Things To Do
Downtown Pleasanton
We live in Downtown Pleasanton. This neighborhood is a 5-minute drive from the wedding venue and home to some of our favorite spots: Beer Baron, Middle 8 Bar, Bocado, Tri-Valley Bistro, Inklings Coffe & Tea, Koffee Time, Sidetrack, Gay Nineties Pizza, and New York Pizza. Visit on Saturday morning for the farmer's market!
Meadowlark Dairy
One of our absolute favorite places to walk to for a sweet treat. There's also a drive-thru. Located in Downtown Pleasanton. Highly recommend!
Livermore Downtown, Inc.
A charming downtown with restaurants, cafes, two movie theaters, wine and beer tasting, and more. Visit on Thursday evening or Sunday morning for the farmer's market. About 10-15 minutes from Pleasanton.
The Singing Winemaker
There are many great places to taste wine in Livermore and this is one of the bride's favorites! There is typically live music on the weekends and the staff are friendly and fun. Other recommended spots are McGrail Winery and Fenestra. These wineries are about a 15-20 minute drive from Pleasanton.
Escapology Escape Rooms
We go here about once a month--the staff recognizes us! One of the best escape rooms we've ever been to. Great decorations, fun puzzles, and nice staff. About 15-minutes from Pleasanton.
Oakland Zoo
This zoo is beautiful and well maintained. About 30 minutes from Pleasanton, plus traffic getting into the zoo. It's recommended to plan ahead and go early in the day.
San Jose Improv
Where we went on our first date! Located in Downtown San Jose, about a 40-minute drive from Pleasanton. They have shows most nights.
Cable Car Ride in San Francisco
If it's your first time to the Bay Area we definitely recommend a trip to San Francisco to ride an iconic cable car. Bonus points if you make time to take a peek at the gorgeous Golden Gate Bridge! We've provided the address to one of the best spots to catch a cable car--the station in front of The Buena Vista, a pub famous for its delicious Irish Coffees. Please see the website linked above for information on tickets. San Francisco also has Giants stadium, Golden Gate Park, The San Francisco Zoo, and Lombard street which is known as the crookedest street in the world. San Francisco is a little over an hour drive from Pleasanton and accessible via public transportation--Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) trains. Bring layers or a light jacket for the evening. Let us know if you need any help planning your visit!
Fort Funston
Stunning views and a dog-friendly beach located on the outskirts of San Francisco, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. A little over an hour from Pleasanton. Bring a jacket! It's usually chilly, even in summer.
Muir Woods National Monument
Absolutely gorgeous and a must-see! Plan ahead as parking is limited and requires a reservation. Bring a jacket, it gets chilly here! A little over an hour from Pleasanton.
Santa Cruz Beach Town
Santa Cruz is one of the bride's favorite places in the world--where she lived for several years and graduated college. It's the ultimate funky, hippy California beach town with some beautiful views (Natural Bridges State Beach pictured here), gorgeous redwoods, and great food. Some fun things to do on your visit include riding the steam train at Roaring Camp Railroads and hitting the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk for a ride on the famous Giant Dipper rollercoaster. Santa Cruz is about a 1.5 hour drive give or take from Pleasanton and is worth the trek! Jackets and hoodies are recommended as it could be foggy and is usually pretty chilly in the later afternoon and into evening this time of year.