"Chasing Joy in the Golden State: A Texan's 5-Day Adventure through the San Francisco Bay Area"
- Sheri Walls
- Mar 1, 2024
- 7 min read
Welcome, fellow wanderers, to my vibrant journey through the captivating landscapes of the San Francisco Bay Area! As a proud Texas native, the mere thought of trading my cowboy boots for flip-flops in Cali – forn – nia stirred up a whirlwind of nostalgia, particularly from my 90s hip hop days. Nevertheless, excitement prevailed as I embarked on my second Californian escapade in the last six months. Buckle up for a whirlwind weekend trip that unveils the beauty of the San Francisco Bay Area, where I discovered picturesque landscapes, delectable cuisines, and the soothing embrace of the San Francisco Bay.
Day One: Touchdown in the Bay Area and Alameda Adventures
I kicked off my journey flying with Southwest from Texas to the San Francisco Bay Area, enjoying a smooth 5-hour and 25-minute flight. Easy peasy. Traveling always makes me a little tired, so I typically relax on the days I travel. Post-airport escapades, I found myself in the charming city of Alameda, nestled in the East Bay region. Alameda is Spanish for “grove of popular trees.” This little waterfront community had some great things in store. A delightful Italian dining experience awaited me at Trabocco Kitchen & Cocktails, where the upscale ”Cheers sitcom” vibe was alive, flavorful cocktails, and gluten-free pasta options left me with a satisfied palate and a happy soul. Their menu is tasty and the people are amazing. The drinks are on point and the food is soul warming. I am gluten free and normally I can find a thing or two to eat without a bunch of effort. They have GF pasta and can accommodate some dietary menu changes. I ordered one of their Classic Cocktails the Mojito and the nights special - Octopus Ceviche Antipasti. My entrée was the Rigatoni Bolognese with the GF pasta option. Soooo yummy! After a quick stop at the local Safeway, my small Paravel carryon was filled with all the snacks and toiletry items that I had forgotten back in Texas. The Safeway, reminiscent of the good old Albertsons days. With a full tummy and a few snacks, I’m off to lay my head down and listen to the sound of the waves and feel the gusty breath of the San Francisco bay. Peace!
Day Two: San Francisco City Wonders and Coastal Serenity
Time to seize the day! I am by no means an early bird, but I do love to adventure! I love architecture and nature and those two things showed up all day long. It was an amazing day surrounded by all my favorite things.
We started the day starving and headed across the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge to sight see and snack. It has been 34 years since the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake that collapsed part of the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge – What a beautiful sight driving in. Quite impressed with the architecture and the size of the bridge. It made me feel very small.
We also drove past San Francisco Bay’s Millennium Tower. Fun fact: it’s actually leaning? While I couldn’t quite tell it was leaning 10%, it is still a marvel of a building!
Crossing this beautiful bridge lead us up and down the streets of San Francisco. We did loops around the Golden Gate Park, watching families spend time together, sassy yoga, runners and a few canine companions. It was great to see everyone out and about enjoying the beautiful weather.
Leaving the park led us to Ocean Beach, right off the Great highway. This beach is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. There were many volleyball players hitting the sand. While I took off my black flip flops and did my very best to live out the lyrics in The Zac Brown Band’s “Toes” song. The sand was soft and I did my best to keep my pants dry, those waves come in fierce and fast,…. There is nothing better than to sit and think, for a bit, before God’s majestic ocean and the rhythm of the waves, contemplating ones future. The rest of the day consisted of enjoying life, while my pants dried. Eh, sometime you just can’t take the Texan out of the girl or maybe it’s the slowness of my older age?
As my pants dried and I contemplated why I didn’t move quicker or notice that maybe I was too close to the water; we parked on a cute little street – Jefferson St, passing a quintessential book house displayed by Chapter 114425 of the LittleFreeLibrary.org program. We walked to the Palace of Fine Arts! I was not expecting such a beautiful, serene place, but the beauty wasn’t quite captured in my pictures, but I sure gave it a shot. The palace was built to showcase art and was built between 1964 and 1967. This beautiful structure has become one of San Franisco’s most recognizable landmarks. This popular landmark can be seen in a host of old movies and new series. I remember seeing it in The Rock (1996) with all my favorite fellas – Sean Connery, Nicolas Cage & Ed Harris. Happy dance!!
As we continued to sight see, we drove through the former US Army post on the northern tip of San Fran through the Presidio of San Francisco. In 1988 congress removed the active military status of the base and in 1994 transferred it to the National Park Service. As we winded down to Fort Point, there was quite a gathering of people celebrating rich history and culture.
We continued to drive down winding Bridgeway Rd. The small, picturesque town of Sausalito came into view. Located in Marin County, California, Sausalito is home to about 7,000 people, as of the 2020 Census. While this small willow grove has some industrial history it is the sorted history of bootlegging and rum running that fascinates me. While we took in the history and the soul filling scene of sailboats, mountains and oceans we had lunch at a wonderful restaurant - Barrel House Tavern. Barrel House sits right in the middle of town on the ocean. A beautiful wood staircase takes you to the top where you can sit and the bar, inside or on the patio overlooking the Richardsons Bay. The eyes can see for miles on a beautiful sunny day. As we sat and overlooked the menu the Bloody Mary was calling my name as was the braised short ribs. Such a beautiful afternoon. We followed up lunch with a little shopping and day dreaming that I could do daily life here… The available real estate ranges from a One Bedroom, One Bath – 525 SQFT $525,00 List Price to a $17.750M 5 Bedroom, 5 Bath 7,400 SQFT hilltop home overlooking Richarson Bay. What a quaint little place and nothing like I actually pictured being a part of San Francisco.
On our way home we drove past the infamous - San Quentin Prison! Established in 1852, this now called rehabilitation center is the oldest prison in California. I was a little sad driving by knowing that some many lives had been destroyed, but faith in the power of self discovery gives abounding hope.
A little nap in the car and a trip to Safeway for some snacks and drinks was the beginning to a beautiful days end! There is nothing quite like the peace a night on the oceans water, brings. The lights, the breeze the sway of the sea. It will lull you into a deep sleep.
Day Three: Lazy Mornings and Vineyard Bliss in Livermore
As I slept in, exhausted from the previous day, I was reminded of how extraordinary life can be; waking up to a whole new day to adventure and explore. To be grateful for the opportunity life itself presents. Find joy in the little things. After finding my joy with a lazy, slow moving morning, we ventured up to Livermore, CA. to a hole in the wall burger place, Nation’s Giant Hamburger’s. The burger was exactly what the burger of my dreams should taste like! SOOOOO yummy!
As I am about to doze off from a full stomach, we pull into Wente Vineyards – the quintessential picture perfect storybook vineyard. In the late 1800s, C.H. Wente's journey from Germany led him to establish a 47-acre Estate and Winery in the promising Livermore Valley. In 1908, he planted the region's first Chardonnay vines, setting the stage for a transformative chapter. In 1912, Ernest Wente, a second-generation visionary, imported Chardonnay cuttings from France, crafting the renowned 'Wente Clone.' Today, this clone and the Wente Family property are integral to over 75% of all California Chardonnay production.
The red wine flight was wonderful, the atmosphere was great, weather was perfect, we even took in a little people watching, as the vineyard was hosting a non-profit gala. As we drove back to the east bay, its hard to imagine what a more perfect day would look like.
We finished the night with music, cocktails, and lounging on a sailboat deck. Perfect for feeling the waves, breathing the ocean air and reminding myself that these moments are lived IN THE MOMENT!
Day Four: Breakfast Bliss and Rum-Infused Evenings
Another slightly lazy morning, though we ventured out for coffee and breakfast. We stopped at a local bagel shop, Levy’s Bagels & Co, for a grab and go breakfast. The gluten free bagel and lox were to die for. I still remember how amazing it tasted months later! We went to a local favorite for coffee, Peets Coffee, was a perfect cup of Joe. My latte was strong, the perfect way to wake up a foggy brain and tired eyes.
A nice afternoon of lounging on the patio with a few cold beverages leading to a fantastic, and much needed, afternoon nap. We then headed over to another local favorite - VJ’s Sports Bar & Pizza. Pizza, and rum… what could be any better than that? The pizza was delish and the rum was strong!
Day Five – Homeward Bound: Farewell to Oakland
As I head back to the OAK airport, bound for Texas, I reflected on these incredible few days. This journey will be etched in my memory forever. The true joy for me was not just visiting places but fully living in each moment—absorbing memories and marveling at the beauty of God's creation. Peace out, Oakland; until our paths cross again!"
"In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks." - John Muir
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