Mare Island Travel Guide: Plan the Ultimate Weekend Trip in California

Aside from the now-defunct Marine World, the city of Vallejo in Solano County isn’t usually on many San Franciscans’ radar. But there’s a reason for that to change. Just a 75-minute drive northeast of SF, the hot-weather city is home to Mare Island, built in 1854 as the West Coast’s first naval base. Named after General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo’s white horse that swam to the island after surviving a shipwreck, the island’s naval base operated until 1993. Since then, the waterfront has transformed into The Wet Mile, which currently includes a brewery, distillery, winery, art studios, hiking, architectural gems, and of course, plenty of naval history to behold. It’s worth a day trip as it is, but this is just the beginning of large, long-term development for this peninsula that’s bordered by the Napa River. Mare Island’s waterfront will soon be home to more artisanal makers, like coffee roasters and bakers, in addition to continued promenade development like benches and lighting. Bonus: You can take the ferry from SF to visit Mare Island. Here’s everything you can do once you arrive:

Founded by a former winemaker, Savage & Cooke offers tours that include a look inside barrel and production rooms, gorgeous rooftop views, and a sit-down tasting of signature spirits like The Burning Chair Bourbon, led by a senior member of the team. For something more casual, do a shorter tasting-only session at the bar,…