View Full Version : If you are ever in Marin County
There are still patriotic parts of the Bay Area, nice views and good coffee ice cream sandwiches.
Is that a view of the city from Sausalito?
My son lives in Marin County. They have their ways - I refer to them as "Marinians" in a "What planet are you from, Mars?" sense over some of those ways - but NorCal has always had many serving military members and been a patriotic region as a whole.
I always ask for a military discount in a casual way when shopping at local retailers or dining in local restaurants - it never hurts to ask and many offer it but don't advertise it.
For ice cream in Marin County, I prefer Silbermann's in San Rafael. ;)
Richard
There are still patriotic parts of the Bay Area, nice views and good coffee ice cream sandwiches.
Good to know as the wife and I are headed that way late September to visit the son, he lives in Alameda. We love US History, do you have any favorite places you can recommend us visiting while in that AO? We will be heading up to Sacramento for a day. San Francisco is a great place to visit, I liken it to Des Moines, Iowa in regards to ease of getting around the city.
Good to know as the wife and I are headed that way late September to visit the son, he lives in Alameda. We love US History, do you have any favorite places you can recommend us visiting while in that AO? We will be heading up to Sacramento for a day. San Francisco is a great place to visit, I liken it to Des Moines, Iowa in regards to ease of getting around the city.
Cbtengr,
September is a great time to visit. A few spots of interest...
The Presidio and Ft. Point- A touching national cemetery with beautiful bridge views, the fort has restored barracks to show what it was like to serve there in the 1800's.
Angel Island- a beautiful day hike with panoramic views, the Ellis Island of the West, as well as WW2 POW camps.
Pier 41- see a WW2 Liberty ship (USS Jeremiah O'Brien) and a real WW2 submarine the USS Pampanito.
China town and several history museums.
I agree - the Presidio is a must visit.
I also send friends to Alcatraz - the audio tour and view of the city from the island is worth a visit.
There is a unique museum/military memorabilia store just north of SFO in Petaluma that I just happened to stumble across about 5 years ago while on a visit to the Sonoma Valley from Dallas. I go there a few times a year to just browse and have purchased a few books from them. If you go, be prepared to be overwhelmed with their inventory. http://www.militaryantiquesmuseum.com/index.php
If you're into military vehicles and their technology, the Mil Veh Tech Foundation in Portola is another place which is a great visit. It takes some prep work to go, but the docents know their stuff and their inventory is first-rate. http://www.mvtf.org/
In Sacramento, Sutter's Fort and the State Indian Museum are co-located and an interesting visit for anyone interested in the early days of the Republic and the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill (a lumber mill run by James Marshall at Coloma in the foothills between Placerville and Aubrun).
Sacramento also has the CA State Military Museum near the state capitol. http://militarymuseum.org/
Historically, the oldest winery in CA is the Buena Vista Winery in Sonoma. If you're looking to visit a nice, old-world style winery with some very nice wines, it's about an hour from Alameda and a nice place to enjoy a beautiful setting and quiet picnic.
Enjoy the trip.
Richard
Good to know as the wife and I are headed that way late September to visit the son, he lives in Alameda. We love US History, do you have any favorite places you can recommend us visiting while in that AO? We will be heading up to Sacramento for a day. San Francisco is a great place to visit, I liken it to Des Moines, Iowa in regards to ease of getting around the city.
The Marin Headlands is another great place to visit - a combination of beautiful scenery and WWII era history with Ft. Cronkhite and the batteries and tunnels that riddle the hills across from San Fransisco. The Point Bonita lighthouse is a short walk away, down an easy path and through a hand-hewn tunnel of rock. You can also tour Nike Missile Site SF-88-L. The Marine Mammal Center is there as well and takes but a short time to see how the center cares for, and rehabilitates, marine mammals. The Headlands have several nice places to picnic, with breathtaking views of the City across the Bay. The entire Headlands drive is about a 5 mile loop and all of it is free of charge.
Walking the Golden Gate bridge, from either end, is a windy, exhilarating experience.
Other points of non-military interest: Muir Woods, also in Marin County. Muir Woods is home to old growth redwoods - giants that are between 500 and 1,200 years old.
If you get as far as Sonoma, as Richard suggested, there's also Armstrong Woods, another small holding of giant redwoods. Nothing puts your life in perspective like standing next to a giant 1,200 years old...
Enjoy! Northern California in September is very nice.
Here are a few photos of the Marin Headlands, taken last November on a visit.
Susan
I agree - the Presidio is a must visit.
I also send friends to Alcatraz - the audio tour and view of the city from the island is worth a visit.
There is a unique museum/military memorabilia store just north of SFO in Petaluma that I just happened to stumble across about 5 years ago while on a visit to the Sonoma Valley from Dallas. I go there a few times a year to just browse and have purchased a few books from them. If you go, be prepared to be overwhelmed with their inventory. http://www.militaryantiquesmuseum.com/index.php
If you're into military vehicles and their technology, the Mil Veh Tech Foundation in Portola is another place which is a great visit. It takes some prep work to go, but the docents know their stuff and their inventory is first-rate. http://www.mvtf.org/
In Sacramento, Sutter's Fort and the State Indian Museum are co-located and an interesting visit for anyone interested in the early days of the Republic and the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill (a lumber mill run by James Marshall at Coloma in the foothills between Placerville and Aubrun).
Sacramento also has the CA State Military Museum near the state capitol. http://militarymuseum.org/
Historically, the oldest winery in CA is the Buena Vista Winery in Sonoma. If you're looking to visit a nice, old-world style winery with some very nice wines, it's about an hour from Alameda and a nice place to enjoy a beautiful setting and quiet picnic.
Enjoy the trip.
Richard
Thank you Richard, for that tour. I'm now homesick. For all the years I called NorCal home, the places you touched on were some of my favorites. I still have family in Petaluma, Placerville, and in El Dorado, Sonoma, and the Napa Valley. Thank God none of them were at Alcatraz. :D
Next time I'm at my Dad's place in Petaluma I'll look up the military memorabilia museum. Wish I'd known about it last November.
*sigh*
Susan (suddenly missing my home in the Napa Valley...)
Thanks for the responses, we love visiting that area, the son was married in Petaluma a few years ago. We could never live out there but sure have a good time visiting.
All points above are great. Alcatraz and Angel Island are nice because of the ferry ride. Also the ferry from Alameda to SF is a nice way to see the City from the water.
September 7-21 is the America's Cup races which may or may not fit into your plans. If you have time a quick trip to Lake Tahoe would top your trip off. And September is the best month to visit.
The Bay Area is like post war Germany. Split down the middle between uber liberal SF/Oakland/Berkeley/Marin and the mostly red/conservative outlying valleys. More folks in the cities drown out us rednecks in the hills.
The_Mentalist
08-28-2013, 23:16
All points above are great. Alcatraz and Angel Island are nice because of the ferry ride. Also the ferry from Alameda to SF is a nice way to see the City from the water.
September 7-21 is the America's Cup races which may or may not fit into your plans. If you have time a quick trip to Lake Tahoe would top your trip off. And September is the best month to visit.
The Bay Area is like post war Germany. Split down the middle between uber liberal SF/Oakland/Berkeley/Marin and the mostly red/conservative outlying valleys. More folks in the cities drown out us rednecks in the hills.
I go to Cali quite regularly. I actually like most of e state. It is a shame that the population dense areas are filled with the mentally dense left wingers and they ruin the rest of the state. I loved my year at the presidio of Monterey but wouldn't want to live there.
To the OP, if you decide to go south a bit stop by cannery row in Monterey. The aquarium is awesome (but not cheap) and for the folders, there is pebble beach. Taking 17. Mile drive from Monterey to Carmel is a beautiful little drive. If into racing, check to see if anything is going on at Laguna Seca during your scheduled visit.