Vallejo
Vallejo is in Solano County in the San Francisco Bay Area of California.
Understand
[edit]The name "Vallejo" is locally pronounced in a confused hybrid of Spanish and English as "vuh LAY hoe." In Spanish this ought to be "bah YAY hoe," and you may find some locals who speak Spanish as their first language pronouncing the city's name this way.
Local information
[edit]- Vallejo City city website
Get in
[edit]
By car
[edit]Vallejo has four major highways that lead into the city.
- Interstate 80 Westbound from Sacramento and Eastbound from San Francisco
- Interstate 780 Westbound from Benicia and the East Bay
- State Route 29 (Sonoma Blvd.) Southbound from the Napa Valley
- State Route 37 (Marine World Pkwy.) Eastbound from Marin and Sonoma
By ferry
[edit]San Francisco Bay Ferry (+1 707-64-FERRY) provides an hourly ferry services from San Francisco's Financial District with a crossing time of just over one hour. 1 Vallejo Ferry Terminal is at 289 Mare Island Way, near the intersection with Georgia St.
By bus
[edit]- SolTrans (formerly Baylink Bus), 311 Sacramento St, ☏ +1 707-648-4666. Public Inter-city bus that will get you to Vallejo: Red from El Cerrito Del Norte BART station and Fairfield, Yellow from Benicia and Contra Costa County, Route 82 from San Francisco. See website for schedules. Youth 18 and under free. Red/Yellow - in county: sdult $2.75/$5.00; reduced $1.35/$2.50. Red/Yellow - Clipper card/outside county: adult $5.00, reduced $2.50. Route 82: adult $6.00, reduced $3.00.
- VINE Transit (formerly Napa Valley Transit), ☏ +1 707-251-2800, toll-free: +1-800-696-6443, contact@nctpa.net. Public inter-city bus with two routes that come in from Napa: 11 and 11X. Route 11X is an express route that is more direct and arrives less often. Route 11 general $1.60, youth (6-18) $1.10; seniors/disabled $0.80; Route 11X general $3.00; free transfers to and from SolTrans are accepted. Make sure you ask your bus driver for one..
- The Airporter (Evans Transportation), ☏ +1 707-255-1559, info@californiawinetours.com. Runs a high-end bus service that serves Marriott Courtyard Hotel from SFO and OAK airports, and from Napa. $29.00.
- Amtrak, toll-free: +1-800-872-7245. Amtrak runs Thruway Motorcoach Route 7 through Vallejo, it offers stops at Discovery Kingdom and Denny's Restaurant on Sonoma Blvd.
Get around
[edit]By car
[edit]Similar to San Francisco, most of Vallejo uses a grid-like network of roads with about every three blocks north–south being a major road that crosses town. It's best to also ask for a cross street when looking for directions. Most roads in this area are named by US states going east/west and California counties going north–south. On Mare Island, the grid is based on numbered and lettered streets. There are also numbered streets on the mainland, but they are in broken order and have other named roads in between them. Other roads (mostly in the east) are usually rural roads or roads that are located in the hills, and can't hold to the grid.
Enterprise, Hertz and Avis all have car rental locations in Vallejo.
Public transportation
[edit]- SolTrans (formerly Vallejo Transit), 311 Sacramento St, ☏ +1 707-648-4666. Vallejo and Benicia's public transportation company offers bus service around the main parts of Vallejo and into other cities. Visit their website for routes and schedules. Adults $2.00, reduced $1.00, youth 18 and under free.
Isolated areas
[edit]There are two parts of Vallejo that are isolated from the main part of town: Mare Island and Hiddenbrooke. Neither of them provide bus service.
- The easiest way to get into Mare Island by any means would be to cross the drawbridge near Tennessee Street and Mare Island Way.
- Hiddenbrooke can only be accessed legally through Hiddenbrooke Parkway, via. I-80 (between Vallejo and Fairfield). Bikes and pedestrians use the Solano Bikeway between Columbus and Hiddenbrooke Parkways.
See
[edit]
- 1 Mare Island Shoreline Heritage Preserve, 1595 Railroad Ave, ☏ +1 707-249-9633. F-Su and holidays 8AM-5PM. Parts of southern Mare Island have been preserved as a park that features many historical sites of the former Naval base, such as the Naval graveyard, a reservoir used to water that part of the island. Its main feature is the converted roads that bikes and pedestrians use to climb to the highest point of the island, and enjoy views of seven Bay Area counties. $5 donation encouraged.
- 2 The McCune Rare Books and Art Collection (McCune Room), JFK Library, 505 Santa Clara, ☏ +1 707-644-0764. 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month 2-4PM. This collection contains hundreds of rare books, including a leaf from the Gutenberg Bible, six other books printed before 1501, the Kelmscott Chaucer and the botanical portfolios of Henry Evans.
- 3 , 734 Marin St., ☏ +1 707-643-0077. Tu-Sa noon-4PM. Adult $5, students and deniors $3, children under 12 free.
- 4 Empress Theater, 330 Virginia St, ☏ +1 707-552-2400. Historical movie theater, now features local musical acts as well as independent films and events.
Do
[edit]- 1 Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (Marine World), 1001 Fairgrounds Dr (directions), ☏ +1 707-643-ORCA (6722). A wildlife-based theme park across the street from the Fairgrounds. Once a zoo-like animal park, it now offers thrill rides and shows with the quality you'd expect from a Six Flags theme park. There are certain periods of time when prices are much lower, or the park is open much later. It is usually closed in January and February. SolTrans Route 85 offers the most comfortable ride if you plan to use public transportation.
- 2 Solano County Fairgrounds, 900 Fairgrounds Dr, ☏ +1 707-551-2000. For two weeks during the Summer, the Solano County Fair offers rides, local exhibits, major and minor performances and fun for the whole family. Other than being the place where the Solano County Fair is held, the Fairgrounds is a year-round venue that holds other events. It includes a golf course, surrounded by a horse racing track, as well as a satellite horse racing venue. SolTrans Route 85 offers the most comfortable ride if you plan to use public transportation.
- 3 Mare Island San Pablo Bay Trail (from the Mare Island Causeway, continue down G street and turn left at Azuar Drive; take a right turn on Dump Road (an extension of A Street) and drive to the parking lot at the end of the gravel road), ☏ +1 707-249-9633. Daily from 10AM to sunset. Operated by the Mare Island Historical Preserve, this walking trail is an escape into the quiet and peaceful wetlands of Mare Island's western shores. After being closed to the public for over a century, this four-mile collection of flat walking trails comes not only with the views you see in a wildlife preserve, but also of places such as San Pablo Bay, Mt. Diablo, the Carquinez Strait, the East Bay hills, Mt. Tamalpais and the Sonoma and Napa Valleys. Because the trail is only to be used by humans on foot, there is a rack to park your bike in the parking lot. Free.
- 4 Greater Vallejo Parks and Recreation District (GVRD), 395 Amador St, ☏ +1 707-648 4600. GVRD runs the local parks and rec system. Check their website for a listing of all the parks, or visit them at their office.
- 5 RetroEdge Games, 2085 Solano Ave, ☏ +1 707-413-6171, contact@retroedgegames.com. W-Su 1-9PM. 3rd space/gaming lounge specializing in classic arcade and fighting games, as well as trading card games. Find tournaments and unique video game experiences.
Buy
[edit]- 1 Vallejo Farmers Market, 400 Georgia St. Sa 9AM-2PM. The Downtown Farmers' Market is every Saturday on Georgia Street. You can find seafood (including oysters, fish, etc.), produce and ready-made goods for sale, as well as some clothing, home accessories and incense. The vibe is very local and unpretentious. Free.
Eat
[edit]- 1 Bud's Giant Burgers, 3849 Sonoma Blvd, ☏ +1 707-642-3252. Family-owned burger restaurant that has been in business since the 1980s. Quality of the food is excellent with prices that are comparable to more mass-produced style burger joints. Definitely a local favorite overlooked by most people that pass through the city.
- 2 Gracie's, 1801 Sonoma Blvd, ☏ +1 707-552-2254. Locally owned barbeque and southern food restaurant on the corner of Sonoma Blvd. and Virginia St. Serving delicious barbecue in a casual setting with both indoor and covered patio seating, and offering live music on the weekends. Offers large portions in both full and half orders cooked fresh to order at reasonable prices.
- 3 Good Day Cafe, 314 Georgia St, ☏ +1 707-557-4745. A homey cafe/diner where the service is incredibly friendly; it feels like you're in a small town where everyone knows each other. The food is mid-range and decent (not incredible) for diner fare, but the overall vibe of the place really makes it stand out in a sea of mostly mediocre restaurants and chain stores in the Vallejo area.
- 4 House of Soul, 1526 Solano Ave, ☏ +1 707-644-3792. This is an incredibly tasty soul food restaurant with friendly and lovely staff. The restaurant has deep roots & history in Vallejo.
- Joy of Eating Café, 828 Springs Rd,+1 707-644–5315. Probably the best place for a down-to-earth and tasty breakfast in Vallejo. The country potatoes are great, portions are large and prices are reasonable
- Taj Grill: Tasty Indian food & they deliver! Address: 758 Admiral Callaghan Ln. Phone: +1 707-644–4902.
- My Thai House[dead link]: Thai eatery offering vegan and gluten-free options among typical curries, drunken noodles, etc. Address: 3636 Sonoma Blvd. Phone: +1 707-654-8969.
Drink
[edit]- 1 Mare Island Brewing Company Taproom (Mare Island Brewing Co.), 289 Mare Island Way, ☏ +1 707-556-3000. Local brewery taproom at the Vallejo Ferry Terminal.
Sleep
[edit]- Hampton Inn Vallejo, 1596 Fairgrounds Dr, ☏ +1 707-554-9655, fax: +1 707-554-3951.
- Courtyard Vallejo Napa Valley, 1000 Fairgrounds Dr, ☏ +1 707-644-1200, fax: +1 707-643-7011.
- Motel 6 Vallejo - Six Flags West, 1455 Enterprise St, ☏ +1 707-643-7611, fax: +1 707-554-0138.
Stay safe
[edit]
The safest areas of Vallejo are usually places that are isolated from the main part of the city, such as Mare Island and Hiddenbrooke. Most of the major shopping centers in Vallejo as well as most of Vallejo east of I-80 and the hills around the west of it are safe enough to travel, but are not completely crime free. However, Vallejo has a reputation for its areas of violent crime. Most of these areas are located in patches west of I-80, where some are labelled locally such as The Crest in the North, and Millersville in Central Vallejo; there is also one in South Vallejo along Magazine Street. Sonoma Blvd. (SR 29) between Nebraska and Georgia Streets is a main location for human trafficking. It is unlikely most of these areas will be of any interest to tourists, but if you plan to be in these areas, be vigilant and use your street smarts.
Go next
[edit]Sacramento- 80 East. About 1 hour away with no traffic.
San Francisco- 80 West. About 40 to 70 minutes away, depending on traffic.
Napa Valley- 29 North. About 10 to 50 minutes away, depending on where you are going in the Valley.
Santa Rosa- 37 West to 101 North. About 40 to 60 minutes away, depending on traffic.
| Routes through Vallejo |
| San Francisco ← Pinole ← | W  E |
→ Jct N  S → Fairfield → Sacramento |
| END ← | W  E |
→ Benicia → Ends at |
| Lakeport ← American Canyon ← | N  S |
→ END |
Novato ← Jct  N ← |
W  E |
→ END |