Denman (historical)

Today Laura arrived at the San Francisco airport. We drove together to a viewpoint above the city. However, the view was not to be. All we could see was fog. From there we drove to Golden Gate Park and did a long, relaxing walking tour through much of it. Then we drove down to Union Square and walked the many streets around the square to visit the stores. Found several good deals at Macy's. We ended our time in the city at Lori's Diner. I loved the 50's decor including a Ford Edsel in the restaurant, but the food wasn't the best. I ordered pizza but the order got lost and it was an hour before I got served.

On Laura's second day, we took a boat to tour Alcatraz. On arrival, we headed up to the former prisoner's dining hall for a presentation by a former guard at the prison with lots of interesting stories to tell about his experiences with the inmates. Following the presentation we did a self guided walking tour of the cell block and other areas of the prison and also watched an historical video on Alcatraz. Once we were back on the mainland we walked over to Pier 39 and then to Ghiradelli Square for a chocolate treat. We planned to take a cable car ride but changed our minds when we learned that the wait time was at least an hour. Instead we walked up the hill to The Crooked Street at Lombardi.

Petaluma is a very old city with lots of history and a great downtown so we spent our final day here. First stop was a large outlet mall not far from the campground. The kids all found some clothing or footwear to bring home for school this fall. Next we drove to downtown Petaluma and did a walking tour of the area. Lots of great shops and restaurants. Laura bought herself a vintage dress in a shop called Chickaboom. We then drove out to Petaluma Adobe State Park where an old Adobe building is located which was once the home for workers on a huge 66,000 acre ranch. After touring the museum we were able to walk through the building and see the various rooms.Read more