The City of Orinda is a family-oriented community in a semi-rural valley on the east side of the Oakland/Berkeley hills in the San Francisco Bay Area. It offers its 17,600 residents a serene setting in contrast to the more urban existence of the surrounding area. Orinda is situated immediately east of the Caldecott Tunnel on Highway 24 and is served by Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART). The tree-studded hillsides of the 12.8 square-mile city contributes to its beauty. It is surrounded by natural settings including Tilden Park, San Pablo Reservoir, Briones Open Space and the Lafayette Reservoir. Orinda schools are consistently ranked among the best in California. Orinda’s proximity to San Francisco makes Orinda a delightful place to live and work.

Big City Buzz with Mountain Views

Mt. Diablo, Glam restaurants, power shopping, edgy art, cool theater and symphonic music – all in a small town jewelsetting ringed by mountain views that deliver on their promise of outdoor recreational opportunities. Yes, you can have it all. And it’s all in Walnut Creek. Located in the temperate East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, Walnut Creek is 22 miles from San Francisco and 15 miles from Berkeley, close enough for easy access and synergistic sophistication but far enough away for a respite from big city stress. It’s the best of both worlds.

Location and Climate

Concord, California is located 29 miles east of San Francisco, adjacent to beautiful Mt. Diablo. The city covers 31.13 square miles. With a 2010 census count of 122,067 residents, it is the largest city in Contra Costa County.

Concord provides ready access to San Francisco, Napa Valley, Silicon Valley and Sacramento. This convenient, central location, along with a temperate climate, allows residents to enjoy a wide variety of unique and scenic attractions within the immediate Bay Area as well as throughout Northern California.

Neighborhoods

Neighborhoods are important to the city’s family-oriented lifestyle, which balances Concord’s gracious early California heritage with vigorous, thoughtful development. Concord offers a range of housing options and prices, from apartments to executive residences. Quiet neighborhoods, numerous parks and large preserves of open space add to the quality of life for all residents.

The attractive community of Pleasant Hill has grown to nearly 33,000 residents since its incorporation in 1961. Since 2000 when it opened its new downtown, Pleasant Hill has developed a sense of identity and a strong financial base. The downtown area, near the City Hall and its lake, is part of a redevelopment project that has become a pedestrian jewel for residents and visitors alike.

Located in the central part of Contra Costa County alongside Interstate 680, Pleasant Hill has a nearby BART station and extensive County Connection bus lines to serve both residents and commuters. Primarily a bedroom community, the City has a mix of new developments and older neighborhoods. Pleasant Hill is especially proud to be the home of the county’s main central library as well as the home to John F. Kennedy University, a multi-disciplinary college with a law school and other professional schools, and Diablo Valley College, one of the leading state community colleges. The City’s schools are served by the Mt. Diablo Unified School District.

And only a few steps from busy city streets in Pleasant Hill is an entirely different world – a network of beautiful regional trails for jogging, hiking, bicycling, skating and horseback riding with many of these trails passing through the heart of the city. These trails allow the user a chance to enjoy a leisurely, rural pace while experiencing beautiful trails in fresh air and landscaped surroundings with some trails providing sweeping vistas of the nearby mountains and Mt. Diablo.

As with the entire Tri-Valley, agriculture was the basis for San Ramon economy until suburban development began. In 1966 the new Interstate 680 freeway was completed through San Ramon to Dublin. For years a sign “San Ramon Population 100” accurately reflected the number of people in the area, with the whole San Ramon Valley having just over 2000 people for many decades.

The designation “San Ramon Village” first appeared in the 1970 census with a count of 4,084 people, part of a San Ramon Valley population of 25,899. Developers Ken Volk and Bob McClain built the first San Ramon suburban homes close to the county line. A special district, the Valley Community Services district (VCSD) provided the water, parks, sewer, fire protection and garbage collection for the new homes.

The home of St. Mary’s College

The Town of Moraga is named for Joaquin Moraga, the grandson of Joseph Joaquin Moraga who was second in command of the Anza expedition of 1776, the founder of San Francisco, Mission Dolores and the founder and first commandant of the Presidio. Joaquin Moraga, who also served in the military with his father Gabriel Moraga at the Presidio of San Francisco, left the Army in 1819. He and his cousin, Juan Bernal, received a 13,316 acre land grant from the Mexican government in 1835. The original land grant, known as Rancho Laguna De Los Palos Colorados (Ranch Of The Lake Of The Redwoods), included parts of Orinda and Lafayette and the communities of Canyon, Redwood, Rheem, and Moraga.

Martinez is a small city of 36,663 residents, 12.47 square miles, where parents raise their children, antique stores fill the downtown, and Amtrak stops daily. It is the home of “Joltin” Joe DiMaggio, a local boy who made good.

Martinez was one of the oldest Anglo cities in California before California became a state. Martinez catered to gold searchers who arrived on the Carquinez Strait’s south shore to take Dr. Robert Semple’s horse-powered ferry boat to Benicia on their trek to the gold country.

In 1850, Martinez was declared the County Seat, bringing lawyers, judges and other permanent residents. Martinez tried to incorporate in 1850 but did not have 200 registered voters, a state mandate for incorporation. Martinez was first incorporated in 1876 and became a sixth-class city by reincorporation in 1884.

Martinez is the home of the John Muir National Historic Site which features his home from 1890 until his death in 1914. Also on the property is the Don Vicente Martinez Adobe, built in 1849 by the son of Rancho owner, Don Ygnacio Martinez, of the Rancho el Pinole.

Martinez is the birthplace of “Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio,” famed New York Yankee baseball player of the 1930’s and 1940’s. Mr. DiMaggio’s Chris Craft boat is on display at the Martinez Marina park. The Martinez Museum has a small display of DiMaggio items, including his 1915 birth certificate.

Today, Martinez is a city with a strong sense of its history and a keen appreciation for the families that are its future. More than a dozen parks and plenty of open space are located within its twelve square mile area. The waterfront now features a fine marina and related activities, such as, fishing, hiking trails, world class bocce ball courts and tournament-style baseball and softball fields. Youth programs and historical museums thrive here, along with the businesses that make this city a hub of activity.

For Living. For business. For you.

The best of any condition is the seamless combination of form and function. Lafayette’s beauty and quiet rural atmosphere is never overshadowed by the variety of services, products, activities, resources and recreations offered. They combine exquisitely into the best condition for living, working and owning a business.

For Living

Forget about Lafayette having some of California’s top primary educational institutions. Even forget about the theaters, the Lafayette reservoir, the Iron Horse walking trail… those are icing on an already tasty cake. Lafayette is so much more. For instance, look at the wide range of clubs and organizations in the community. From Little Leagues to Rotary Clubs; from drama groups to an archery club, there is something to peak everyone’s interest in being a participant in the community. The Lafayette Community Center offers a myriad of activities for all Lafayette residents from preschoolers through older adults and seniors. The City Council and City Commissions also meet at the Community Center. Living here means enjoying being a daily part of the community and having a say in what matters. Lafayette understands that your hometown is for living.

Discovery Bay was established in the early 1970’s as a mostly weekend and summer resort community. Today, Discovery Bay has evolved into a thriving year-round home for over 17,000 residents who enjoy small-town living against the backdrop of over 1200 miles of Delta waterway.

Currently boasting a full-service marina, 3 public schools and 1 private school, 2 shopping centers and a business park, Discovery Bay now has the infrastructure needed to support residents within their own community as well as serve those who travel to the area to enjoy the splendor of the Delta.

Boaters can navigate from Discovery Bay to the San Francisco Bay, enabling residents to literally go anywhere in the world from their backyard. Whether you enjoy fishing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, or simply exploring the California Delta, there is no shortage of things to do here. Discovery Bay enjoys a wonderful spectrum of seasonal climates including everything from warm summers to rainy winters.

Discovery Bay is no longer limited to simply Delta waterfront homes; it has developed into a community that provides something for everyone. Discovery Bay offers gated lakefront homes as well as Country Club homes located on a world-class golf course. Recent additions include the 2 gated communities of Lakeshore and The Lakes, as well as nearby Ravenswood, a community planned around a new public park.

The “Heart of the San Ramon Valley,” Danville offers the perfect blend of upscale amenities and small-town charm. Its quaint character and convenient location just 30 miles east of San Francisco make it the perfect place to work, live, and play. With a population of approximately 42,039. Danville is known for its small-town atmosphere and its outstanding quality of life.

Danville’s historic downtown features shops, restaurants, and art galleries that draw people from throughout the area. You’ll find epicurean adventures around every corner like upscale eateries with one-of-a-kind menus and pizzerias with family-friendly fare. Arts and culture abound at the Village Theatre, The Museum of the San Ramon Valley, and the Tao House—home to America’s only Nobel Prize winning playwright Eugene O’Neill.

One of Danville’s most desirable attributes is its sense of community. The town hosts a wonderful array of events throughout the year from Farmer’s Markets to street fairs to holiday celebrations. The Town’s highly rated schools, executive homes, and unending recreational activities(including hiking, biking, swimming and more) add to the town’s unparalleled appeal.