Wonderful family activity!…read more We are always looking for active things to do with the kids on weekends, and walking around downtown Livermore (our first home in the Bay Area) to check out murals had been on our list all through 2020. We finally got to it this afternoon, after the umpteenth reminder by the missus, who had sent me the website (livermoremurals.com) several months ago. After parking in the free parking garage downtown, we walked to the first of fourteen murals listed on the site - "Welcome to Downtown Livermore" - which depicts the charms of this hidden East Bay gem on each letter. We each took pictures near our favorite image, our kids choosing horses and nature, my better half posing near food and wine, and nerdy me posing near Science (we used to live a stone's throw from the Labs). The next stop was the Fire department mural, which has incredible detail, and then we continued winding our way through the narrow and strangely empty streets in a once-buzzing downtown, taking pictures as we went, posing near our favorites. Our self-guided tour took about 90 minutes, including a stop by Peet's for coffee and scones. The family favorite was the Hope Parrot. My personal fave was the man dripping paint on the side of the Bankhead Theater, which was the 14th and last stop on our tour. We will be back whenever guests visit - for this wonderful (and free!) family activity - in our favorite East Bay town.

If you like to read and you like the quiet and you like to read in the quiet then reading here is…read morenice and quiet and nice

Amazing public library, very spacious and quiet, we just want to stay and read! nice coffee tooread more

Sunday With Jessie is a sculpture in the vicinity of Bankhead Theatre. Teaspoon boba shop is…read morenearby. This sculpture won the People's Choice award in Sioux Falls, S.D. In a competition with 54 sculptures. It show a young boy playing with his Labrador Retriever while also eating an ice cream cone. The original shows flesh tones for the boy & dog's tongue. Ice cream is in natural colours. The sculpture here is all bronze. The sculptor is well known nation wide. A couple in Pleasanton, Ca. bought Sunday With Jessie and donated it to the city of Livermore. Creator: Susan Geissler Donor: Gary & Nancy Harrington

10/10 -- Worth Every Penny (Parlor/Dome Car Experience)…read more If you're considering the Niles Canyon Train of Lights, do yourself a favor and splurge on the Parlor Car or Dome car. It completely transforms the experience. From the moment you board, you're treated like a VIP: dedicated seating in a fully enclosed caboose, attentive service throughout the ride, and complimentary warm drinks and sweets that are perfect for a cold, wet winter night. Being waited on while rolling through a glowing canyon? Yes, please. One of the biggest perks is having your own reserved space, while still being free to explore the rest of the train--knowing your seat is secure and shared only with fellow Parlor Car Riders. It strikes the perfect balance between comfort and adventure. I've done both the 4:30 pm and 7:30 pm departures, and while both are enjoyable, 4:30 pm is the clear winner for me. You get to take in the scenery before the sun fully sets, which adds a magical transition from daylight to twinkling lights. The 7:30 pm ride feels more social and cozy--great for lingering conversations with family and friends--but the earlier ride lets you truly appreciate your surroundings. As for the cost, it's important to note that this railway is 100% donation-funded and entirely volunteer-operated. Knowing that every dollar goes directly toward preserving the historic railway, maintaining the trains, and supporting the volunteers who make this experience possible makes the price feel even more justified. You're not just paying for a ride--you're supporting a piece of living history. Bottom line: Cozy Thoughtfully curated For a great cause Perfect for winter evenings If you're on the fence about the Parlor Car or Dome Car upgrade--it's absolutely worth it.

All aboard! If you…read moreare looking for a low key outing that's suitable for all ages then consider booking a ride on Niles Canyon Railway. Enjoy a slow ride Sunol to downtown Niles and back, approx 1.5 hours. A docent will share tid bits of history during the ride. There are snacks for purchase and you can bring your own. I prepared a simple charcuterie for me and mom, gotta have something to nosh on as we enjoy the view. It's June and the hills are brown already but oh well it's still pretty. I was a little worried about whether my mom would struggle boarding the train as I didn't book ADA as she is not in wheelchair. The steps are slightly deeper than ours at home but she made it up without difficulty, there is a railing for support. Conductor did offer us to go to the car with the lift if we wanted. My next anxiety was holding up the boarding as mom navigated the stairs slowly and there quite a few people behind us. Everyone was patient thankfully and no one scoffed. Would love to do their holidays lights ride sometime but I haven't been successful in last few years to get tickets, they go fast.

This named mural is on the back side of a commercial building. Long mural illuminates continuous…read morewavy shapes interacting with objects above & below water. Artist is known for " 'colorful hard-edge gradient' paintings of intricate layered flow". Abstract art for sure. Creators: Ricky Watts, Only Up, ABG Art Group

This place changed from a previous brewery Shadow Puppets. We wanted to check it out as we've had…read morethe beer elsewhere. Inside has Pleanty of seating. Beers on tap were "good". Food which I didn't know that had was surprisingly very good. We had some wings but saw a plate of nachos go by. Very friendly staff. Will come back when in the area

My husband and I stopped by this booth at the farmers market today because the Spanish name…read moreimmediately caught my attention and we're both Mexican. My husband loves beer, so I am the one who suggested to him we go check it out, which I now regret. The experience was disappointing and left a bad taste. When we walked up, the guy working the booth was giving samples to another customer. While she was trying the sample, he just stared at us without saying hello, welcoming us, or telling us anything about the beers. The silence got very awkward, so I finally asked him to tell us about the business. He pointed out their most popular beers on the sheets he had on the table but never offered us a sample or tried to engage with us or ask what kind of beers we like. The other customer was still standing there, and he continued giving her samples while never offering us any, and the cans were opened right there. After hearing which beers were the best sellers, I honestly expected something as simple as, "Would you like to try one?" Instead, it felt like he had no interest in making a sale or introducing us to the product. For context, I've worked farmers markets before (not for my own business, but as an employee for a fruit vendor), and customer service and samples were always emphasized as the biggest tools for connecting with customers and making sales. We were told how to engage people, offer samples, and create a welcoming experience. That's why this interaction stood out to me. A simple conversation and sample could have easily led to a sale, but instead we walked away without trying anything. I don't know if he was the owner (I hope not) or an employee, but first impressions matter, especially at a farmers market where you're trying to attract new customers. A little friendliness and basic customer service would have gone a long way.

this mural isn't typical. it's how rural landscape looks like abstractly, genericly: sky,…read moremountains, moon, stars, lighthouse, ocean, land, plants, marshland,... the mural is viewable from the driveway, parking lot, not from the street. creator: Madeleleine Tonzi

Unnamed mural randomly assigned "Workers@Bay Bridge" name due to subject matter. Pics of a few…read morerandom graphics of the engineers, technicians, maintenance & other workers/associates who do the important duties of keeping the bridge safe for everyone. Creators: @OnlyUp_team, @trentart_, @ladyhenze

Named mural is on S. J St. side. The composition of ceramic tiles celebrates the culture & heritage…read moreof the Livermore community. Specially it honors the wine country born 1849. Long time residents & visitors can easily point out the buildings & scenics depicted. Bricks at the bottom have sponsor names engraved upon them. Mural dedicated to city of Livermore in memory of Diane Taasevigen. Creators: Diane Taasevigen, Renee March, Simone Archer