Why I Love the East Bay Area

As someone who was born and raised in the Bay Area, I find it hard to come up with things not to love about it. Whatever you might be looking for in your dream hometown, the chances you’ll find it in the East Bay area are high. Incredible nature, friendly communities, awesome recreation, and unparalleled amenities — what’s not to love about the flourishing eastern portion of the S.F. Bay Area?

East Bay Cities and Location

Composed of the cities along the eastern shores of the San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay, East Bay is a region on the rise in all aspects. It has grown to include inland communities in Alameda and Contra Costa counties and the population is constantly growing as people relocate out of the city and into the suburbs.

As the largest city in the East Bay and the third-largest in the Bay Area, Oakland also serves as a main transportation hub for the US West Coast thanks to its large port. The rise in the population has led to the growth of large border cities such as Alameda, Concord, Emeryville, Fremont, Livermore, Pleasanton, San Ramon, and Walnut Creek. The East Bay area also has the Oakland Airport which allows domestic and international travel and is easy to get to.

Art and Culture in East Bay

Art and Culture thrive in the East Bay and many of your favorite musical acts come from the region; a few globally renowned names include Counting Crows, Green Day, MC Hammer, and Tupac Shakur. The region is also known as a center for the development of various music genres such as rock, folk, funk, jazz, hip hop, and soul. Watch a live show next time you’re in the area by heading to Lesher Theater in Walnut Creek. The famous entertainment venue hosts a variety of musicals, ballets, and other fantastic shows year-round.

Lesher Theater isn’t the only impressive venue in East Bay; a slew of other major music and sports venues dot the area as well. Head to the RingCentral Coliseum if you want to catch the Oakland A's in action, and the Paramount Theater to listen to Oakland East Bay Symphony live. Other notable music and spot venues include the Fox Oakland Theatre, U.C. Berkeley Greek Theater, The Freight and Salvage, and the Concord Pavilion.

Do you enjoy visiting museums? Easy Bay is home to the best museums in NorCal. History buffs love the Oakland Museum of California, science enthusiasts thrive at the Lawrence Hall of Science, and the Chabot Space and Science Center promises a fun time for every visitor stepping onto its premises. Add these bucket-list spots to your itinerary and you’ll find yourself leaving with a newfound appreciation for museums of all kinds.

The Natural Beauty of East Bay

Outdoor recreation is the name of the game in East Bay. There are over fifty parks in the area, many of which boast significant acreage of wildlands directly adjacent to urban centers. One of the largest regional parks is the 2,000-acre Tilden Regional Park located right next to the urban center of Berkeley. The Briones Regional Park is another sprawling wildlands park near Walnut Creek, spanning 5,000 acres. Hike, bike, and enjoy a variety of thrilling California adventures at the best parks in the area and you’ll find yourself falling for the region more and more.

Besides awesome national parks, the East Bay area is also home to other natural attractions you can’t help but notice. The most prominent one of them all is the vastly beautiful Mount Diablo. Legend has it that settlers used the mountain as a focal point to navigate toward the Bay Area.

Dining and Shopping in the East Bay

One of my favorite things about the East Bay area is the delicious restaurants and bars it has to offer.  In Walnut Creek alone, you can hit a different spot every day of the week and experience delicious meals and cultures from around the world. A few of my favorites are the Rooftop, Montecatini, and Torsap Thai Kitchen.

Walnut Creek is also wonderful for shopping at the Broadway Plaza and the surrounding area. You’ll find everything from well-known brands to specialty boutiques at this open-air shopping mall. If you’re someone who frequently indulges in retail therapy, we’ve warned you!

Weather in East Bay and Surrounding Areas

California’s beautiful year-round weather is one of its biggest draws. While some states may be warmer like Florida or have better mountains like Colorado, there's nowhere else in the country where one can enjoy all of it in one state; spend winter in California and you’ll appreciate this right away. The ocean may be colder than it is in the summer months, but locals still flock to the beach on sunny winter days when temperatures go up. The major coastal cities seldom reach freezing temperatures, and one has to climb to higher elevations to see snow. On a sunny day, it can actually feel warm enough to put on a bathing suit and lay out on the beach in mid-January in some parts of the state.

Are cold and snowy winters more of your jam? You can experience that as well by road-tripping to the state’s mountains for a snowy ski retreat. Winter temperatures range from cool to mild in most of California, except in the high mountains and the far northern part of the state. Winter is also California's rainy season, but how one experiences that rainfall varies depending on what part of the state they are in.

With these interesting facts, purchasing a property, particularly in the East Bay area might be something to look forward to this year.