Looking for a cool place to have a burger or some fried chicken, listen to some live music, maybe taste some artisan bourbon, craft beer or local wine? All while being surrounded by some cool Bay Area history and vintage Victorian mansions? Look no further than the “Wet Mile” area of Mare Island. It’s a short drive away, across the Napa River from Vallejo, and it holds some wonderful surprises for your next Day’ve Trip.
How to get there: Take Highway 780 West to Curtola Parkway or Highway 80 East to Highway 29 and Mare Island Way. Turn left across on Mare Island Causeway, and as you cross the drawbridge you’ll see the historic Mare Island waterfront on your left, across from the main Vallejo Ferry terminal.
Check your history sites before you go: Mare Island was named by General Vallejo in 1830, after one of his favorite horses was lost off a boat and ultimately swam to the island. After California became a U.S. State, Mare Island became the first Naval Base on the West Coast in 1854. For over 130 years, it was a key Naval Shipyard, employing as many as 50,000 workers during WWII. It was decommissioned in the 1990’s and is now enjoying a resurgence as a place for commerce, food and beverages, and entertainment.
Food and drink: Grab a terrific chicken taco, falafel pita, or a burger from the food truck outside the Coal Shed Brewing Company, or make a reservation at the Savage and Cooke Distillery and try some of their Southern Fried Chicken and “Southern bites” before a tasting of their craft bourbon or whiskey. Take a tour of the distillery, which is housed in a gorgeous set of brick refurbished military buildings. Check this website link that explains all the options on what is known as “The Wet Mile”
Wine tasting and music: A favorite new spot for a splash of wine on a nice day is the Vino Godfather winery. The people here are wonderfully welcoming and engaging, and they serve up some terrific wine options. Our tasting room guy, Joey, was great fun! I loved the Blanc de Blancs bubbly that was a crisp and refreshing way to start our afternoon. They have plenty of different wine varietals for just about any taste, but I really liked the St Peters Church Old Vine Zinfandel, made from 100-year old vines out of Contra Costa County, and the Prohibition Red, which is an 80% Tempranillo and 20% Petite Sirah blend.
The winery is housed in one of the beautiful 1900-era Victorian mansions that were part of the “Captains Row” of houses that are reported to be some of the most historic military homes left in the US. Wander through the house while you wine taste, and enjoy the custom woodwork as well as the Mare Island / Naval historic photos and the fun Godfather memorabilia (the winery’s owner is a big fan…). The anchor home on this row of houses is the impressive Admiral’s Mansion. Make sure you leave time to walk around the mansions on this row, over to the Mare Island Museum, and on up to the distillery and the Coal Shed brewery. Oh, and vino Godfather also hosts music out back during the warm season, so check out their music events and plan your trip!
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