To be honest, the view from the observatory out towards the valley, with the fog layer sitting…read morebelow you like the biggest bowl of whipped cream known to man was just about as cool as the observatory. That alone was well worth it. The observatory too was neat. We happened to be campng there the night of the month they open it up. There was a nice video presenation (nothing you would not see on the discorvery channel but cool never the less), a QA with the on site volunteer and then they let the guests look through the various telescopes which were focused on the moons of Jupiter. They have one big honkin (about the size of a VW Bug) telescope but the volunteers also had about 1/2 dozen (6 if you must) other telescopes set up as well, so the kids were able to take a little more time on those. For anyone into astronomy it would be a must. Probably pretty entertaining for almost any 7 to 11 year old kid. Side note, the drive up has some sharp turns. My mothe rmade it up with a trailer on her truck but it was a bit hairy. The camp ground there is usable, but nothing too special. It was dry when we were there so we were not allowed to have a camp fire :(

It took me having to take astronomy at Hartnell to knlw about the observatory. I didnt know we had…read moreanything like this around. My professor required us to go up last week. The view is just so amazing. Its a little walk up to observatory so make sure you layer yourself. Its free bug there is a donation box. There are other people with other telescopes out that let you see things. I saw the milky way which is a haze. Its cool. The observatory itself is cool. The roof gets pushed off or rolls off. This is 100% a place everyone needs to check out at least once in their life.

I had the honor of escorting one very excited astrophotographer and his girlfriend (my Goddaughter)…read moreto experience a talk by Dr. Filipenko on the 150th anniversary of the James Lick Act of Congress. The talk started at 7:45 pm in the evening, and went well into 9 pm after the speaker allowed for a short Q&A session. I learned more about James Lick and how generational wealth was built than I'd ever imagined possible on a Sunday. Unfortunately for us, humidity was at an all time high, so we only had the opportunity to look at these massive telescopes, instead of gazing at the far away stars they were built to study. I did get to walk through The Chabot science center and see how fun it would be to come back with you get kids. Can you believe, you can even decorate a postcard that they will send to space. I would now like to design a piece of mail destined for space. Also, you can come out on Friday and Saturday nights and get the opportunity to look into the heavens with these giant creatures. I guess, this just means I have a rain check to visit Oakland in the near future.

I hadn't been to Chabot in a very long time. I took Empress and we had a pretty good time. Seems…read morelike there were more interactive exhibits back in the day but we still had fun. The exhibits are very educational and enlightening. I'd like to go back in the evening and experience the telescope views. There's plenty for the kids to experience! #GoSee

Great night sky view, saw moon up close. Parking situation's good at night…read more Heads up that there's a lot people, with lines. Appreciate the staff there for hosting!

My boyfriend and I came over like around 6:30 friday We…read morewalked around before checking this place out Don't bother coming early because they definitely do not Don't bother making a line because the professor doesn't bother with it I give this a zero because there was no communication They didn't say anything about kids going first when they first opened the door nor when you go up the stairs and the professor is up there Two ladies were in front of us and they got to look into the telescope He proceeded to disregard my boyfriend and I. Even though we were standing right behind the two ladies I took my chance right away to look into it while he was talking to the ladies He then mumbled something and was trying to take the step stool away Let a little kid to see Then her father and when he finished. The professor was showing the kids the photo he took of the moon on his phone and was talking about how a meteor hit the moon and so forth I told my boyfriend to take the chance to see since no one was paying attention When he saw my boyfriend looking into it he immediately tried taking the step stool and mumbled to him that kids go first in a very low voice I felt disrespected and i was mad We walked out I get it.. I feel like I'm maybe over reacting But I don't like being disrespected when we did nothing wrong We waited, we were in line, we weren't talking at all when we walked in, he never mentioned that kids would go first when we got up there nor after the two ladies Definitely was not worth the disrespect

SOFIA or better yet the Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy is a converted 747-SP that…read moreholds a telescope. The plane flies up to 40000 feet well above any atmospheric moisture for perfect conditions. The 747 SP #21441 began life as a special performance model of the 747 for Pan Am in 1977. Named in honor of Charles Lindbergh, The 'Clipper Lindbergh" was sold to United Airlines for its Pacific routes. NASA had the grandson of Charles rechristen the aircraft following its extensive modifications to honor the aviation pioneer. SOFIA carriers a 8.2 foot reflector telescope in the rear of the aircraft. A large moving door opens once the it reaches altitude and the observing begins! It replaced the Kuiper Airborne Observatory which can also be seen at Moffett Field.

Chateau La Cresta was hands down one of the most memorable dining experiences we've had in the Bay…read moreArea. Tucked into the hillside at The Mountain Winery, the restaurant occupies the historic 1901 chateau built by Paul Masson himself, you can feel the history in every stone archway and wine barrel accent. We were seated on the outdoor patio just as the sun started dipping behind the Santa Cruz Mountains, and the view alone was worth the drive-up Pierce Road. We had the 3-course meal that started with a delicious watermelon salad moved to mouth -watering salmon and finished with scrumptious lemon Tiramasu! Every dish was prepared with fresh, seasonal, local ingredients, and you could tell real care went into the pairing with their estate wines. Service was attentive, warm and well-paced without ever feeling rushed, even with the Gladys Knight concert full house that night. If you're heading to a show at the amphitheater, do yourself a favor and book dinner beforehand, it turns a concert into a full evening out of joy! Between the setting, the food, and the sheer beauty of the property, Chateau La Cresta earns every one of its 5 stars. We'll absolutely be back.

This place is a true hidden gem! Wow. The experience of watching a concert here is amazing. The…read moreseating is super comfortable, you have enough space between yourself and the person next to you. It's not crowded & if you are looking for a drink, there are at least 4 different place you can go to not including the restaurants on site. I would've loved to try some of the snacks and or food there but there was so much exploring around! The sight is unbelievable and I would definitely go here again. Side note * the drive up the road is WORTH IT. It's not as bad as people make it out to be.

It's been awhile since my visit, but it was one of my touristy stops as an adult doing a solo…read morevacation with my friends. If you're in SF, depending where you're at, you can spot Coit Tower in between the business buildings which is neat. Great view of the white concrete column on Telegraph Hill, with the hills, the bridge, and the trees in the background and foreground. There's an elevator entrance fee. Discount if you're an SF resident, if not, it's going to be $11 (so make sure you maximize your time there). There's different fees for the docent led tours or if you want a tour of one of the floors only. A bit confusing, but there's signs and lots of workers there. There's also a cafe if you're feeling peckish. We didn't do anything fancy during our visit. We just took the elevator up and got some postcards of the local parrots. Great views of the surrounding SF area and we were lucky since it was a sunny, windy afternoon.

I highly recommend visiting on a Monday late morning, when you can actually park in the circle near…read morethe entrance. What a beautiful space! Even before you go inside, walk around the building, looking in all directions, so you can contrast with what you'll see from the top. Go inside, and enjoy the marvelous murals about California life, work, and struggles. Look at the urban scene, and you'll see a car accident, and a stick-up. In the middle of all this is a gift shop where you get tickets to go to the top, as well as a nifty gift shop. Until you pay for the ticket, it's free to get in and look around. The ticket was cheap, like $11 I think. We gathered by the elevator entrance for a short wait, and while we were ascending, the attendant answered my questions about other spaces in the building not accessible to the public, and their history. Interesting guy. From the top, you're at one of the highest points in the City, and I don't need to describe what that means. Stunning. I could make out the curves of Lombard Street and the Palace of Fine Arts in the distance. Pier 39, both bridges, Treasure Island, Columbus Ave, everything. Worth every cent.

First time came to the observation deck, I think it is best spot to view the golden bridge, even…read morewas cloudy day we still able to get quiet a few very good shots of bridge, I can't imagine how great views would be in sunny days. It's very easy-accessible, you can drive and bike to there with short walk to the top, very windy at the top, bright a jacket and watch your hat is great idea. At almost 500 feet above the bay, this high cliff-top vantage point was a prime location for big coastal defense guns when the army was there.

Lovely group and hooray for raptors and good cause but the director is discriminatory…read more They gladly accept seniors with oncoming dementia but after training - an excellent veterinary fit volunteer as she was just getting diagnosed with sudden onset pots syndrome- and not aware what her limitations may be disclosed to the director He told her he "did not want to slow the group down" This is flat out discrimination .

Wow! It's beautiful! We've been here a lot of times but this was a good time to take pictures…read morebecause it was clear. There were no clouds or fog. The perfect time to take a picture is at sunset.