As always, there is so much to see and explore in the Bay Area. December is no exception. With break coming up, Menlo students are faced with some extra time to enjoy the best the Bay Area has to offer. In this issue of 5 Days in the Bay, we cover the best of San Francisco, San Carlos and Santa Clara for the holidays. Creative Commons photo from JJ.

Maudie Frye | Staff Reporter & Ellie Lieberman | Spread Co-Editor

Day 1: Visit the Christmas tree in Union Square
The tree is a San Francisco holiday staple! It is always covered in lights, adorned with fancy ornaments, and surrounded by people. You can’t spend the holidays in the Bay without visiting the tree. When visiting the tree, you can also stop by Union Square’s ice rink for a quick skate with friends. Don’t forget to check out the giant menorah as well.

Creative Commons photo from Neal Kennedy.

Day 2: Eucalyptus Street in San Carlos
Located in San Carlos, the houses on this street go all out for Christmas. When someone moves into the neighborhood, the family is required to sign a document saying that they will put up holiday decorations. Many families hand out hot cocoa, hot dogs, and candy canes. Alas, a few houses have a bonfire setup to stop and warm up.

Creative Commons photo from Christophmb.

Day 3: Wise Sons Jewish Deli
There’s nothing like Christmas, but then again there’s nothing quite like Hanukkah. If you’re ever looking to try some great Jewish grub, Wise Sons is the place for you. They’re famous for pastrami sandwiches, Matzo ball soup, and of course, latkes. There are a few locations spread out the city, making Wise Sons a perfect lunch option whether you’re in a rush or want a casual sit-down restaurant.

Above is a corned beef hash from the Wise Sons deli. Creative Commons image from spektograph.

Day 4: Spend a Day with Salvation Army or Meals on Wheels
The best part of the holidays are the kind acts of gratitude that dot the season. There are so many options for people, regardless of age. There are classic options like working with Salvation Army to bring gifts to hospitals and homeless shelters or stopping by a local pet shelter to assist animals in need. However, there are also some very unique options in the Bay Area such as Meals on Wheels which lets you explore different neighborhoods of the Peninsula while still serving food to at-risk populations like seniors and homeless people.

Creative Commons photo from JJ.

Day 5: Visit Levi’s Stadium or AT&T Park for a Bowl Game or Performance
This December is the first year where a college bowl game will be featured at Levi’s Stadium. The Foster Farms Bowl on Dec 30th will be between winning teams in the Pac-12 and Big-10. With that said, the tickets will not be extremely expensive because this is not a New Year’s Bowl. Some possible teams could could be UCLA, USC, Indiana or Penn State. Also, it may not be baseball season, but we can still soak up an amazing performance at AT&T Park. Cirque Du Soleil is bringing a magic based show, Kurios, to the Bay later this month.

Creative Commons photo by Matthew Roth.