Parked in Alameda — yes, that quiet island town you probably only know from memes about not getting a new base there — sits one of the most decorated aircraft carriers in U.S. Navy history. The USS Hornet (CV-12) served in World War II, survived typhoons and kamikaze attacks, and later recovered the Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 astronauts when they splashed down from the moon. That's not a metaphor. This ship literally caught astronauts.

And yet most San Franciscans will spend $45 to shuffle through some forgettable Fisherman's Wharf attraction instead.

The Hornet is a floating museum staffed largely by volunteers — people who actually care about history and want to share it, not extract maximum ticket revenue from confused tourists. You can tour the flight deck, the hangar bay, the engine room, officers' quarters, and more. It's the kind of place where you walk in thinking you'll spend an hour and emerge three hours later having learned something real about the sacrifices that secured the freedoms we enjoy today.

As one local who visited over the weekend put it, it's a "great place if you like history" — and honestly, even if you think you don't, the sheer scale of a World War II-era carrier has a way of recalibrating your perspective.

Here's the fiscal angle we love: the Hornet operates as a nonprofit. No massive government subsidy propping it up. Volunteers keep the lights on and the exhibits running. It's a model of community-driven preservation that doesn't rely on taxpayer bailouts — something a few San Francisco institutions could learn from.

Admission is reasonable, parking is free, and you're supporting something that actually matters. Take the Estuary crossing some weekend. You won't regret it.