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Day trip from KRHV / SFO area - request tips

Gagarin737

Well Known Member
We (my son and I) will fly with the company B787 to SFO next week. We are going to rent a Bonanza at KRHV (Reid-Hillview Airport). Looking for tips for nice airports (airport museum/lunch room etc)/trips/sightseeing to fly. Max 200nm radius from KRHV (Already familiar with the bay/bridge).

Thanks in advance, Joeri (Netherlands)
 
KMRY - Lunch spots close
KAPC - Nice area to drive around
KCVH - Sometimes some unique airplanes around
O22 - Nice walk into town where you can enjoy the town and a meal
 
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Shelter Cove

If the coast is clear of marine fog, check out Shelter Cove (0Q5). You can take a short hike off the North end of the airport and explore the black sand beach and scramble up some impressive rocks to enjoy the sounds and view. There is a restaurant on the field or you can take a short hike into town for a few other choices.

Great place to visit!
 
I fly out of Livermore (KLVK) and I enjoy early morning flights over the hills and up toward Discovery Bay. Its not a touristy thing like the Golden Gate but its pretty in the morning. There are many smaller airports in this area and I find it interesting to just go to some of these airports as part of my now active flight training.

A couple weeks ago I was down at Hollister (KCVH) (just south of Reid Hillview) and there are lots of gliders there. Or up at Mather (KMHR) in Sacramento you can be the only one using an 11,000 ft runway. Last time we were up there the controller seemed like he was looking for someone to talk to it was so quiet.

Maybe this is part of my new found piloting experience and veteran pilots may not enjoy these simple encounters like I do, but I'm just passing on some of what I have enjoyed.
 
200 miles easily puts you up at Lake Tahoe - one fo the more beautiful mountain lakes you’ll find in the States. South Lake has a restaurant…..
 
200 miles easily puts you up at Lake Tahoe - one fo the more beautiful mountain lakes you’ll find in the States. South Lake has a restaurant…..

+1. Elevation is 6000’ and it can get warm, but just two in the Bonanza should be okay. Airport restaurant is okay, or you can take a taxi into town. City sits on the CA-NV border; nicer restaurants in CA side imho; you can give your money to the cassinos on the NV side, if that’s your thing. Don’t forget to lean for takeoff, unless you rent a turbo-bonnanza.
 
You probably know this--I'm just trying to be a nice guy here---but just in case maybe you don't know, being from the Netherlands, CA means California, and NV means Nevada. Lake Tahoe is very very beautiful. Half the lake is in California, and the other half is in Nevada.:):)
 
Thank you for the tips! Hopefully no marine fog this time. Shelter Cove and Monterey looks nice.
Have been skiing in Lake Tahoe several times. Familiar with the CA/NV border (and the casino's ;-) ). Lake Tahoe was my first suggestion but density altitude can be high (it's a normally aspirated Bonanza). Time difference/jetlag (9 hours) is an other thing. Sometimes you feel great in SFO during a layover and sometimes staying in bed all day, so the plan also depends on the fitness of both of us.

Mojave airport is also on the list (224Nm). To see two dismantled company MD-11's (flew them for only 2 years but it's still my favorite).

Once more thanks for the help, more suggestions are always appreciated!
 
If you go to Mojave you can stop at Harris Ranch for lunch or dinner. Nothing to see (it’s in the middle of a cattle feed lot) but it’s a very short walk from tie-down to the restaurant. I usually order the prime rib, but other steaks are good too.

Be advised the Pacific north west has been having unusually hot (110 F) wx. SFO and south are okay, but Oregon and north are so hot that Vans sent employees home early.
 
KHAF -- Half Moon Bay, Princeton by the Sea...

Barbara's Fish Trap; It's a short walk from the south end of the field, through the fence, down the street...
 
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Museum at McClellan

Nice museum at KMCC Aero Space Museum of California and Lunch at the Museum or at the O Club.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions!
The day went a bit different than planned;-)
Early (07.00am) at Reid Hillview Aiport. Planning was to fly to KMCC, visit the museum. Thereafter to a field near Yosemite en thereafter back to Red-Hillview.
During run up we noticed that the alternator was not charging. We had to go back to the ramp. After some maintenance the alternator was back online but we had to deal with a very hard to start engine.
Beautiful flight over SFO and the bay and thereafter to KMCC. Perfect service at McClellan jet center. We were able to use the courtesy car to go the museum.
After returning to the airport we tried to light up the engine. In no way we were able to start the engine. An instructeur flew to KMCC but he was also not able to start the engine. Decided to Leave the plane at KMCC and drive back to Reid hill. Hopefully more luck next time
 
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