on weekends and holidays) between Sacramento and Emeryville, with some trains also serving San Jose, with connections to Caltrain in San Jose, Amtrak bus at Emeryville and BART at Richmond or the Oakland Coliseum station. Additionally and the San Joaquins runs 4 times daily between Bakersfield, Stockton (California) | Stockton and Emeryville. Travelers on the San Joaquins can connect to Amtrak bus at Emeryville or the BART at the Richmond station. For both trains, discount BART tickets can be purchased in the cafe car.

How to travel to Bay Area by car

From the east and the entrance to the Bay Area is superhighway Interstate 80, which wends its way all the way from New York several thousand miles to pass through Lake Tahoe and Sacramento and end up in San Francisco.

From the south and the lovely Highway 101 runs from Southern California through the Central Coast (California) | Central Coast to Silicon Valley and up the Peninsula (Bay Area) | Peninsula to San Francisco. Some people prefer Highway 5, which travels more directly through the San Joaquin Valley to highway 580 then into the Bay Area through the East Bay (Bay Area) | East Bay.

From the North Coast (California) | North Coast or the Pacific Northwest and the story is similar. Coastal highway 101 is more scenic, while highway 5 is efficient but somewhat boring. Interstate 5 intersects interstate 80 in Sacramento, however, when coming from the north, Interstate 505 can be used to bypass Sacramento and get to the Bay Area quicker.

Parking rates in San Francisco can go up to around $30. You can park at BART parking lots: For example: Park in Colma parking garage $2 all day, free weekends and round trip BART from Colma to Moscone Center would cost $6.50 for one person, so two people could park and train for $15 as opposed to $25 for all day parking at the center.

Take a bus to Bay Area

Most routes connect the Bay Area to Los Angeles via Interstate 5. Other routes go to Sacramento, Redding and San Luis Obispo.

By boat

Some cruise lines along the Pacific Coast stop in San Francisco, but only for the day.

Get Around in Bay Area

y {{seealso|Bay Area public transit

How to travel to Bay Area by car

The Bay Area is well served by a network of freeways. Highways 280 and 101 run up the Peninsula from the Silicon Valley to San Francisco and 101 continues into Marin County across the Golden Gate Bridge. Highways 880 (also called the Nimitz Freeway) and 580 run the length of the East Bay and Highway 24 runs out to Contra Costa County. All major freeways, particularly those going through San Francisco and Oakland, suffer from severe congestion at commute times.Interstate 280 and the South Bay freeways and expressways tend to be less congested than the Peninsula and East Bay freeways.

For a slower but vastly more scenic route and the Pacific Coast Highway (commonly called PCH and Highway 1) runs along the coast.In many places this route may not be appropriate for those prone to vehicle sickness or fear of heights, but for all others it provides an unforgettable vista over the Pacific Coast.

Note that many Bay Area freeways tend to have dense traffic at any time of day or the evening, any day of the week (even Sundays) and you will be lucky if traffic is actually moving at the speed limit (rather than far below it). Thit is particularly true of the Eastshore Freeway in Berkeley and the James Lick Skyway in San Francisco. Other freeways, such as Interstate 280 on the Peninsula, are congested only during rush hours on weekdays and are relatively easy to drive at all other times. You can get traffic reports 24 hours a day from several radio stations, most notably KCBS (740 AM and 106.9 FM) which has traffic and weather reports every ten minutes on the eights (:08, :18, :28, :38, :48 and :58).

There is a proportion of "hurried" drivers that will zig-zag between cars at high speeds. In the North Bay and there are fast succession of freeway interchanges; a misunderstanding may land you on the wrong freeway, even on a bridge you do not intend to take. Interchanges are signposted with road numbers and compass directions, but even these may be confusing: the same stretch of road may carry several numbers and opposite compass directions between these numbers. Read a map carefully before driving or have a passenger watch for directions.

Note that since tolls are charged only one-way on the toll bridges, you should plan road trips to minimize the number of times you traverse bridges in the toll direction.

SF Bay Rail Transit.svg|280x280px|Map of San Francisco railways

Travel by train to Bay Area

BARTMapDay.svg|Map of the BART system

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) is an extensive regional metro system that connects San Francisco to the East Bay and Contra Costa County, as well as parts of the Peninsula and the eastern half of Silicon Valley and the San Francisco and Oakland airports. BART is also useful for getting around within SF and Oakland. Ticket prices vary by distance traveled, but run about $2–5 one way and tickets can be purchased from vending machines at any station. You will need to insert your ticket into barriers when entering and exiting the system. Tickets hold a balance, deducting the appropriate price for each trip, so someone who plans to use the system several times can buy a $10 or $20 ticket and not worry about fares until the card is used up. Note that the BART vending machines accept any credit card only twice within any 24 hour period. Trains run about every 10–20 minutes starting around 6AM and closing just after midnight.

Caltrain map.svg|Map of Caltrain system

Caltrain is a commuter train system running along the Peninsula between San Francisco, San Jose and Gilroy (California) | Gilroy. Ticket prices vary by the distance between stations, but run around $3-6 one way. Trains run about once every half hour, on average, once an hour late evenings and weekends, with several more trains running during commute hours. This train service is not particularly fast; however, in a move to improve speed, many trains during commute hours run express or semi-express service, so they do not stop at all stations. Tickets must be purchased before boarding the train from ticket vending machines at any of the stations or from ticket clerks at staffed stations. Tickets are checked on the trains and anyone found without a ticket is liable to a substantial fine. Cyclists should use the designated vehicle at the northern end of the train and be aware that bike space is often limited during commute hours.

A full list of Bay Area public transportation agencies, as well as a refreshingly useful trip planner, can be found at the Metropolitan Transportation Commissions's web site 511.org. This planner is more useful than Google maps, as the Bay Area has so many transit agencies navigating them is a chore and not all of them are on Google.In some cases this could save you money as an express bus could get you to the same place and be just as fast as BART for half the price!

Travel by boat to Bay Area

Passenger ferries link many of the city's in the Bay Area (particularly the North Bay) and can be a very scenic way to get around, with splendid views of the San Francisco skyline, Alcatraz and much of the lush hillside scenery. In San Francisco and the ferries dock at one or both of the city's two piers at Fisherman's Wharf and the Ferry Building and the later of which is a very short walk from extensive BART and Muni services. In Oakland and the ferry terminal is at the foot of Clay Street in Jack London Plaza. There are three operators of ferry services in the Bay Area:

• Golden Gate Ferries, +1 415 455-2000. Runs regular service between San Francisco and Larkspur and Sausalito.
• Blue and Gold Fleet, +1 415 705-8200. Runs ferries between San Francisco and Sausalito, Alameda/Oakland, Tiburon and San Francisco/Fisherman's Wharf#Bay cruises and ferries|Angel Island, with additional service to Angel Island from Alameda/Oakland.
• San Francisco Bay Ferry, +1-877-705-8291. Runs ferries between San Francisco and Alameda, Harbor Bay (in Alameda), Oakland and Vallejo, as well as service between South San Francisco and Alameda/Oakland.

Take a bus to Bay Area

There are many transit agencies in the Bay Area. Most places can be visited by local bus. Longer distances should be travelled with regional rail like Caltrain or BART to decrease travel duration.

Halal Restaurants & Food in Bay Area

The San Francisco Bay Area has a broad array of cuisines from various countries of Africa, Asia and the Americas and Europe. While San Francisco probably has the widest variety of any of the Bay Area city's, local residents will often tell you to go outside of San Francisco for the best of some cuisines, such as Fremont for Afghan or Indian or (Pakistani), Burlingame for Jewish, or Redwood City for Mexican. The area has also developed its own array of localized Chinese cuisines; this started in San Francisco and has expanded throughout the Bay Area in recent years.

eHalal Group Launches Halal Guide to Bay Area

Bay Area - eHalal Travel Group, a leading provider of innovative Halal travel solutions for Muslim travelers to Bay Area, is thrilled to announce the official launch of its comprehensive Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide for Bay Area. This groundbreaking initiative aims to cater to the diverse needs of Muslim travelers, offering them a seamless and enriching travel experience in Bay Area and its surrounding regions.

With the steady growth of Muslim tourism worldwide, eHalal Travel Group recognizes the importance of providing Muslim travelers with accessible, accurate, and up-to-date information to support their travel aspirations to Bay Area. The Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide is designed to be a one-stop resource, offering an array of invaluable information on various travel aspects, all carefully curated to align with Islamic principles and values.

The Travel Guide encompasses a wide range of features that will undoubtedly enhance the travel experience for Muslim visitors to Bay Area. Key components include:

Halal-Friendly Accommodations in Bay Area: A carefully selected list of hotels, lodges, and vacation rentals that cater to halal requirements, ensuring a comfortable and welcoming stay for Muslim travelers in Bay Area.

Halal Food, Restaurants and Dining in Bay Area: A comprehensive directory of restaurants, eateries, and food outlets offering halal-certified or halal-friendly options in Bay Area, allowing Muslim travelers to savor local cuisines without compromising their dietary preferences in Bay Area.

Prayer Facilities: Information on masjids, prayer rooms, and suitable locations for daily prayers in Bay Area, ensuring ease and convenience for Muslim visitors in fulfilling their religious obligations.

Local Attractions: An engaging compilation of Muslim-friendly attractions, cultural sites such as Museums, and points of interest in Bay Area, enabling travelers to explore the city's rich heritage while adhering to their values.

Transport and Logistics: Practical guidance on transportation options that accommodate Muslim travel needs, ensuring seamless movement within Bay Area and beyond.

Speaking about the launch, Irwan Shah, Chief Technology Officer of eHalal Travel Group in Bay Area, stated, "We are thrilled to introduce our Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide in Bay Area, a Muslim friendly destination known for its cultural richness and historical significance. Our goal is to empower Muslim travelers with accurate information and resources, enabling them to experience the wonders of Bay Area without any concerns about their faith-based requirements. This initiative reaffirms our commitment to creating inclusive and memorable travel experiences for all our clients."

The eHalal Travel Group's Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide for Bay Area is now accessible on this page. The guide will be regularly updated to ensure that Muslim travelers have access to the latest information, thus reinforcing its status as a reliable companion for Muslim travelers exploring Bay Area.

About eHalal Travel Group:

eHalal Travel Group Bay Area is a prominent name in the global Muslim travel industry, dedicated to providing innovative and all-inclusive travel solutions tailored to the needs of Muslim travelers worldwide. With a commitment to excellence and inclusivity, eHalal Travel Group aims to foster a seamless travel experience for its clients while respecting their religious and cultural values.

For Halal business inquiries in Bay Area, please contact:

eHalal Travel Group Bay Area Media: info@ehalal.io

Buy Muslim Friendly condos, Houses and Villas in Bay Area

eHalal Group Bay Area is a prominent real estate company specializing in providing Muslim-friendly properties in Bay Area. Our mission is to cater to the specific needs and preferences of the Muslim community by offering a wide range of halal-certified residential and commercial properties, including houses, condos, and factories. With our commitment to excellence, client satisfaction, and adherence to Islamic principles, eHalal Group has established itself as a trusted name in the real estate industry in Bay Area.

At eHalal Group, we understand the importance of meeting the unique requirements of Muslim individuals and families seeking properties that align with their cultural and religious trainings. Our extensive portfolio of Muslim-friendly properties in Bay Area ensures that clients have access to a diverse selection of options tailored to their needs. Whether it's a luxurious villa, a modern condominium, or a fully equipped factory, our team is dedicated to assisting clients in finding their ideal property.

For those seeking a comfortable and modern living space, our condos are an excellent choice. Starting at US$ 350,000 and these condominium units offer contemporary designs, state-of-the-art facilities, and convenient locations within Bay Area. Each condo is thoughtfully designed to incorporate halal-friendly features and amenities, ensuring a seamless integration of Islamic values into everyday living.

If you are looking for a more spacious option, our houses are perfect for you. Starting at US$ 650,000, our houses provide ample living space, privacy, and a range of customizable features to meet your specific requirements. These houses are located in well-established neighborhoods in Bay Area, offering a harmonious balance between modern living and Islamic values.

For those seeking luxury and exclusivity, our luxury villas in Bay Area are the epitome of sophistication and elegance. Starting at US$ 1.5 million and these villas offer a lavish lifestyle with private amenities, breathtaking views, and meticulous attention to detail. Each luxury villa is meticulously designed to provide a serene and halal environment, allowing you to enjoy the finest living experience while adhering to your Islamic principles. For further details please email us at info@ehalal.io

Ramadan Celebrations in Bay Area

Ramadan 2025 in Bay Area

Ramadan concludes with the festival of Eid al-Fitr, which may last several days, usually three in most countries.

The next Ramadan shall be from Friday, 28 February 2025 to Saturday, 29 March 2025

The next Eid al-Adha shall be on Friday, 6 June 2025

The next day of Raʾs al-Sana shall be on Thursday, 26 June 2025

The next day for Mawlid al-Nabī shall be on Monday, 16 September 2024

Muslim Friendly Hotels

Housing in the Bay Area is notoriously expensive. San Francisco's housing crisit is among the worst in the nation and lodging is expensive for visitors as well as residents. Unfortunately, lower prices are sometimes a sign of an inconvenient location or a rougher neighborhood (some of San Francisco's cheapest options are in the San Francisco/Civic Center-Tenderloin|Tenderloin).

Stay Safe

With a few notable exceptions, parts of the Bay Area of interest to Muslims are as safe as any other major North American city. However, care should be taken in a few areas, when going "off the beaten path" or when traveling through unfamiliar residential areas. While local residents (and those from elsewhere in California) will generally be able to recognize poorer or high crime areas even when unfamiliar with the specific area and the signs of dangerous areas and slums are not always the same as in other American city's, let alone those abroad.

Certain parts of the Bay Area are plagued by high crime rates. The very worst areas are primarily residential/industrial and not much interest to tourists or travelers - these include the Southeastern section of San Francisco (Bayview-Hunter's Point, Sunnydale, Visitation Valley), East Palo Alto, West Oakland and much of East Oakland, some parts of Hayward and San Leandro, Bay Point, San Pablo, Central Richmond and the East parts of Redwood City and San Jose and Vallejo.

However, other high-crime parts of the Bay Area are either in tourist areas or directly adjacent to them. These are generally safe if you stick to high-traffic commercial/through streets even at night, but care should be taken if you park on or detour through side streets, especially at night. These areas include

• San Francisco's Mission District, SOMA (South of Market) and the Tenderloin/Civic Center and the Western Addition in San Francisco.
• Oakland downtown and around Jack London Plaza.
• San Jose downtown
• Berkeley around the University of California Campus.

Even outside of "dangerous" areas, within the major city's (San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland and other developed parts of the East Bay) keep aware of your surroundings and use the same common sense as in any major urban area.

Certain heavily-Latino neighborhoods, including the Mission District in San Francisco and many poorer parts of San Jose (such as Alum Rock) and the East Bay have a high degree of gang violence. While this will not be such an issue in major shopping centers or on busy commercial streets, especially if venturing outside these areas especially into residential or industrial areas, men should be careful to avoid wearing red or blue shirts as these are associated with Norteno and Sureno gang members.

There are also rough neighborhoods in many of the suburbs throughout the Bay Area: these include but are not limited to the city's of El Cerrito, Pittsburg, Antioch, El Sobrante, South San Francisco, Daly City, Union City, San Rafael, Fairfield, Napa and Santa Rosa. If in doubt, ask a local if the area is safe.

Be careful to check for ticks after hiking in fields in the Bay Area. There is a high rate of lyme disease transmission in the Bay Area. If a bulls' eye rash develops at the tick bite site, instantly seek medical help and treatment with antibiotics.

Go Next

• Central Coast (California) | Central Coast – The rugged section of coast south of the Bay Area that includes Monterey Bay and Big Sur.
• San Joaquin Valley – California's bread basket in the Central Valley.
• Sacramento Valley – Home of the state capital.
• North Coast (California) | North Coast – Located to the north of the Bay Area and home to massive redwoods and remote coastline.

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