Seniors Find ‘A Quiet City By The Bay’

Vallejo, known as “A Quiet City By The Bay.”, is located on the northeastern shore of San Pablo Bay, in the San Francisco area. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, the Jelly Belly Candy Company, Sonoma Raceway, and the former Mare Island Naval Shipyard are a few of the main attractions senior visitors can enjoy.

Mare Island, former home to the oldest Naval Base west of the Mississippi and decommissioned in 1996, has the newest homes in the city as well as some of the oldest. Touro University California, Solano Community College and California Maritime Academy (part of the CSU system) are located in Vallejo.

Vallejo has twice been the capital of California. Once in 1852 for one week, and again in 1853 for one month. The city is named after a Mexican military officer, Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo. Vallejo is near Mare Island, and on the Napa River. The city is on the southern tip of the Napa Valley, twenty to thirty minutes south of Napa and Sonoma in California wine country. For senior oenophiles, ideal country.

Seniors Learn About Mare Island

I would want to visit Mare Island, an historic island shipyard with a museum that presents the history of the West’s first Naval Base and Shipyard, and offers tours of officer mansions and an old chapel. Senior visitors can see the beautiful mansions, stroll the gardens and enjoy the fascinating displays at the museum.

And sunset in Vallejo! The City of Vallejo Municipal Marina is at the north end of the Downtown Marina Waterfront, close to the Mare Island Causeway and a perfect spot to enjoy sunsets every evening.

Toss in the clubs and play a round or two at Rock Springs East and West, Hiddenbrooke or Mare Island Golf Courses. One could spend a couple of days just exploring book shops or sailing and boating.

Seniors Discover Historic Districts

Local events are ongoing all year long. The Vallejo Symphony would catch my wife’s eye. The Northern California Pirate Festival looks like something I would enjoy along with the big July 4 Parade.

West Vallejo is the oldest and most historic section of the city. Saint Vincent’s Hill and Vallejo Old City are two primary historic districts.

Seniors, take in The Empress Theatre, a historical landmark located in downtown Vallejo, built in 1911.

It was re-opened in 2008 after nearly 20 years of disuse following the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. Enjoy the many amenities of the city  that holds on to its historic traditions. -jeb