Saturday, January 9, 2010

The Waterfront


The Vallejo Waterfront is easily accessible from I-80 (exit at Georgia Street and head towards downtown until you see the waters of Mare Island Strait). There's plenty of free parking but I recommend pulling into the ferry parking lots on either side of Georgia Street where it terminates at Mare Island Way. It's a good, centralized location to explore the area by foot.

1. The walking path - Very well maintained. Popular with walkers, runners, cyclists, and your occasional rollerblader. Both directions are well worth checking out but first-timers may want to head towards the direction of the Vallejo Yacht Club (from a forward facing position looking at the water, turn right). Enjoy views of the historic Mare Island Shipyard to your left. Don't be fooled--the trail extends well past the marina. It turns to gravel and takes you into a preserved, grassy area which eventually loops around bringing you back towards the direction of the ferry building.

2. The ferry building - Vallejo's ferrys operate 7 days a week taking riders back and forth from San Francisco. The building has a coffee shop with sandwiches and desserts.

3. Restaurants - There are at least 4 restaurants along the walkway to choose from