How to Spend the Perfect Day on Mare Island, Vallejo's Hidden Gem
(7 X 7 by Nicole Findlay, September 24, 2026)
The moment you drive over the bright blue Mare Island Causeway Bridge, you know you’re going somewhere unusual.
The former naval shipyard that seems almost abandoned is anything but. By the time you leave, you’ll feel like you’ve been let in on a secret.
Mare Island Naval Shipyard was established in 1854 as the first U.S. naval shipyard on the West Coast. It played a key role in major events, including the Civil War, two world wars, and the Cold War, before abruptly closing in 1996.
Mare Island reopened to the public in 2004, and today, although roughly 1,000 people call it home, its most impressive residents may be the ospreys that nest on the leftover cranes, light poles, and other industrial structures.
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