El Cerrito

 

Neighborhoods here range from the tree-lined “flats” with modest houses to the rolling hills where stately homes look out toward the dazzling San Francisco cityscape. The Hillside Natural Area features hiking trails with some of the East Bay’s most incredible views of the Golden Gate Bridge. El Cerrito Plaza hosts a farmers’ market every Tuesday and Saturday, rain or shine. For some of the best desserts and pastries around, check out Fatapple’s Restaurant and Bakery on Fairmount Avenue. The El Cerrito Natural Grocery, renowned for its organic produce and health foods, took over a second building in 2014; the Annex, which is solar-powered, features a deli, cafe, ice cream bar, and expanded organic produce section. For entertainment, the historic Cerrito Theater Building, which dates to the 1930s and still maintains its original, neon-lit facade, houses a movie theater with sofas, tables, and chairs, as well as a restaurant and a bar, so you can enjoy a pizza and a beer while watching the latest flick. The Contra Costa Civic Theatre offers great plays and live theater productions. Many parts of El Cerrito have received a facelift in recent years. The new community center includes a sparkling new outdoor swim center, while the revamped City Hall has several green building elements as well as a water feature that pays tribute to the city’s many creeks. El Cerrito High School and Harding Elementary School are both recently built and absolutely lovely.

 

Strategically located along Interstate 80, El Cerrito is less than 30 miles from San Francisco and Oakland International airports. Its extensive transportation system includes two BART stations, direct bus lines to downtown San Francisco and Oakland, and easy freeway access.