Located next to the picture-perfect San Francisco Bay lies the Marina, a neighborhood beloved by locals of all ages, and a place known for its iconic city landmarks and wide range of endeavors, including contemporary boutiques, avant-garde restaurants and specialized exercise facilities.

One of San Francisco’s oldest and most iconic landmarks, The Palace of Fine Arts, sits on the edge of the district and its picturesque design contrasted with its urban location makes it the ideal place for a scenic walk to soak up the city. The Palace, created in 1915 for the Panama-Pacific Exposition, is surrounded by an expansive grass field where swans and ducks swim in the nearby pond.

The Marina is centered around Chestnut Street, which is lined with an array of shops and food options to match any craving. Y&i Boutique is perfect for any fashion-lover, offering trendy clothes, shoes and accessories. Located on Chestnut and Steiner streets, the boutique’s items are sold at high-end prices where school-appropriate blouses are sold for about $60 and on-trend boots for $80.

Restaurants like Ace Wasabi Rock-N-Roll Sushi on Steiner, a modern Japanese cuisine hotspot, and Mac’d on Fillmore Street, a build-your-own mac and cheese bar with different pasta shapes such as the classic macaroni noodle or the bowtie and multiple sauces to choose from, are just two of the many spots off Chestnut to dine. A classic, fresh California sushi roll can be purchased for $10 and a bowl of custom mac and cheese with toppings for $11.

Barry’s Bootcamp on Lombard offers intense hour-long workout classes that combine strength training, cardio and anaerobic exercise to target all areas of the body. The red-tinted workout studios are purposefully designed to immerse class participants in the adrenaline rush created by the interval training technique. Classes costs $34 and satisfy any adrenaline-lover’s craving.

For those who prefer more mild exercises, Body Temp Yoga on Chestnut Street is one of the many studios in the neighborhood, where $25 can buy a variety of yoga classes, such as basic hot yoga or hot pilates.

Bordering the San Francisco Bay is the Marina Green, the perfect location for any outdoor activity such as a picnic, run or dog-walk. To the west of Marina Green lays Crissy Field day and Crissy Field Beach, extremely popular locations to visit for a stunning view of the Golden Gate Bridge, though San Francisco celebrity Karl the Fog may block the view.

Fort Mason on Marina Boulevard is a cultural center that provides spaces for local artists to work and sell art, and hosts many community events. Known during World War II as U.S. Army San Francisco Port of Embarkation, Fort Mason now offers one of the most popular food-truck events in the city, Off The Grid, a food fair every Friday night with over 30 food trucks on rotation. The center is filled with fresh fruit and locally made dishes on Sunday mornings at the weekly farmer’s market, as manageable crowds made of people of all ages can enjoy live music as they shop.

The Marina is a 10 minute walk from campus and is accessible by the 22–Fillmore Muni bus line.