Given the view from Highway 680 (across from the Shell refinery) from the Benicia–Martinez Bridge, the common perception is that Martinez is a refinery town, however, the city is in fact largely surrounded by water and regional open space preserves. Martinez has a rich Bay Area history. It was both a weigh station during the California Gold Rush in 1849 as well as an active route along the Pony Express just years later. Possibly the most notable fact is that Martinez was the home of John Muir for over thirty years. Be sure to visit the John Muir National Historic Site when you go to see the beautiful Victorian mansion and the 325 acre property of native woodlands where he lived.
Martinez’s downtown area has a number of historic buildings and antique shops. Stretching beyond are more suburban areas and the rural Alhambra Valley and Franklin Canyon. Along the north end of the city lies the Carquinez Strait where you will find the Martinez Regional Shoreline. Beautiful views and an abundance of wildlife can be seen along the shoreline where Waterbird Regional Preserve can be found to the east. Martinez is one of only two places in the Bay Area where the San Francisco Bay Trail and the Bay Area Ridge Trail come together. The parks in Martinez are expansive, they even have a large bocce ball court where locals gather in crowds on summer evenings. There is also an easily accessible public marina in town. If you’re a fan of biking, boating or hiking the trails, Martinez offers access to plenty!
The closest BART station, North Concord/Martinez, is outside of Martinez, but still serves the area along with various Contra Costa bus lines and Amtrak, which runs daily through Martinez on a number of routes including Oakland, San Jose and Sacramento. The Martinez school district includes four elementary schools, one middle school and one high school. There are also a handful of private and parochial schools in the city.
