Culture, Technology, and History
San Jose has always been one of those places I've traveled through rather than to.
We've attended concerts at Shoreline Amphitheatre, visited the Winchester Mystery House more than once, and driven through the surrounding area countless times.
But had I ever really stopped to explore?
Not particularly!
This time, I decided it was high time to correct that. 😉
As we drove through Mountain View, we passed the enormous technology campuses and research facilities that have made Silicon Valley famous.
We even passed the Computer History Museum, which immediately went onto my list for a future visit.
But something else caught our attention.
Hangar One.
Located at Moffett Federal Airfield, this enormous structure was built in the 1930s to house the Navy's giant airships. Covering nearly eight acres, it's difficult to appreciate its size until you're standing nearby.
My niece, an enthusiastic aviation fan, spotted it as we drove past.
Naturally, we had to investigate! 😂
We approached the entrance without realizing the area had restricted access. Fortunately, the security officer was very kind and permitted us to visit an area open to us, even though the public museum was closed that day.
We enjoyed seeing the historic airfield and learning more about the research conducted at NASA's nearby Ames Research Center.
Aviation history, space exploration, robotics, and cutting-edge technology—all in one place.
And, of course, we added another destination to our ever-growing list of places to revisit!
Mission San José
Our next discovery was Mission San José in nearby Fremont.
I've always been fascinated by California's Spanish missions, so discovering another one to visit was an unexpected treat.
Between 1769 and 1823, Spanish Franciscan missionaries, led by Padre Junipero Serra who established the first mission in San Diego. The Franciscan friars established 21 missions throughout Alta California, stretching from San Diego to Sonoma.
Mission San José was founded in 1797 and became an important part of the region's Spanish colonial history.
Of course, the history of California's missions is complicated. The mission system affected Indigenous communities, including the Ohlone peoples who lived in the surrounding region long before Spanish settlement.
Following Mexican independence from Spain, the missions underwent significant changes, including secularization and the transfer of much of their property.
The original Mission San José church was severely damaged in the 1868 Hayward earthquake. The building visitors see today is a reconstruction completed in 1985. The interior and graveyard were small but significant, and we enjoyed seeing the links to the community that were apparent in every step.
It was a fascinating stop and another reminder that there's far more history tucked into the Bay Area than many travelers realize.
As we continued toward home, we decided we weren't quite ready for the adventure to end.
Donner Lake
Donner Lake and Donner Summit are familiar sights to those of us who live in Northern Nevada, but we'd never really taken the time to explore them.
Most people know the area because of the tragic Donner Party expedition of 1846–1847, when a group of emigrants became trapped by winter storms in the Sierra Nevada.
But beyond its difficult history, Donner Summit is also extraordinarily beautiful.
We'd seen photographs of a somewhat hidden swing overlooking Donner Lake, and we decided that finding it would be our final little adventure.
It proved more difficult than expected!
But we enjoyed the search, the mountain scenery, and the spectacular views along the way, reaching the summit where the Donner Party passed on their fateful trek.
Eventually, we found it, and the views from the swing were heavenly.
And just like that, we'd created another memory in a place we'd passed countless times before.
Sometimes the best adventures are the ones closest to home. ❤️
To celebrate our successful search, we stopped at a little local ice cream shop, the Little Truckee Ice Creamery.
And oh, was that a good decision!
Vanilla ice cream with pine nut brittle. Absolutely delicious!
It was the perfect sweet ending to an adventure filled with history, unexpected discoveries, and a few more memories made along the way.
The Holly Abroad Way — A Few Things We Learned Today
Don't overlook familiar places. Sometimes the most interesting discoveries are in towns you've driven through dozens of times.
Follow your curiosity. An enormous airplane hangar wasn't on the itinerary, but it became one of the most memorable stops.
Respect restricted areas. Research facilities and military airfields may have limited public access. Check visitor information before arriving.
Explore the history beneath the surface. California's missions tell complicated stories that deserve to be understood from multiple perspectives.
Make time for scenic detours. A little extra time at Donner Summit gave us a wonderful memory.
And never underestimate the power of good ice cream. 😂
