

Milan-based illustrator, writer, and vintage collector Jenny Walton set off on a meandering three-week trip to visit her sister in California—and found inspiration at every turn.

Obviously, there’s the food scene—from iconic restaurants that put California cuisine on the map, to old-world steakhouses, taquerias, cocktail bars and dive bars. But also: the best vintage shopping, haute-hippie boutiques, and indie bookstores—plus all the beach walks and epic mountain hikes that make this always-soulful city one of our favorites.

Libby DeLana’s list of icy dip-trips, from San Francisco to Sweden

My SF shortlist, plus the best food/stay/shop/hike recs from Marin to Mendocino—from a few of our favorite local creatives