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Oak-studded ridges, a reservoir ringed by walking trails and a compact downtown full of restaurants define Lafayette, a leafy city in the Lamorinda corner of Contra Costa County. It sits just east of the Berkeley Hills, where the Caldecott Tunnel and BART bring it within half an hour of Oakland and San Francisco, yet it keeps the feel of a semi-rural East Bay valley.
The area grew up around Rancho Acalanes, and the settlement took the name of the Marquis de Lafayette in the 1850s. For a century it was ranch and orchard country before suburban growth arrived, and residents incorporated as a city in 1968. Much of that open landscape survives on the hills around town.
Most visitors come for the outdoors: the paved loop and rim trail at Lafayette Reservoir, the grassy spine of Lafayette Ridge, the edge of Briones Regional Park and the old rail line now known as the Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail. Afterward, Mount Diablo Boulevard offers cafes, wine bars and dinner spots, and Moraga and Orinda are only a few minutes away.
An East Bay Municipal Utility District reservoir with a paved shoreline path of about 2.7 miles, picnic areas, fishing piers and rental rowboats, kayaks and pedal boats. Locals walk it daily, so arrive early on weekends; parking is paid at the gate and the lot can fill by mid-morning.
A steeper dirt trail of roughly 4.7 miles that climbs the ridges around Lafayette Reservoir, with stair-step climbs and wide views toward Mount Diablo and the Berkeley Hills. Bring water and sturdy shoes, and avoid the exposed sections at midday in summer when the hillsides get hot.
A paved path of about 7.6 miles that follows the route of the old Sacramento Northern Railway from Lafayette south through the Moraga valley. It is popular with cyclists, joggers and families with strollers, and passes creeks, oaks and backyards. Start near Olympic Boulevard and turn back whenever you like.
A wide fire-road section of the Briones to Mount Diablo Regional Trail that climbs the grassy spine of Lafayette Ridge from the staging area on Pleasant Hill Road. The climb is steep but short, rewarding you with views over Lafayette, Walnut Creek and Mount Diablo. Shade is scarce, so go early or late.
A hillside beside Highway 24 and the BART tracks covered with rows of white crosses and markers, placed by local residents from 2006 to honor American service members killed in the Iraq War. It is visible from passing trains and cars; the site is on private land, so view it respectfully from the roadside.
An airy library on Mount Diablo Boulevard that opened in 2009 with reading rooms, a children's area, community meeting rooms and a busy calendar of talks, science programs and author events. It is a pleasant, free stop on a downtown stroll, and the plaza outside is a good place to sit with a coffee.
A boutique hotel built in the style of a French country chateau, with courtyards, a fountain, a spa and a restaurant, set on a rise at the western end of downtown. Even if you stay elsewhere, the lounge and patio make a calm spot for a drink after a day on the trails.
A small community theater company that stages plays, musicals and family productions inside the town's early 20th-century town hall building near downtown. The intimate house means every seat is close to the stage. Check the season schedule online, as shows run for limited weekends and sell out.
Lafayette's main street is lined with bistros, sushi bars, bakeries, wine bars and casual cafes, many with sidewalk or patio seating. It gets lively on Friday and Saturday evenings when diners come from across the East Bay, so reserve ahead for dinner and use the public lots behind the storefronts.
A weekend street festival held downtown each September, with hundreds of artists and craftspeople, regional wine and beer, food stalls, live music on several stages and a children's area. Streets close to traffic, so arriving by BART is the easiest option; expect crowds on Saturday afternoon.
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California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
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