About Vallejo

Landing in Vallejo, you have a ton of water adventures to choose from: the Napa River, San Pablo Bay, San Francisco Bay and all the way up the Delta, exploring all the sloughs and living the “Life on the Delta,” where you can even go fly fishing for bass on Frank’s Tract.

Vallejo’s waterfront at the northern tip of San Pablo Bay played an important role in its history and continues into its future. In 1854 the Mare Island Naval Shipyard was built servicing our country through two world wars, so the harbor was important for the military. At the same time it played a strong role in the flourishing of the economy in Vallejo for commercial shipping, industry, oil companies and ferry transportation, which used to move thousands of people to and from San Francisco along with freight trains across the bay.

Today nine historic Coal Sheds on the former Mare Island Naval Shipyard are home to art studios (Coal Shed Studios), a speaker manufacturer, Renaissance Faire producers, welders and the Mare Island Brewing Co., who will eventually have a tap room on the premises. Meanwhile they offer up a respite in a taproom in the Vallejo Ferry Building – Waterfront Rotunda 
289 Mare Island Way on the other side of the water from Mare Island.

At the Vallejo Ferry Building you can obtain a Walking Map of historic Vallejo’s Old Town and start your self-guided tour.

Vallejo’s history continues to unfold all around the city, telling a colorful story- at Mare Island, in the downtown area’s arts district and historic districts in central Vallejo and near the Vallejo waterfront.

The Vallejo Heritage District showcases Vallejo’s rich architectural history of refined and decorative houses and structures built between 1860-1890, now known as the “Working Man’s Victorian.” The majority of the houses are located in the “Old Town” section of Vallejo, starting at Georgia Street and moving outward from there. The St. Vincent’s Hill Historic District was a workingman’s neighborhood for shipbuilders at the nearby Mare Island Naval Shipyard and had interesting architecture, including Greek Revival cottages of the mid 1800s.

For the history buffs, you won’t want to miss Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum at 734 Marin Street in downtown Vallejo.

The Vallejo Arts & Entertainment District is downtown and includes the renovated Empress Theatre. 906-930 Marin St. is full of art studios and galleries are found in the 300 and 400 blocks on Georgia St. The Vallejo Art Windows Project embellishes the downtown district by filling up empty storefronts with dynamic artworks by Bay Area artists. Check the website to discover their locations.

Speaking of kids, you can’t forget to visit Six Flags Discovery Kingdom close by for some thrills. They boast the fastest, tallest, wildest, most gut-wrenching rides in the country.Vallejo’s farmers market is at Georgia and Marin St. on Saturdays, from 9am to 2pm year-round. Vallejo has a large dog park – Wardlaw Dog Park – with sections for both small and large dogs, along with plenty chairs and benches. Down at the waterfront on the fourth Wednesday of the month from June through Oct., the city hosts a Food Truck Mania event with music, truckloads of gourmet food and games for kids.

And when you have had enough history and roller coaster rides, you can always take a fun ferry ride over to San Francisco across the Bay from Vallejo.