I don't think these maps take into account mountains. There are rest stops on 280 (just south of 92) that (at least used to) host telescope parties: https://ma

I don't think these maps take into account mountains. There are rest stops on 280 (just south of 92) that (at least used to) host telescope parties: https://maps.app.goo.gl/vWEkH1bSvaUZKZHS8 https://maps.app.goo.gl/vWEkH1bSvaUZKZHS8. You can definitely see the Milky Way from there, but remember it'll take 30 minutes to acclimate your eyes: tell your kids to stay off their phones (!). You're behind the San Andreas range to block out a lot of the peninsula light pollution, and you've got the coastal range holding back the fog (at least most of the time). Less moon is (much) better, and use a satellite tracker to have something else to watch out for.