Treasure Island

Treasure Island offers picture-perfect views of the San Francisco Bay— from the Golden Gate Bridge to the skylines of San Francisco and Oakland to the hills of Marin County and Berkeley, head to this artificial island in the middle of the Bay Bridge.

Grant took me to Treasure Island in 2014 to celebrate six years of being in each others’ lives. We enjoyed a late-night picnic (essentials: wine, cheese, fruit) after drinks and dinner in adorable Hayes Valley in San Francisco and a night out at the San Francisco Ballet. I’d always heard about the wine scene on the island but had not explored the tasting rooms until Memorial Day 2017.

Shanty-style tasting rooms can be found near the island’s south shore, overlooking the marina, Clipper Cove, and the Bay Bridge. Sottomarino Winery, Sol Rouge Winery, VIE Winery, The Winery SF, and Winemaker Studios all offer generous pours and the perfect atmosphere to enjoy a San Francisco-meets-wine country afternoon. Sol Rouge brought in sand for a beach/bocce ball setup (make bocce reservations ahead of time here). My favorite was VIE Winery.

To see the rest of the island, rent bikes from Tammy at A Tran’s Bay Bike Shop. Tammy also owns and operates Tammy’s Chicken In Waffles out of a pink shed close to her bike rental shop. It’s literally chicken in waffles. We didn’t get to sample the waffles, but she was extremely friendly and helpful with bike rentals and has an incredible story. With a total size of about 1 by 0.64 miles, you can easily see the island by bike, taste wine, enjoy a picnic, and take all of the Instagram-worthy photos your heart desires within a few hours.