North Bay and Beyond

April 11th through 23rd, 2026

We had so much to see when we were in Petaluma that we had to split it into two posts (see the first post to see what we did in and around San Francisco). We spent the rest of our stay north of the city in Sonoma County and on the coast.

First, we saved our bad weather for a day when we'd be indoors. We battled the wind and rain to get to the Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park (that's a mouthful!) where we learned a lot about how that area of California contributed to the war efforts. So many ships came from there. It was a good place to learn.

We were bummed to learn we couldn't tour the Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial because they had exercises happening on the base, but the places we went to on the same day and other days all had information about it. It was a tragedy we couldn't believe we didn't know anything about. We did some research on our own about it.

We also started our journey to learn more about John Muir. His name comes up a lot at national parks, so we went to the first of his two California sites by visiting the John Muir National Historic Site. He once lived there for a long while, and it was the best place to learn about the man and his vision. The grounds around the house were also very interesting, with lots of examples of the different types of plants he grew to sell their fruits. He also planted a sequoia on his property that isn't doing very well, so we were glad we could see it and touch it before it eventually dies or has to be cut down for safety reasons. It's pretty amazing it has lasted this long.

Margot did a lot of walking, including the stairs all the way up to the top so we could each ring the bell. She's getting stronger every day, and it was a big accomplishment. The weather stayed nice for us the entire time, which was a nice break from the crazy morning on the water.

Our next experience was at the Muir Woods National Monument, a day that would be a memorable, special one for us. Margot was up for the short loop through the park, and then decided at the last minute to do the longer loop. We walked through the big trees, just breathing it in and feeling really "one" with nature. Unless our paths crossed the only loud group of tourists, but we were able to avoid them most of the time. It was a one-of-a-kind experience. Margot even found a penny squasher and some pennies to squash for Allie.

Our last experience in the Petaluma area was at Point Reyes National Seashore, a trip that took us west to the Pacific. It was a long and beautiful drive. Margot was hurting a bit, so we drove up to the accessible parking lot that was very close to the visitor center above the lighthouse. She was definitely not up for the walk down 313 steps to the lighthouse and then back up, so she waited at the observation deck and watched Monica do the trek. It was cold and windy, so she dressed like Kenny from South Park (full hoodie). Monica did it but definitely had jelly legs for a little while afterward. It was a cool thing to see and do.

Monica hopped on a plane to Denver for a few days for work, and it was handy to take the shuttle bus from Petaluma to the airport. It was fun to see coworkers she hadn't seen in a long time, including some who traveled from Minneapolis. On the flight back the plane went right over Yosemite National Park, and she could see Half Dome and El Capitan from the air. She also spotted Apple Park in Cupertino. Cool!