A friend took my husband and me to spend a day at Point San Pablo. It was an amazing and beautiful…read moreplace. As we drove up the "long and winding road" we all felt our cares and stress from the San Francisco traffic fall away. We ate at the restaurant, listened to some great jazz in the bar area and had fun walking around the property. Our friend discovered two burning man sculptures that have found permanent homes here. On was a tall steel structure that had a steel tree on top of it. It was really nice but when we walked inside it....OMG, we were transported to another world or an alternate reality, I don't know which but it was astonishingly beautiful inside this tiny room. I will attach some photos. The other burning man sculpture was a metal globe, hard to describe. It was nice and was at the end of a long road in a beautiful spot.

I was out this weekend showing my friend the brighter side of Richmond when we wandered into Point…read moreSan Pablo. It's on the back of an oil refinery (which sounds more ominous than it actually is) and is home to the Point San Pablo Yacht Club and the East Brother Island B&B. Getting to point San Pablo is like going back in time. It's completely untouched from the days when it was inhabited by factory workers (their homes remain boarded up). The sometimes gravel road is long and winding, and it's almost like going on a historical tour of Richmond. It's amazing because you can see how much promise the city actuallly holds if someone would just invest in development of the area. There is so much amazing greenery and the ocean views are unbelievable. At one point you can get a full view of the Richmond/San Raphael Bridge (Who knew it was that long). It's a cool place to stop by on your way somewhere else. It's not much for hiking since everything is gated and access is so limited, but the sunset is totally worth it.

I've got this museum on my radar since I heard about it a couple of years ago. It's kind of a…read morehidden gem that's right in the Bay Area but not too many people know about it. Thanks to the NPS app! Finally had a chance to come by recently. So glad we did. There's a lot of information I didn't know about. The area is very nice and clean with great views and the museum itself is larger than I thought. Plenty of free parking.

What an amazing gem. Taking the Ferry from Richmond to SF, we popped into the Rosie the Riveter…read moreWWII Home Front National Historic Park. I've known its location for quite some time, but rarely make it out that way. We had the perfect opportunity for exploration and we chose to accept adventure in Richmond. The staff and docents are incredibly kind and knowledgeable. We watched a special film called Hometown Heroes (15 minutes) and were able to have a bit of Q&A with the docent on duty. There are two floors to view (and an elevator) with the bottom level hosting the theater. There was actually a pretty decent crowd for a Saturday afternoon which was nice to see. There is an area for really fun merch upon arrival, and we purchased a Rosie bath time duck that is just the cutest. I noticed for kiddos they have a scavenger hunt/activity book, but we went with just our own journey through. There's interactive areas where you can press buttons to hear different voices depicted from women, men, and children during this era. I noticed a spot where you could write a note for unity and pay/give respect or critique for the park. Many notes gave support and admiration to their own Rosies ~ one read "This park means so much to me because my Grandmother was a Rosie in NY. We can do it!" The park has free entrance also, and there is a ton of free parking as well. Richmond is full of incredible history and actually has more intact WWII Home Front sites than any other place in the USA. Worthy of a visit, no doubt. (and there's really amazing food/bev spots in Richmond to round out your trip). Need a rec? Just ask! Beautiful park, beautiful trip. Thank you for sharing such an integral part of history with the community!

My daughter and decided to go for a beautiful walk. We both love any bodies of water! This was the…read moreperfect place. Everyone walking their dogs . We got sad bc we didn't have our pup. Always a next time. As we walked we saw so many fun and beautiful sights. Check out my pic for more details. We can't wait to go back.

Come for a walk, a hike and adventure. Take I. The hidden treasures of art upcycled cast away…read moreitems. Enjoy trails with your dogs, kids, and friends. With each twist and turn you discover art. Carpool with friends parking g is tight.

When crossing the eastern span of the San Francisco Bridge, few people realize the history of the…read moremilitary in the area. One specifically, the Nimitz House, hidden just under the freeway on the east side of Yerba Buena island, has an incredible story and history! This house was the final residence of General Chester Nimitz, the leader and architect of WWII Pacific Theater. Simply said, the man whose leadership and strategy was used to win the war and allowed the Allies to proclaim victory. This house is a three story mansion and shows its unique architectural splendor as you approach it. It contains large windows which enabled views of the east bay and if you search the internet, you will see the elegant interior - a fitting home for its resident and his family. Gen Nimitz past away in this home at the age of 81 from a stroke. Unfortunately, California is not maintaining the residence and it has been falling in disrepair. Paint, windows, and the structure are all showing signs of neglect. Don't let its condition stop you from visiting though. Although you can't enter, you can appreciate its history and marvel of the fantastic area and views it provided.

Have you ever fallen into a rabbit hole of discovery on the Internet, only to find yourself, at…read more3am, looking at pictures of seemingly abandoned buildings on islands off the coasts of California or Mexico, which you found by zooming into said islands on Google maps and looking through the posted photos, then wondering who the hell this random guy named Christian is who posted the photos not even five months ago? What is Christian's story, you wonder, as you continue to look through the other attractions of the island, which does not include residential or commercial buildings, only to discover a few hiking trails that lead seemingly to nowhere...but what's this? A campsite with no electricity, running water, or bathrooms? Just a field on an island designated as a campsite, reached by some trail made by a dude with a machete, or something? But despite the lack of these amenities...there are picnic tables! Who decided first that it should be a campsite? Who brought the tables? What are the backstories? I've found some neat places online using this exact technique, and I've been fortunate enough to visit such places. It's cool to stand in the location of such a place after seeing all the pictures online and building it up in your head, and honestly, what makes these places better is when there aren't a ton of people crowding around when you get there, trying to take a picture for their Instagram. Sometimes, like in the case of this house, I do the reverse and come upon a neat building, art piece, or other landmark as I'm out doing other things, then furiously search the Internet for more info on the history. For me, the places that are a bit mysterious are the coolest finds. We came across this spot accidentally; we had gone to see the mission in downtown and stopped to check out Treasure Island on the way back. We drove around a bit looking for a good place to see the skyline, and came upon this very unique bit of Yerba Buena, which is somewhat hidden on the side and requires you take some twists and turns down a side road. Although there is an informational board in front of this house that suggests many people visit this place, the houses are surprisingly well-kept, with all windows intact and walls free of graffiti tags, and things are generally not trashed by garbage human beings. Looking into and around each of the houses, I got the sense that this is an area that is largely unvisited, especially compared to the neighboring areas of San Francisco, and now even Treasure Island. I wanted to do my own digging to see how well-known this weird circle of Victorian-style houses, juxtaposed beneath the modern industrial backdrop of the various overpass-bridges, are to people my age online. The results were interesting. One Reddit post with someone claiming you can rent these out for events. Quite a few articles discussing some cool historical facts, like how the Navy wouldn't let the developers of the overpass build over the house if it would block the sunshine (this house was where Admiral Chester W. Nimitz lived the last years of his life). You can easily see the curve of the overpass, as if someone nudged it out of the way. Not a whole lot more on it, other than apparently Willie Brown (past SF mayor) trying to make it the mayor's ceremonial mansion (god, please don't). Overall, despite not being able to go inside any of these houses, they're kept in beautiful condition by someone I'm assuming to be a groundskeeper, and a stop here is worth it for the view alone. Just don't mind the whizzing and whirring of the cars commuting from above.

Everybody there who works there are pleasant and outgoing people all the swimmers that I have ran…read moreinto have been very nice people. The pool is super clean and very pleasant to work out in.

Such a beautiful indoor pool. Very clean and community oriented. Warm staff to greet and answer…read morequestions.

I enjoy seeing films at this theatre, and am so grateful it's still open, especially after all the…read moretheatres in Berkeley and Albany have closed.

Excellent movies per those persons who evaluate the quality and value. Avoids inappropriate content…read moreto assure adequate content. Thanks for your service!

I am always up for discovering new spots I haven't been to in Norcal, Bay area specifically. I had…read moreno idea Richmond had a beach! Point Molate Beach park is a somewhat hidden spot right off 580. There are picnic benches, and steep grassy area. You can get down to the sand at a couple spots with care and ninja like agility (LOL). I enjoyed some time here on a Friday morning. The views of the water and the beautiful San Rafael-Richmond bridge is one of my favorite sites in the Bay. The park wasn't crowded. The parking lot is small. The port-o-potty was surprisingly well maintained and was just cleaned when I arrived. There was some construction going on. After some research, turns out a pedestrian and bike path is coming sometime in 2027. I honestly have no complaints. I'm happy to find a nice, secluded spot to get away and take in some beautiful views. I plan to return again sometime soon.

This is an area of Richmond that is a little off the beaten path…read more It was very windy here, the grass was really not kept up, it almost seems like this was a forgotten type place. Coming here, you will almost miss the entrance to the parking lot if you're not paying attention. You do get a good view of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge from here, but that's about all. Honestly, when I was here, it seemed a little desolate to me.

The only thing I really know about this city is that they have the San Pablo Casino here. Terrible…read moreodds on gambling - strange "bingo" slot machines to get around laws using a loophole I suspect. The only reason I'd come to San Pablo is for the Casino - and its a terrible one - probably one of the worst in the bay area. I know way back when they had table games and there was a "bank" and they would charge $1 for every hand. If you had a low bet and liked to sit for hours that was a disaster. Been across the street to the Nations. The city seems ok there next to the highway but it is not affluent at all. Seems like the casino just takes money away from parents with kids and many mouths to feed. And the casino is too close to all the blue collar families. Not sure why the city of San Pablo chose this location for a casino. If you are looking for gaming action I think Cache Creek is probably a better bet. Star Casino at their new Tracy location also ok for low bets.

I am the first one to review the city of San Pablo? Haha. Well, if you think about it, San Pablo is…read morelocated in the middle of Richmond, CA. Most people just assume its part of it. No one really knows where San Pablo is unless you are a gambler at Lytton Casino. Lol Anyways, fun fact! The city of San Pablo is actually one of the oldest Spanish settlements in the region. Contra Costa College, one of the three best community college in the bay area is also located in San Pablo. San Pablo Is also known for Lytton Casino, where magic happens. Literally can make your money disappear. Haha I can say that the city of San Pablo have been progressing in the past 10 years.

We took a tour inside of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Temple's Visitor's Center…read more The Visitor's center is open to the pubic and it's free. In addition you don't need to make reservations. We were warmly welcomed when we entered and were asked if we wanted a tour or would we just like to look around on our own. We opted for the tour. There was a short video presentation on families and them being together for ever. It was a sweet presentation. Unlike the Carousel of Progress at Disney World where the room moves for you, in this presentation you have to walk to each viewing area. It wasn't an issue. You just moved down the seats 5 feet or so to the next stage. It was a well done presentation. After that we wandered around. In the back part of the visitor's center there are floor to ceiling windows and today was a clear day and you could clearly see the Golden Gate Bridge. What a sight. They also had 3 examples of historic temples. One all the way back in the Old Testament to Moses's time. I thought that was really cool to see temples were built back in the biblical times and not something just made up for today. My parents enjoyed their theater and sat though many of the 8 stores of missionaries and there journeys of faith and service. I listened to 2 and really enjoy hearing about their stories and struggles. The Visitor's Center is Staffed with full time missionaries from the Church off Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Unlike what you may have heard about missionaries, these are just sweet kids trying to make everyone feel welcome and if you're intreasted they will tell you about God and his plan of happiness. These are not used car salesmen they aren't trying to sell you something or pull wool over your eyes. If you are interested in knowing more about them or there church you are free to inquire, but they aren't going to push anything on you. The grounds are beautifully maintained and well manicured. There are always flowers in bloom and the trash is always lush. If you go to the top of the temple you can see a view of the city. There is a staircase to the right and left of the entrance that will take you to the roof. Parking is great. They have there own private lot and parking is free. The spaces are wide and I had no issue parking. Bathrooms, the visitors center has plenty of clean well stocked bathrooms. Concerts and Programs, all free of charge- Their are lots of different offerings depending on the season. I wanted to take a picture of the Easter Celebrations for the week, but my phone died on me. They have some Holy Week activities, if you are interested I'd give them a call and asked for the list of activities that are happening soon. During December there are lots of programs and organizations and other churches participated. I believe they have an interfaith concert which brings people of many faiths together. The last concert I went to was a bell concert. People with musical bells came to perform in the concert hall. It was something I've never heard of before, but enjoyed. Family history center- They have a family history also referred to as genealogy center in the basement and that is also free to the public. We didn't pop our heads in, but we heard it's there.

Really gorgeous building and sunset view but they didn't allow service animals past the gate onto…read morethe rooftop garden (I asked security). I was confused because temples and churches are meant to be inclusive to all people... some cannot go too long without their service animal for medical reasons. It felt like it goes against the message establishments like these pride themselves on... Hoping they will change this soon, for safety reasons.