Recreation and Attractions
Here are some links to some wonderful attractions in Pleasanton area just minutes away from Sunol
City of Pleasanton
Castlewood Golf Club
Callippe Preserve Golf Club
Alameda County Fair Grounds
City of Pleasanton
Castlewood Golf Club
Callippe Preserve Golf Club
Alameda County Fair Grounds
Niles Canyon
Looking for a beautiful scenic drive. Niles Canyon Road is a long, narrow, two-lane road between Mission Boulevard and Interstate 680. It runs westward from Sunol and is a scenic 7-mile (11 km) drive to Fremont.
Niles Canyon is a canyon in the San Francisco Bay Area formed by Alameda Creek. The canyon is largely in an unincorporated area of Alameda County, while the western portion of the canyon lies within the city limits of Fremont and Union City. The stretch of State Route 84 known as Niles Canyon Road traverses the length of the canyon from the Niles district of Fremont to the unincorporated town of Sunol. Two railroads also follow the same route down the canyon from Sunol to Niles: the old Southern Pacific track along the north side, now the Niles Canyon Railway, and the newer Union Pacific (formerly the Western Pacific) track a little to the south. At the west end are the ruins of the Vallejo Flour Mill, which dates to 1856.
Essanay Film Manufacturing Company, an early motion picture company, had a studio located in Niles from 1912–1916 at the canyon's western mouth. The canyon was featured in many early films and it was here that Charlie Chaplin filmed one of his most iconic movies, The Tramp.
The route of El Camino Viejo à Los Angeles (Old Road to Los Angeles), the oldest north-south trail in the interior of Alta California, ran through Niles Canyon. In addition, the Canyon was located in three different Mexican land grants - Rancho Arroyo de la Alameda, Rancho Ex-Mission San José, and Rancho Valle de San Jose.
The abandoned Sunol Aqueduct runs through the canyon. The aqueduct, built in the 1920s, formerly provided half the water supply to San Francisco before it was replaced by the Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niles_Canyon
Looking for a beautiful scenic drive. Niles Canyon Road is a long, narrow, two-lane road between Mission Boulevard and Interstate 680. It runs westward from Sunol and is a scenic 7-mile (11 km) drive to Fremont.
Niles Canyon is a canyon in the San Francisco Bay Area formed by Alameda Creek. The canyon is largely in an unincorporated area of Alameda County, while the western portion of the canyon lies within the city limits of Fremont and Union City. The stretch of State Route 84 known as Niles Canyon Road traverses the length of the canyon from the Niles district of Fremont to the unincorporated town of Sunol. Two railroads also follow the same route down the canyon from Sunol to Niles: the old Southern Pacific track along the north side, now the Niles Canyon Railway, and the newer Union Pacific (formerly the Western Pacific) track a little to the south. At the west end are the ruins of the Vallejo Flour Mill, which dates to 1856.
Essanay Film Manufacturing Company, an early motion picture company, had a studio located in Niles from 1912–1916 at the canyon's western mouth. The canyon was featured in many early films and it was here that Charlie Chaplin filmed one of his most iconic movies, The Tramp.
The route of El Camino Viejo à Los Angeles (Old Road to Los Angeles), the oldest north-south trail in the interior of Alta California, ran through Niles Canyon. In addition, the Canyon was located in three different Mexican land grants - Rancho Arroyo de la Alameda, Rancho Ex-Mission San José, and Rancho Valle de San Jose.
The abandoned Sunol Aqueduct runs through the canyon. The aqueduct, built in the 1920s, formerly provided half the water supply to San Francisco before it was replaced by the Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niles_Canyon
Niles Canyon Railway
About Niles Canyon Railway
A Railroad Museum Where the Exhibits Come to Life!
The Pacific Locomotive Association, Inc. operates the Niles Canyon Railway as a living history museum interpreting the importance of our heritage railroads in the development of California and the nation. The purpose of the organization is to preserve the physical aspects and atmosphere of Pacific Coast railroading during the period from 1910 to 1960. Our mission is to develop and operate a working railroad museum for the benefit of the general public.
The museum is designed to increase public education, enjoyment, and appreciation of the significance of America’s western railroads by:
Visit www.ncry.org for more information on the train, history, and plan your ride today!
About Niles Canyon Railway
A Railroad Museum Where the Exhibits Come to Life!
The Pacific Locomotive Association, Inc. operates the Niles Canyon Railway as a living history museum interpreting the importance of our heritage railroads in the development of California and the nation. The purpose of the organization is to preserve the physical aspects and atmosphere of Pacific Coast railroading during the period from 1910 to 1960. Our mission is to develop and operate a working railroad museum for the benefit of the general public.
The museum is designed to increase public education, enjoyment, and appreciation of the significance of America’s western railroads by:
- Operating historic railroad equipment using standard railroad practices for train crews, signaling, block operations, and equipment maintenance.
- Preserving the atmosphere of railroads in small-town America before the 1960s by connecting the historic communities of Sunol, the Niles District of Fremont, and eventually Pleasanton.
- Providing educational programs for schools, civic organizations, and community events.
- Instructing the public in railroad history, tradition, and the evolution of rail transportation technology.
Visit www.ncry.org for more information on the train, history, and plan your ride today!
Sunol Regional Wilderness
Bedrock mortars used by Native Americans for pounding acorns that were found in the area are reminders of Sunol's first inhabitants. For the past century, however, the land known today as Sunol Regional Wilderness was used almost exclusively as ranch land. Under the East Bay Regional Park District's multi-use land management policy, cattle continue to graze in the 6,859-acre wilderness. Today, camping, picnicking, hiking, back-packing and equestrian trail rides attract thousands of park visitors a year. Visitors should bring drinking water because there is no drinking water in the park.
The Sunol naturalist staff provides additional opportunities to enjoy the park by leading nature hikes and coordinating special events. They also teach about natural and cultural history to children that meet current State Science and Social Science Curriculum Standards during the school year. http://www.ebparks.org/parks/sunol
Bedrock mortars used by Native Americans for pounding acorns that were found in the area are reminders of Sunol's first inhabitants. For the past century, however, the land known today as Sunol Regional Wilderness was used almost exclusively as ranch land. Under the East Bay Regional Park District's multi-use land management policy, cattle continue to graze in the 6,859-acre wilderness. Today, camping, picnicking, hiking, back-packing and equestrian trail rides attract thousands of park visitors a year. Visitors should bring drinking water because there is no drinking water in the park.
The Sunol naturalist staff provides additional opportunities to enjoy the park by leading nature hikes and coordinating special events. They also teach about natural and cultural history to children that meet current State Science and Social Science Curriculum Standards during the school year. http://www.ebparks.org/parks/sunol
Bosco The Dog
A statue of Bosco, the dog elected mayor, sits in front of the Post Office. Bosco achieved a degree of international notoriety in 1990 when the Chinese newspaper People's Daily reported on his tenure as an alleged example of the failings of the American electoral process Bosco Ramos was a dog elected honorary mayor of the unincorporated community of Sunol, California, United States. He was a black Labrador retriever and Rottweiler mix, usually known simply as "Bosco". Bosco defeated two humans to win the honorary mayoral election in 1981, and served until his death in 1994. Bosco achieved international attention in 1984 when the British tabloid the Daily Star covered his election, describing Sunol as "the wackiest town in the world." He appeared with his owner, Tom Stillman, as a contestant on the game show 3rd Degree, where the panelists failed to guess Bosco's occupation. In 1990, the Chinese newspaper the People's Daily reported on his tenure as an alleged example of the failings of the American electoral process, but in response, Sunol residents commented that the dog's office was "merely a joke". A statue of Bosco was erected in front of the town Post Office in 2008 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosco_the_dog |
Sunol Water Temple
The Sunol Water Temple is an unusual Roman-inspired structure that marks the confluence of three sources of water that flow into the Sunol Valley
The Sunol Water Temple is located at 505 Paloma Way in Sunol, California. Designed by Willis Polk, the 59 foot high classical pavilion is made up of twelve concrete Corinthian columns and a concrete ring girder that supports the conical wood and tile roof. Inside the temple, water originally from the Pleasanton well fields and Arroyo de la Laguna flowed into a white tiled cistern before plunging into a deeper water channel carrying water from the filter galleries to the Niles Aqueduct in Niles Canyon and across San Francisco Bay near the Dumbarton Bridge. The roof covering the cistern has paintings depicting Indian maidens carrying water vessels. The temple is open to the public Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For more information on the history of the Water Temple visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunol_Water_Temple
For more information on visiting the Water temple visit
http://www.sfwater.org/index.aspx?page=94
The Sunol Water Temple is an unusual Roman-inspired structure that marks the confluence of three sources of water that flow into the Sunol Valley
The Sunol Water Temple is located at 505 Paloma Way in Sunol, California. Designed by Willis Polk, the 59 foot high classical pavilion is made up of twelve concrete Corinthian columns and a concrete ring girder that supports the conical wood and tile roof. Inside the temple, water originally from the Pleasanton well fields and Arroyo de la Laguna flowed into a white tiled cistern before plunging into a deeper water channel carrying water from the filter galleries to the Niles Aqueduct in Niles Canyon and across San Francisco Bay near the Dumbarton Bridge. The roof covering the cistern has paintings depicting Indian maidens carrying water vessels. The temple is open to the public Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For more information on the history of the Water Temple visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunol_Water_Temple
For more information on visiting the Water temple visit
http://www.sfwater.org/index.aspx?page=94
Elliston Vineyards
Offers wine tasting on the weekends, and is a popular wedding destination.Tucked away in the hills of Sunol is Elliston Vineyards. The property – with its historic stone mansion, lush grounds, and secluded Terrace Room offers a unique and picturesque atmosphere that is sure to provide an enjoyable and memorable experience for any occasion.
We encourage you to visit Elliston, tour the estate, taste the wines, and enjoy your time at this old-world property. www.Elliston.com
Offers wine tasting on the weekends, and is a popular wedding destination.Tucked away in the hills of Sunol is Elliston Vineyards. The property – with its historic stone mansion, lush grounds, and secluded Terrace Room offers a unique and picturesque atmosphere that is sure to provide an enjoyable and memorable experience for any occasion.
We encourage you to visit Elliston, tour the estate, taste the wines, and enjoy your time at this old-world property. www.Elliston.com
Nella Terra Cellars
A beautiful vineyard and wedding destination, with wine tastings for large parties.
The Beemiller family started Nella Terra Cellars Boutique Winery and Event Center in 2013 as a Benefit Corporation. The unique microclimate of Nella Terra’s valley provides an ideal environment for growing high quality California grapes. Our vines are grown with a combination of sustainable and organic practices. On our hillside vineyard, we grow two Vitis Vinifera varietals that are well suited to the cooler days of Sunol; Pinot Noir and Viognier. While these varietals are known for being difficult to grow, they produce rich and complex flavors when artfully fermented into wine. Since our vines are not projected to produce wine making grapes until the fall of 2016, Nella Terra has been seeking out and hand picking the best local fruit and wine from Livermore Valley, Napa Valley, and the California Central Coast.
Nella Terra’s hillside vineyard is nestled atop the Sunol grade on the outskirts of Livermore Valley. Our beautiful grounds are truly one of a kind that offer a fantastic backdrop and intimate experience for your special event. Our vibrant green hills in the winter and flourishing vines in the summer are perfect for weddings, corporate events, family picnics, live music and weekend tastings year-round. http://www.nellaterra.com/
A beautiful vineyard and wedding destination, with wine tastings for large parties.
The Beemiller family started Nella Terra Cellars Boutique Winery and Event Center in 2013 as a Benefit Corporation. The unique microclimate of Nella Terra’s valley provides an ideal environment for growing high quality California grapes. Our vines are grown with a combination of sustainable and organic practices. On our hillside vineyard, we grow two Vitis Vinifera varietals that are well suited to the cooler days of Sunol; Pinot Noir and Viognier. While these varietals are known for being difficult to grow, they produce rich and complex flavors when artfully fermented into wine. Since our vines are not projected to produce wine making grapes until the fall of 2016, Nella Terra has been seeking out and hand picking the best local fruit and wine from Livermore Valley, Napa Valley, and the California Central Coast.
Nella Terra’s hillside vineyard is nestled atop the Sunol grade on the outskirts of Livermore Valley. Our beautiful grounds are truly one of a kind that offer a fantastic backdrop and intimate experience for your special event. Our vibrant green hills in the winter and flourishing vines in the summer are perfect for weddings, corporate events, family picnics, live music and weekend tastings year-round. http://www.nellaterra.com/