Hayward, CA: Land of the GIANTS!

There are giants in Northern California, and I'm not talking about the giant California redwoods. In an industrial area of Hayward, California there is a refuge of sorts for these giants that once  seemingly dominated the land. While there are only a handful left, a few of the lucky ones have found a haven in …

The Roadside Attractions of Washington: Part 1

As a recent resident of Washington, I've only just begun to explore this incredible state. However, I'm already discovering some amazing and fascinating (and quirky and strange and...) roadside attractions. Here are some of those first discoveries: Attractions on the Western Section of Highway 2: As it sprawls its was through the mountains, over Stevens …

Central California’s Roadside Attractions 2: ODD(itie)S & ENDS

California certainly has its oddities. After the surprising response of my previous post on roadside attractions in and around the Central Valley, I dug into my bag o' tricks to see if I had any others I'd left out. I discovered there was more weirdness here than I realized. With my move to the northwest …

Krampus Comes to Leavenworth

Leavenworth, the "Bavarian" tourist town in Washington state, is ablaze with a multitude of lights. It's the holiday season and the town that likes to call itself Christmastown* is back with its Village of Lights from Thanksgiving through January 2022. This year though, there was something new added to the holiday lineup. Emerging from old-time …

San Francisco’s Chinatown– 3 DOs and a DON’T!

For anyone visiting San Francisco for the first time, one of the "must-see" highlights is a trip to Chinatown. After all, San Francisco's Chinatown is the largest Chinatown outside of Asia. Having lived in the city (and over in East Bay), I've found myself playing tour guide to visiting friends many, many times. I've since …