Mare Island is in Vallejo, Solano County. It is a former U.S. Navy shipyard. The architecture is a mix of historic military housing and industrial buildings which have been converted to commercial use. There are park areas and places to eat and drink.
Get in
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By car
[edit]You can enter and leave via either State Route 37 or the causeway, both near the north end of the island. The entrance to the causeway on the Vallejo mainland side is near Mare Island Way and Tennessee Street.
On foot or by bike
[edit]There is a causeway over a drawbridge near the north end of the island, with a walking and biking path between Mare Island and the Vallejo mainland. There are uneven surfaces and steel plates, and the path is relatively narrow, permitting two people to pass one another. As of January 2026 there is construction on the causeway which partially blocks a couple spots on the path.
Much of Mare Island has missing, uneven, or discontinuous sidewalks - in one case interrupted by rail tracks without paving. This presents a challenge to those with mobility issues. Even where accessible infrastructure has been installed, there are glitches, such as a few steps in the sidewalk next to a curb cut.
By public transit
[edit]There are a few ferries a day by San Francisco Bay Ferry. As of January 2026, the only trip combination which allows for a day trip arrives at 12:15 p.m., weekdays only, and returns at 2:10PM, allowing for less than two hours on the island, so plan ahead for what you are going to see or do. If the 2:10PM ferry run is canceled - be sure to sign up for alerts on their website - or you want to spend more time on the island, there are no other trips from the island and you will need to walk, bike, or ride hail to the Vallejo Ferry Terminal (2.6 miles) or the Vallejo Transit Center (2.8 miles) or wherever else you might want to go in Vallejo. If you are using a Clipper card make sure you have enough on your Clipper card or in your smartphone Clipper wallet for a round trip as there is no fare machine on the island, only a Clipper reader; however, adult (non-discount) fares also can be paid for with a chip credit card.
If you are going from Mare Island to Vallejo by ferry instead of San Francisco, be sure to tag off so you are only charged the short hop fare.
If you enter the island without taking the ferry but want to leave by ferry, be aware that the ferry terminal is poorly marked. There is no sign on the street saying it is a ferry terminal. It is opposite an industrial building signed 1025 Nimitz Ave, and has a sign in front reading "WETA North Bay Maintenance Facility." If you look into the parking lot, there is an open air shelter with seating. This is the waiting area.
See
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- 1 Mare Island Shoreline Heritage Preserve, 1595 Railroad Ave, ☏ +1 707-249-9633. F-Su and holidays 8AM-5PM. Parts of southern Mare Island have been preserved as a park that features many historical sites of the former Naval base, such as the Naval graveyard, a reservoir used to water that part of the island. Its main feature is the converted roads that bikes and pedestrians use to climb to the highest point of the island, and enjoy views of seven Bay Area counties. $5 donation encouraged.
Do
[edit]- 1 Mare Island San Pablo Bay Trail (from the Mare Island Causeway, continue down G street and turn left at Azuar Drive; take a right turn on Dump Road (an extension of A Street) and drive to the parking lot at the end of the gravel road), ☏ +1 707-249-9633. Daily from 10AM to sunset. Operated by the Mare Island Historical Preserve, this walking trail is an escape into the quiet and peaceful wetlands of Mare Island's western shores. After being closed to the public for over a century, this four-mile collection of flat walking trails comes not only with the views you see in a wildlife preserve, but also of places such as San Pablo Bay, Mt. Diablo, the Carquinez Strait, the East Bay hills, Mt. Tamalpais and the Sonoma and Napa Valleys. Because the trail is only to be used by humans on foot, there is a rack to park your bike in the parking lot. Free.
- Historic buildings, Walnut Street (southwest side of the street, from Connolly Street at the northwest end to Azura Drive and traffic circle at the southwest end). Various officers' quarters, plus Saint Peter's Chapel. Most buildings are only accessible to the customers of the renting businesses, if rented for an event, or as part of a tour. See The Quarters Coffee House under Eat for a historic building business anyone can enter daily.
- Tour. Paid guided tours are regularly available. Free self-guided tours are rarely available. Both provide access to some historic buildings.
Buy
[edit]Eat
[edit]Mare Island has several drinking establishments and a cafe.
- The Quarters Coffee House, 1015 Walnut Avenue, Mare Island, ☏ +1 707-515-7118. Cafe in a former officers' quarters. Coffee and other hot drinks brewed to order. Premade sandwiches, beverages, and ice cream in coolers/freezers. Various local packaged foods for sale as well. Since most of the historic buildings on the island have limited or no public access, this is also a great opportunity to see what the inside of an officers' quarters looks like, at least the first floor. Wheelchair lift in back. Seating inside, on a large lawn, and on the front porch for eating and drinking.