Emma @ theweekendabroad.com, Author at The Weekend Abroad

What to Expect at the Alameda County Fair

The 2017 Alameda County Fair was filled with ginormous food, adrenaline-packed shows, unique competitions, educational exhibits on flora and fauna, carnival ride fun, and popular music acts. I had only been to one American fair prior to this one, which was the annual California State Fair in the state’s capital of Sacramento. I’m not sure what other state fairs are like, but this one was a spectacle in my opinion. There was so much to see and do that we ended up spending 8 hours there!

Why You’ll Love ID10T Festival

…assuming they’ll do it again next year. If you didn’t hear about this year’s inaugural ID10T Festival, it was a music and comedy festival, plus a comic-con all wrapped into two jam-packed days at Silicon Valley’s Shoreline Amphitheater this past weekend. Headliners included Weezer, Girl Talk, Demetri Martin, and Nikki Glaser. The diverse event was created and hosted by Chris Hardwick, who most know from Talking Dead, the Nerdist Podcast, and most recently, Talking with Chris Hardwick (the guy does a lot). Despite being a first time event, ID10T Fest exceeded my expectations and I absolutely hope that this is not the last.

How to do a Weekend Trip: Camping in Salt Point State Park and Point Reyes

Camping in Salt Point State Park and Point Reyes is a wonderful Northern California weekend getaway. This past Father’s Day weekend, myself and 3 others headed north of the Bay Area for a 48 hour camping trip around both areas. I’ve been working non-stop and juggling various jobs over the past month so a nature-filled weekend spent along the coast was exactly “what the doctor ordered”. I was actually ecstatic to finally have a screen-free couple of days. I put my phone on airplane mode and exclusively used it for photos. I never had to charge it once! We visited a historic lighthouse, sunk our toes in sand at 2 beaches, traversed 2 hiking trails, and consumed local seafood.

How to Get a Spectacular Free Oakland Harbor Tour

I went on a beautiful – and educational – free Oakland harbor tour on Friday night thanks to the Port of Oakland. The Port is offering free harbor tours twice a month from May – October for the third year in a row and I cannot recommend it enough. The views of the bay and San Francisco are stunning (especially as the sun sets) and learning about all the business and trade that occurs in the harbor was eye-opening and worthwhile. The tour features guest speakers from different companies that operate in the Port.