What is there to do in Fremont, CA?

why are you visiting Fremont - business? vacation?

It is not a "destination" but it is in the Bay area so you can visit San Francisco, Berkeley, Marin county/Muir Woods, several different wine regions, and so on.

Short answer for a short question - Nothing!

I grew up in Fremont. What are you interested in "doing"? Maybe I can help with more info.

I live in Fremont and don't appreciate the comment from JayZee...there are things to do in Fremont. We have some very nice parks to hike in and excellent restaurants to eat in.

Fremont is in the SF Bay Area and a short drive or BART ride to San Francisco. You can also drive south and spend the day in Monterey. Many things to do within a days trip.

Beth if there are many things to do in Fremont maybe you could provide more details of them.

Maybe you could list the parks that have hikes and the restaurants you would suggest.

I worked in Fremont for about 15 years, and I've been sitting here trying to think of an answer to your question. When I first came to California when my husband was discharged from the Air Force, there was no Fremont, only several districts: Centerville, Irvington, etc. It is now quite a large city and I'm still trying to answer your question.

A couple of restaurants come to mind: Massimo's and Papillon. Both were good when I worked there a few years ago.

The important thing is you're close to lots of things to see and do. If you are without a car, there's a BART station in Fremont which you can take to San Francisco and other places in the area.

I don't mean to demean Fremont, it just plain and simple isn't a tourist destination! Sorry Beth, but that's the unvarnished truth.

Niles is a neighborhood in Fremont where Charlie Chaplin had his northern CA film studio.

Also, near Fremont is Sunol. The only town in America that had a dog for its mayor. There's brew pub there named after Mayor Bosco (Bosco's Bones and Brew).
www.boscosbonesandbrew.com

The best sushi in the Bay Area is one town up in Hayward. There Sushi Omakase special is outstanding.
Akihana Restaurantý
22560 Foothill Blvd
Hayward, CAý
(510) 537-4466

Check out Niles Canyon Railway, it's a fun train, do they have wine tasting rides in August only? If you can catch this one, it's great! If not, just a choo-choo train ride is fun(full size, it's not a miniature train)

Also I remember taking an express bus from Fremont BART station to Great America. Or drive.

We are flying out to San Francisco and planning on spending our evenings in SF - at the clubs there, maybe a late dinner... but we don't want to stay in a hotel in the City because we don't want to pay for parking and don't want to deal with city traffic since we will spend most of our time outside of the city, in places like Santa Cruz, Monterey, Pebbles Beach, San Jose... we feel Fremont is a "central" location to these places. If we stay in SF, we will end up driving a good distance to get to some of these areas. Any other suggestions? From my understanding, it takes about 30 mins to drive to SF from Fremont, am I correct? We may also take advantage of the BART if we plan to go there during the day... I imagine that's a train that takes you right into the City?

Its closer to an hour drive to the city from Fremont. Fremont is much closer to San Jose.

If it were me and I didn't want to stay in the city I'd stay in Berkeley. There is more to do there and the restaurants are better.

You really don't want to 'drive' into the city from Fremont and look (and PAY) for parking.

If you are going to be visiting clubs at night you DO NOT want to drive back to Fremont. I do not know where you are from but California has a very strict law about blood alcohol level when driving, and the fines are astronomical, not to mention that they can actually put you in jail for the night.

But, my suggestion is this. In San Francisco in the Marina, on the Lombard Street corridor are many motor inns of reasonable prices where you can park your car and leave it for free until you want to leave the city. To get downtown (to clubs, etc) San Francisco has an excellent public transportation system. From here you can actually walk to Fisherman's Wharf if you can walk 6 blocks or so.

As for driving times. From San Francisco you can be in Santa Cruz in a little over than an hour and a half. The Monterey Peninsula (Monterey, Pebble Beach, etc.) is 45 minutes south of that. If you go to Monterey without going through Santa Cruz, it is even less time. San Jose from San Francisco in an hour.

Look at these...

http://www.franciscobayinn.com/
http://www.coventrymotorinn.com/
http://www.chelseamotorinn.com/
http://www.lombardmotorinn.com/

These all start at under $100 and there are more. Consider that you will not be using $3.50/ gallon gasoline, paying a hefty parking fee and having the driving hassle.

The area of the city in which these are located is very safe, actually around it is a high-end residential district. and you will be able to walk to breakfast, and even dinner if you want.

Reconsider. It will make your trip so much more pleasant.

Yes. Please reconsider and try to stay in the city! Even if you stay near the airport, you will be better off than in Fremont - for all your needs. Fremont is not really a particularly "central" location for anything touristy. It is strictly a bedroom community, rather inconvenient to San Francisco.

The drive from Fremont to the areas you named is miserable most of the time. Lots and lots of traffic. If you want to be in San Francisco or Monterey, stay there or split your time in half but don't stay in Fremont.

My husband goes to Fremont frequently on business (and always has a rental car). The first time I went, stayed in Fremont and went into the city every day (by myself). Hotel had free shuttle service to BART station.

Since then, we stay in the city. It's just better to wake up there and be able to enjoy a cocktail with dinner and not worry about driving "home".

I definitely agree with staying in the city the days you have plans there. Well worth the additional expense.

Can someone please tell me where I can find a good map of San Francisco that will show Fremont, Santa Cruz, San Jose, Monterey, Pebbles Beach, etc...

any book shop will have a map of california that will have insets of the SF bay area.

But to repeat -- you do not want to stay in Fremont as a base for any of the places you listed. The distances may look short/easy, but they are not and the drives/hassle could ruin your holiday.

Just go to Google maps.

Columbus Motor Inn, in SF, does not charge for parking: http://www.columbusmotorinn.com/ You couldn't pay me to stay in Fremont and do your itinerary.

Have you ever used google maps? outstanding source for everything besides getting maps. For your Fremont to SF - http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl is just a sample of what this web site can do. Spend a little time experimenting.

PS - read & trust StuDudley on Bay Area stuff!!!

yes - google maps is great - but for a map you can plot on, see the whole area and distances, etc, a plain old fold up paper map is a good thing to have. If you belong to AAA you can get them for free.