Things to do in a day: Sitting on the dock of the bay

  • Published
  • By Cassie Brown
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Northern California is a quite remarkable place to live. Not only is the Bay Area weather delightful and the scenery absolutely stunning, but it has an enormous amount of entertainment and impressive activities to do.

In the heart of the Bay Area is the glorious city of San Francisco. Of course you can see the normal tourist attractions like Alcatraz, Chinatown, and Pier 39, but how about those places to visit that not everyone knows about.

Want to experience Hollywood star sightings without going to Los Angeles, visit the Wax Museum at Fisherman's Wharf. A millennium of history is represented in fabulous wax sculpture exhibits entitled History, Hall of Religions, Chamber of Horrors, and Sports and Entertainment. There is something here to fascinate everyone.

If you like experiencing history on a more personal level just look beneath the famous Golden Gate Bridge to find the historic Fort Point. It was constructed in 1861 to prevent the entrance of a hostile fleet into San Francisco Bay. Today the fort sits calmly as a National Historic Site with magnificent views of the bay.

By simply crossing north along the Golden Gate Bridge you will come upon Travis' best kept little "secret:" The Travis Marina.

The marina is dedicated to the active duty, Reserve and retired members of the U.S. Military Forces. With the help of a volunteer skipper, you too can be a captain for a day by renting a sailboat and exploring the bay. This is a great way to enjoy sailing and to see San Francisco from a very unique point-of-view without spending too much money.

For those who like a little bit of mystery travel south to explore the Winchester Mystery House. This Victorian mansion is a maze of rooms with windows in the floor, stairs that only lead to the ceiling, and doors that open onto blank walls. It is believed that after the death of her daughter and husband, the son of the Winchester Rifle manufacturer, Sarah Winchester was convinced by a psychic that continuous building would appease the evil spirits. Traveling through this complicated structure is sure to be entertaining as well as dizzying.

Since you are so close to the coast of the dazzling Pacific Ocean you should spend some time at the beach. Why not spend the day at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk where there are numerous excursions to keep the family entertained for hours.

On top of swimming in the ocean, there are enough roller coasters, arcades and games to keep children busy. The adults have concerts, special events and shopping to keep them entertained. And, if you need to spend another day at the boardwalk, they have beautiful accommodations as well.
With an unbelievable amount of experiences around the bay area there is no reason not to get out and soak up the sun and adventure that living in Northern California provides for us.