Story and photos by Scott Kendall (unless otherwise indicated)
See Napa Valley, the East Bay, and San Francisco
Play, Stay, and Eat in Fairfield and Concord when visiting California’s Napa Valley, the East Bay, and San Francisco. Conveniently located in the middle of all the action, each also has its own wonderful attractions.
Just a half hour east of Napa Valley, Fairfield is within easy reach of all of its great wineries, shopping, and scenic drives. It’s also just thirty minutes north of the East Bay. Concord is actually in the East Bay, just a short drive to the wineries of the Tri-Valley. The towns of Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin, and San Francisco are just a short drive away. For nature lovers, beautiful Mount Diablo is also close by.
Fairfield is a Short Drive to Napa Valley
Fairfield is a thriving city less than half an hour from Napa Valley and the East Bay area, with San Francisco less than an hour away. Plenty of affordable hotels, restaurants, and shopping are all around, and major highways take you west to Napa Valley or south to the East Bay area.
In addition to being a handy base for visiting Napa Valley, the East Bay, and San Francisco, Fairfield has many of its own great local attractions. Travis Air Force Base, the Jelly Belly Candy Factory, great restaurants, and fantastic shopping are all well worth a visit.
Hilton Garden Inn Fairfield
Hilton Garden Inn Fairfield is the perfect place to stay in Fairfield. Just off Highway 80, this modern, comfortable hotel is in a prime location to visit the many great destinations in the area. Walk out the front door, and you are in the Solano Town Center, with numerous restaurants and shops. Travis Air Force Base, several wineries, golf courses, the Jelly Belly Factory, and Mount Diablo State Park are only minutes away.
In addition, free parking, free wi-fi, an outdoor pool, and a fitness room make for an affordable, enjoyable day. A business center, meeting rooms, and work space in the rooms allow guests to easily conduct business on site.
Jelly Belly Candy Factory in Fairfield
We had so much fun on our tour of the Jelly Belly Candy Factory in Fairfield. Our tour introduced us to this family business started by 24 year old Gustav Goelitz back in 1869 in Belleville, Illinois. Over the years, the company has made over 100 types of confections under the Goelitz name.
Although best known for their famous jellybeans, they also make an assortment of other sweets. Pick up, or order online, an assortment of chocolates, mints, candy corn, and other sweet treats.
While already successful, business exploded with the publicity the company received by President Ronald Reagan in the 1980s. Jelly beans were President Reagan’s favorite sweets. A jar could always be found in the White House, and Reagan often gave gifts of specially packaged jelly beans to honored guests. Officially renamed Jelly Belly Candy Company in 2001, the immensely popular candy is available worldwide.
More Jelly Belly Fun
We had a great time walking through the facility where the jelly beans are made. With over 50 flavors available today, candy lovers can choose from the original eight flavors made in 1976 plus many more. Original jellybean flavors were Very Cherry, Lemon, Cream Soda, Tangerine, Green Apple, Root Beer, Grape, and Licorice. These are still some of the most popular flavors, although many others have been added.
For example, Buttered Popcorn and Sizzling Cinnamon are among current favorites. In addition to the wide array of popular flavors, Jelly Belly has also introduced many “exotic” flavors like Dr. Pepper, Draft Beer, Booger, and Rotten Eggs.
To add to the fun, the Jelly Belly tour offers several interactive games to challenge you. There are also some very fascinating works of art made entirely of jelly beans. Check out the jellybean portraits of Ronald Reagan, Batman, Princess Diana, and other famous figures.
Travis Air Force Base Aviation Museum
The Travis Air Force Base Aviation Museum gives guests an inside glimpse of Travis Air Force Base and the 60th Air Mobility Wing. I have a special connection since my father was a Major assigned to the 60th during the Vietnam War. Travis AFB is often referred to as the “Gateway to the Pacific, Gateway to the World!” In addition, the museum has some excellents exhibits on various aspects of the Air Force’s role around the world.
Some of the top exhibits include the Tuskegee Airmen, the Berlin Airlift, a Korean Exhibit, and a collection of airplane engines. There are also a wide variety of Air Force artifacts.
Visitors can view and explore 35 different aircraft inside and outside the museum. It’s exciting to get up close and personal with the collection that includes a B-52, the C 5A Galaxy, an FC Phantom, and the F-101B Voodoo. This interesting museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, and is closed Sundays, Mondays, and federal holidays.
Concord
Concord is a lovely town of about 130,000 people off Highway 680. Just 20 miles northeast of San Francisco, Concord is adjacent to the northern border of the beautiful Mount Diablo State Park. Its central location make it very convenient for visiting San Francisco, Napa Valley, and the Tri-Valley area comprised of Livermore, Pleasanton, Danville, Dublin and other East Bay towns.
We stayed at the fabulous Concord Hilton, visited the intriguing aRt Cottage, and ate at some wonderful local restaurants, including Doppio Zero and Huckelberry’s. The downtown with a large park and shops around Todos Santos Plaza was also fun to explore. We found the world headquarters of the Brewing Network, the home of Live Beer Radio. On the north side of the plaza we joined in on the fun at the Hop Grenade, one of over 40 breweries, bars, and restaurants on the Contra Costa Beer Trail.
Hilton Concord
The Concord Hilton is the perfect place to stay and relax when visiting the East Bay. Next to Six Flags Hurricane Harbor and great shopping at the Veranda Mall, the Concord Hilton is in the center of everything you’ll need. This beautiful hotel is less than two miles to downtown, a BART station (that will take you straight into San Francisco), and Todos Santos Plaza.
While not out and about, guests can enjoy the heated pool, fitness center, in-house restaurant, comfortable beds, and free wi-fi. The hotel even has a free shuttle to anywhere within three miles of the hotel. Pamper yourself at the fabulous Concord Hilton.
The aRt Cottage in Downtown Concord
The whimsical aRt Cottage in downtown Concord is a fun mix of paintings, pottery, collages, jewelry, and other interesting pieces of art. A popular local landmark, the aRt Cottage brings local artists together to display their wares and to share their thoughts about art and life.
The cottage also offers classes of all kinds to children and adults, so check out their offerings and join the fun. Locals and visitors look forward to The Annual Holiday Boutique. More than 25 local artists share cute crochet, ceramics, fun paintings, creative jewelry, and more at this popular event.
As they say at the cottage, “Being surrounded by creativity is good for the soul!”
Doppio Zero
Doppio Zero is a southern Italian restaurant located in the Veranda Shopping Mall in Concord. With fantastic pizza, homemade pasta, and other authentic Italian classics, Doppio Zero has a warm family atmosphere to enjoy the best of food and drink.
The Branzino Grilled Whole (Head, tail and bone in) Mediterranean Sea Bass served with seasonal vegetables and Salmoriglio sauce (mix of Italian herbs) earned rave reviews from my wife. I also thoroughly enjoyed my Pizza Stella. This Tuesday special is a star-shaped margherita pizza featuring five pockets filled with the chef’s choice of ingredients. We shared a flavorful side dish of Brussels Sprouts, fried with Pancetta, Parmigiano Reggiano, and red wine vinegar.
Another menu item that caught my eye was the Pumpkin Ravioli, a homemade pumpkin ravioli filled with Ricotta cheese and Amaretti Crumble in a Brown butter sauce. We definitely have to return to Doppio Zero to try some of these other delicious dishes.
Huckleberry’s
Huckleberry’s Restaurant serves southern style breakfast and lunch with a California twist.
How about Chicken and Waffles, Skillet Hotties, or the Signature Omelettes for breakfast? And don’t forget to add an order of the Mardi Gras Beignets. Come for lunch and try the Creole Style Louisiana Catfish, N’awlins Sandwiches, or green fried tomatoes for lunch.
We enjoyed our breakfast, and will have to come back to try the New Spicy Bayou Chicken Sandwich, a hand breaded breast fried crisp and tossed in Frank’s hot sauce stacked high with crisp slaw and pickle chips.
Escape to the bayou in Concord or one of the other 18 Huckleberry locations throughout California.
Mount Diablo State Park
Mitchell Canyon Visitor’s Center is the northern entrance into the fabulous Mount Diablo State Park. Just eight miles southeast of Concord, from the visitor’s center you get a glimpse of the northern side of Mount Diablo, the highest point in the East Bay.
Many trails wind through Mount Diablo State Park. From the Mitchell Canyon Visitor’s Center, guests can hike, bike, or ride horses through many miles of winding trails. Watch for black-tailed deer, raccoons, rabbits, coyotes, birds, and other wildlife in the area. Just beware – the park is also home to the Tarantula, one of the largest spiders in North America.
Put Fairfield and Concord on Your Travel List
Don’t overlook the wonderful attractions and central location of Fairfield and Concord when planning your next trip to the Bay Area. Conveniently located to San Francisco, Napa Valley, and the wonderful wineries and attractions in the Bay Area, these charming towns also have lots to offer visitors.
