| | The '''San Francisco Bay Area''' (commonly called the Bay Area) is a greater metropolitan area in Northern California, defined locally as the nine counties that border on [[San Francisco Bay]], including the northern extension called San Pablo Bay. These counties are Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano and Sonoma. This area includes the cities of [[San Francisco]], [[Oakland]] and (in the "South Bay") [[Silicon Valley]] with its center at [[San Jose]]. | | The '''San Francisco Bay Area''' (commonly called the Bay Area) is a greater metropolitan area in Northern California, defined locally as the nine counties that border on [[San Francisco Bay]], including the northern extension called San Pablo Bay. These counties are Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano and Sonoma. This area includes the cities of [[San Francisco]], [[Oakland]] and (in the "South Bay") [[Silicon Valley]] with its center at [[San Jose]]. |