Liking Livermore

OpenRoad.TV's Doug McConnell waxes poetic about the Tri-Valley town

I've been exploring the open road of the Livermore Valley lately, and have been reminded of all the special spots along the way. Many of us never get off I-580 to poke around, and that's a mistake.

First of all, this is wine country with, quite literally, deep roots. Wente Winery has been in the same family since 1883. Generation after generation, the descendants of C.H. Wente have been producing fine wine. Concannon has also been in the neighborhood since 1883, which, coincidentally, was the year my grandfather was born on the other side of Mt. Diablo in Brentwood as I mentioned in a previous blog. These days, I believe there are about 40 wineries around Livermore. After tasting here and there, I discovered a very nice place to eat and play bocce when the weather's nice, Café Garré. Not far away, I encountered the relaxing Purple Orchid retreat where I enjoyed a wonderful massage in a beautiful setting. I didn't want to leave.

In Livermore itself, I always like to swing by Duarte's Garage, an historical landmark along the old Lincoln Highway, America's first trans-continental road for automobiles. The Lincoln Highway and Duarte's are almost a hundred years old, but Livermore's famous firehouse light bulb is even older. It's been burning continuously, except for three brief interruptions when it was moved, since 1901. In Livermore, they always leave the light on for you.

Downtown Livermore is becoming a terrific place to get out of the car and walk around. I don't know the shops there well but I plan to get back soon to explore. My friends do recommend the classic Donut Wheel and the August Tea Room where they say you can don a frilly hat while you sip. That may or may not work for me, but in Livermore, I'm always ready for surprises.

For more about travel in the West, visit Dou'g website, www.OpenRoad.tv

Posted at 05:24 PM in Doug McConnell’s OpenRoad.TV Tips | Permalink