Finally! My husband has tried to get us into a National Park Service tour of Port Chicago Naval…read moreMagazine Memorial since Summer of 2021. We had bought plane tickets and hotel rooms to visit in December 2021, but because it's a working military base, if the military's schedule changes, you're SOL. This is not a national memorial that you can simply show up to on a whim, you'll need to contact the park service until they eventually build their future visitor center. Tours finally began again this month but because it's on a working military base, there won't be anymore tours until March 2021. We met ranger Erik (who my husband had been trying to schedule with for months) at the John Muir Historic Site and everyone on the tour group followed in their cars onto the base. It's a working base, again, so you can't just waltz in. Okay, as far as the memorial... I went to school in the Bay Area (Pleasanton) from 6th-12th grade and NEVER learnt about the historic WWII and the Civil Rights Movement events that happened on this base in Concord, California. This needs to be a place that you visit. Aside from never hearing about the largest domestic loss of life event on US soil during the war, with a blast radius that could be felt in Nevada, I learnt that at least 50 black service men were charged with mutiny here at the base. These men were sentenced to 8-15 years of hard labor for refusing to load munitions onto ships after the disaster without formal training and increased safety measures. "The Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial is a memorial dedicated in 1994 recognizing the dead of the Port Chicago disaster, and the critical role played by Port Chicago, California during World War II. The memorial is located at the Concord Naval Weapons Station near Concord, California, in the United States. The 1944 Port Chicago disaster occurred at the naval magazine and resulted in the largest domestic loss of life during World War II. 320 sailors and civilians were instantly killed on July 17, 1944, when the ships they were loading with ammunition and bombs exploded. The majority of the deaths were African American sailors working for the racially segregated military. The explosion and its aftermath led to the largest Naval mutiny in US history, and it and the subsequent trial became major catalysts for the United States Navy to desegregate following the war." - https://www.nps.gov/poch/planyourvisit/index.htm

On this National Day honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, perhaps a visit to the Port Chicago Naval…read moreMagazine National Memorial would be a suitable observance. Last Friday, I arrived at the main gate of the of Military Ocean Terminal Concord (MOTCO), formally known as the Concord Naval Weapons Station (CNWS), to await a National Park Service (NPS) Ranger who would be leading the tour. MOTCO is commanded by the U.S. Army Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC) and can be reached by taking the Port Chicago Highway North and almost to the end. The Memorial itself is located within the Tidal area of this ~7500 acre and still "active" Army base. The remaining ~5000 acres of the former CNWS is known as the Inland area and is in the process of being handed over to the City of Concord for future development. From start to finish, the tour of this newest National Park (#392) takes about 90 minutes and is well worth your time. The Site is open to the public by reservation only and made at least 2 weeks in advance. Military clearance is also required and no visits are allowed while military ships are docked and are being loaded. My host Ranger was great and told me all sorts of things I didn't know. He also helped me through the various photo restrictions that you might expect on a military base. After all, I wasn't particularly interested in finding myself on the wrong side of an Army rule. The Port Chicago disaster was a deadly munitions explosion that occurred on July 17, 1944, at the Port Chicago Naval Magazine. Munitions detonated while being loaded onto a cargo vessel bound for the Pacific Theater of Operations, killing 320 sailors and civilians and injuring more. Most of the dead and injured were enlisted black sailors and accounted for ~15% of all African-American deaths during WWII. A month later, continuing unsafe conditions inspired hundreds of servicemen to refuse to load munitions, an act known as the Port Chicago Mutiny. Fifty men, called the Port Chicago 50, were convicted of mutiny and sentenced to long prison terms. Thurgood Marshall attended some of the proceedings and later drew national attention to the plight of these men. Most were released soon after. The trial itself raised lots of questions regarding fairness, legality, and racism. It also led the Navy to be the first branch of the Military to initiate the desegregation of its forces, beginning around February 1946. It's a whole big, empty, lonely, and empty world on the other side of these Army gates. The Tidal area is stunning in its beauty and old military history, including abandoned barracks, an intact railroad observation tower, rail-side loading bunkers, the former Port Chicago Town Site, and storage buildings (and contents) that time has probably forgotten. Remember the last scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark? The base appears to be minimally staffed and includes at least a newish looking administration building, 1 fire company, security (of course), occasionally used loading dock facilities, rail switcher engines and lots of unused track, and various maintenance-related buildings. Being able to experience all this (in addition to the Memorial) from the comfort of a modern NPS van and a very knowledgeable and friendly Park Ranger was almost worth the free cost of admission alone. The Memorial itself is located along the water and at the remains of the dock where the Point Chicago Disaster occurred. The center of the Memorial consists of a simple plaza with the individual victims etched on stone tablets. There are also information boards, a pulverized metal example of the explosion, a dummy ordinance display, and a place to site and contemplate the explosion, along with the abysmal safety precautions and racial segregation practiced during that time. This dignified design is certainly an appropriate recognition for the American sailors who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country that day.

On a recent visit to Petaluma we stopped at the Visitors' Center mainly to see the arts center…read morenearby, which was unfortunately closed. However, we loved our stop here and recommend it as a first stop if you're visiting the town or greater area for the first time. It's inside the old train station and has lots of free parking right outside. Inside you'll find free brochures and maps for every activity you can think of. The two ladies behind the desk were extremely welcoming and happy to chat about where we were from and why we were in town. It's genuinely nice to be welcomed to a new place. They have some small items for sale too.

After all the stops we've made here we finally came by at the right time: they are open on Sunday…read moreafternoons. Need a local map? Or a brochure describing activities nearby? Or upcoming community events? This is the place for you! The two volunteers we met today were more than happy to tell us about their center and the town, even after we told them my husband's parents only live a few blocks away. They also provided us with an interesting pamphlet of D Street history. It's a wonderful visitor center, whether you're a local or just driving through. If you're nearby on a Sunday, stop in and ask for some fun, free info. Bring your electric car and charge it at the station in their private parking lot. And be sure to stop at the wonderful art gallery next door before you hit the road on your Petaluma adventure!

Nice little town. There's good ways to get around easy access to the highway. And of course on the…read moreweekend things do close early so if you're looking for somewhere to eat, make sure you get to where you need by six to make sure you get a good plate of food.

I've lived in Santa Rosa and the surrounding citys in the Sonoma County area. (1966shh) I've seen…read moreso many changes in downtown Santa Rosa from a downtown that I had no desire to spend any time in, Now it is a great spot for restaurants and we have more than a few good ones for your dining pleasure. Not to mention the smart train station is right in railroad square. I must mention our downtown and railroad square and courthouse Square it all looks beautiful, this one time town that was a very uninteresting city to now over the years it got quite fantastic and if you happen to be in the neighborhood, come check it out there's a lot here to see and eat. Cheers my friends, SYOY. 02/03/26

We were in Concord to have dinner and to see a concert at the Concord Pavilion…read more Concord is in Contra Costa County which is on the Easy Bay. One of their most famous attractions is the Concord Pavilion, which was the reason for our visit. They have really nice residential areas, shopping centers, and many restaurants. We stopped by the Vineyard shopping center for dinner and a little shopping. We loved all the establishments we visited. It was really hot when we were here. The high was 95 degrees. But luckily it cooled down as the sun went down.

This is a pretty good city. There is plenty of shopping here and places to do stuff as well. But…read morejust like anywhere else traffic will buggy down during busy times.

I attended the funnest outdoor event on Halloween, 2020. It was a thoughtful alternative to regular…read moredoor-to-door trick or treating. I stopped by the Civic Center for an evening walk and found a drive up holiday event. There was a charge to drive into the area and cars then processed by giant spiders etc. to a drive-up option for hot dogs, and beyond. It looked fun but since there is a charge it does not seem equitable for those who could not pay over $10 per car.

The Marin Civic Center is a beautiful Frank Lloyd building. As a Marin county resident, I am always…read moreso thrilled to go to one of our civic offices so I can walk around the spaces. It is a living, functional part of our daily lives. How many people are lucky enough to have a place to do your county business that also gives you something beautiful in return? The farmer's markets are also fantastic.

The great Petaluma mill building made exploring downtown Petaluma a wonderful experience…read more We discovered this place on the Hampton Inn Petaluma website, the place we stayed. We were glad that we found it and had spent enough time exploring it without rushing. The rooftop is a great place to overlook the Petaluma River. The view here is truly stunning. I took a lot of amazing pictures and videos. I highly recommend the Refill Mercantile shop as well. It sells gifts, personal, and refillable skincare products. Particularly, the toothpaste tablets are my favorite. It is just next to the famous Wild Goat bistro restaurant. Unfortunately, we found out about this popular place after we had our lunch. All in all, whether you're a first-time visitor or think you have seen it all, it's a fun and entertaining way to discover this historic landmark city!

104/2024 After lunch…read morewent strolling along this Great Petaluma Mill Shopping center that is overlooking the Petaluma River. A lot of quaint shops and restaurants to visit. We enjoyed window shopping and smelling the food aroma following our trail! Wonderful variety shops and restaurants here are: Wild Goat Bistro Nostalgia Alley River Front Cafe 24 Hour Fitness Adobe Road Winery Tasting Room Front Row Salon Still Skincare America's Home Loans WHISP Massage The Hunter & The Bird Clothing Aveda GB Films Bizx LLC Accounting Clio Threads Pro Active Health Center Central Market Refill Mercantile

The Commandant's Residence, built in 1860, used to be the hot spot for fine dining in Benicia in…read morethe 70's and 80's. From 1975 to 1986, the Commandant's Residence served continental cuisine to many patrons in various settings ranging from one of their dining rooms to banquets outside the facility and even to banquets in the Clocktower Fortress across the street. Unfortunately a fire in 1986 brought an end to the restaurant's operations and the building sat empty and rarely used for years. Now, Arts Benicia has adorned the facility with many works of art created by local artists, not solely from Benicia, but mostly from areas nearby. It's a pleasure to see the facility restored and updated in many ways, including new electrical, an elevator, and new ADA compliant restrooms. There's a very small gift shop near the main entrance. Not a huge inventory of merchandise, but what is there is quite unique and artsy. Some items are not priced and the volunteers, (all of whom were very kind and cordial), may have difficulty getting a price if you're interested in purchasing one of those items. Hours are very limited, I believe they're open Thursday-Saturday from 1 pm to 5 pm. For me, it was a stroll down memory lane since I worked in the restaurant in the early 80's; but I believe most art enthusiasts would find a visit quite worthwhile.

We took this bridge twice this weekend. Once to go to the bay and the other time coming back from…read morethe bay. It's really convenient and beats driving around. I'm very thankful for the bridge. It takes us around 2 hours to get to our destination and that is because the use of the Carquinez bridge. With out it the drive would be longer. From our experience the bridge is nicely paved and there are no potholes, which is a good thing. Especially compared to lots of roads we drive on. If you are looking for gas there is a station right before the bridge if you are heading from Sacramento to the East Bay. It's a bit pricy, but if you need gas it's right there. There is also a maritime school right before the bridge. I believe a family friend went there and successfully graduated.

I like this Bridge !!!…read more It's Well Maintained, Fairly Easy to Maneuver and not too Difficult to drive over. Everything is Fast Track or Bill to you. I use this Bridge Quite often to get to Reno , Sacramento and Napa.