The East Bay

From the lively and vibrant downtowns of Berkeley and Oakland to the tree-lined suburbs set along the rolling hills and gorgeous open spaces, the East Bay has a wide variety of neighborhoods to offer anyone considering a move to the Bay Area. My own memories of growing up in the East Bay include exploring the oak-shaded trails, swimming in backyard pools, and biking downtown with friends in our friendly little town just 20 miles east of San Francisco. And while most people who relocate to the Bay will likely tour San Francisco first, they may end up falling in love with East Bay’s more laid back vibe, exceptional international cuisine, outdoor space at home, and warmer weather – all within easy reach of SF but without the higher housing cost.

This region appeals to anyone looking for a (more) affordable place to settle down and raise a family within a decent commute distance to The City. Read on to learn more about some of East Bay’s most desirable places to live and see which community might fit your budget, commute, and lifestyle.One big appeal of East Bay life is that most communities are within reach of BART’s rail system. Living near one of the East Bay’s 34 stations means you can generally reach SF’s Financial District within 30 minutes to an hour during commute hours. BART serves most cities here with 120 miles of track, 48 stations, and 5 major lines that take riders throughout the East Bay and into San Francisco daily (and just recently opened their first San Jose station). Train service begins at 6:00 am and the last train operates until shortly after midnight and offers riders a frequency of trains that other Bay Area agencies such as CalTrain don’t offer so it’s easy to understand why the chance to live in close proximity to a BART station makes east bay housing more and more desirable each year. If you miss your BART train, you’ll wait 15 minutes. In comparison, if you miss your CalTrain, you have to wait nearly an hour.

Aside from the everyday commute, the East Bay is considered to be very centrally located to most weekend outings in and around the Bay; whether it’s the coastal towns of Marin County, the wineries in Napa Valley, the beach vibes of Santa Cruz, or the beauty of Lake Tahoe, the East Bay is usually only an hour to two away from these popular weekend getaways.

If you love the outdoors and moderate predictable weather, the East Bay is for you! Biking and hiking trails, water recreation, jogging, mountains, grasslands…it’s all here. East Bay Regional Park District operates and maintains a network of regional parks with over 120,000 acres, 65 parks, and over 1,200 miles of trails. The Bay Trail is a picturesque “500-mile walking and cycling path around the entire San Francisco Bay”, easily accessible to East Bay residents. A favorite local hike even takes you through a large grove of redwoods right in Oakland’s backyard.