Area Activities
Benicia vacation offers outdoor activities, historical exploration, art appreciation, gourmet dining, wine tasting and unique shopping. For comprehensive information for visitors, view the website of the City of Benicia.
For detailed information on events in Benicia for visitors and residents alike, go to the website for Benicia Main Street.
Downtown location of The Union Hotel puts you at the heart of all these activities. We are happy to assist you with plans and arrangements for your Benicia vacation.
Sightseeing
History abounds at The Union Hotel, the oldest functioning hotel of this size in California. Appreciate antique furniture adorning your room, enjoy world-class Bradbury and Bradbury Wallpaper adorning the hallways and some of the rooms, stop by The Union Hotel Restaurant and Bar to look at the 19th century bar carved in Africa, look at the old stained glass window placed in the ceiling of the restaurant.
Strolling up the First Street, stop at the State Capitol. You will find more information about the Capitol on the Benicia Main Street website:
Benicia State Capitol
115 W G Street
707-745-3385
Further down take a look at the Masonic Temple Hall built in 1850. On the opposite side of the First Street, you will find the First Episcopalian Church in California built in 1859.
Strolling down the First Street towards the Wharf, you will arrive at Train Depot Museum. Get acquainted with the history of the oldest train depot in California. Browse for a souvenir at the Benicia Main Street Gift Shop while sightseeing the museum. and office.
A chronicle of the 150-year struggle against Benicia’s natural disasters you will find at the Benicia Fire Museum:
Benicia Fire Museum
900 E. Second Street
707 745-1688
To visit a 19th century military post, go to:
Clock Tower Fortress
1189 Washington Street
707-745-4285
More local history presented in old maps, photographs, documents, chronicles, newspapers and letters, you will find at:
Benicia Historical Museum
2060 Camel Road
707-745-5435
Hiking
Take pedestrian and bike trails along the waterfront stretching from Benicia Marina to West 14th Street.
Look at the gorgeous Carquinez Straight Bridge during daytime and especially at night when it is lighted up. You can see the Bridge from Coast Lotus and Seaside Daisy of The Union Hotel.
For more intense hiking, drive or bike to Benicia State Park along I-780. Take Columbus Parkway Exit. Enjoy views from the Bay Area Ridge Trail. You can hike from there all the way to Vallejo. For more information, visit:
Benicia State Park
1 State Park Road
707-745-3385
Sailing
Anchor your yacht or boat at the Benicia Wharf. Do you want to know what Humphrey Bogart was doing in the 1940s? He would anchor his boat at the wharf and stay for a night or two at The Union Hotel.
To chat with local sailors, visit the beautiful Benicia Yacht Club. For more details, see:
Benicia Yacht Club
400 E 2nd Street
707-746-0739
Art Appreciation
Visit numerous art galleries and studios located downtown. Visit Arts Benicia website to meet Benicia artists and view their paintings and sculptures at Arts Benicia. The website also provides information on art classes offered by the artists.
Arts Benicia
991 Tyler Street #114
707 747-0131
Relaxation
Enjoy your health and beauty at the Courtyard Salon and Spa conveniently located across the D street from the Union Hotel. Across the First Street from the hotel, you will find a Fitness Center.
Moreover, up and down the First Street you will also find several massage studios.
Relax and exercise at the Benicia Yacht Club at the end of “D” Street.
Dining
Benicia is famous for numerous outstanding restaurants of various ethnic origins, notably, American Italian, Mexican, Japanese, Chinese, and English.
Start at the Union Hotel Restaurant and Bar (707 746-7847), of course, where you can enjoy Italian food and drinks. On Thursdays, the restaurant presents live bands.
In the vicinity of The Union Hotel, you will find the First Street Café. The café offers excellent American food. Next door to the Café, in the Double Rainbow Café, you will find many flavors of ice cream.
Strolling down the First Street toward the wharf, you will find Captain’s Blyther’s Restaurant. There you will find a rich selection of fish on the menu.
Shopping
Benicia is home to elegant boutique shops such as Christine, across from the Union Hotel and several others along the First Street.
Christina S (707 745-5125) features national fashion shows.
At Golden Horse Shoe Antiques you may find local artifacts and walking up and down the First Street, you will find several other antique and gift stores.
While in the area, visit the world-class Bradbury and Bradbury Wallpaper Factory, At the factory you can observe the process of making the wallpaper and admire an abundance of historically accurate patterns of various periods.
Do not miss several outstanding glass studios, i.e., Lindsay Art Glass, Nourot Glass Studio, and Smyers Glass located downtown.