If you are relocating to the East Bay be sure to check out the communities along the I-680 Corridor (Walnut Creek, Alamo, Danville, San Ramon, Dublin & Pleasanton). Also, look at the communities between Walnut Creek and Berkeley - Lafayette, Orinda and Moraga. 

What Ginny and I like about living in the East Bay (Danville) is the safe environment, great communities and the award-winning schools. The outdoor living makes life even more pleasant. In general the weather is nice, the climate is warm and dry.

There are many fun communities, like Pleasanton, Danville, Lafayette and Walnut Creek which has that real down town feeling. The whole area is rife with great restaurants, bars and shops.

In summer, most communities organize art, music and wine festivals or Danville's "Hot Summer Nights" (video) with live bands and colorful hot rods. Another big event in Danville is the 4th of July parade.

The area is great for outdoor activities like running or riding your bike on the Iron Horse Trail, a bike path that runs all the way from Pleasanton up to Walnut Creek. We love riding our bikes on the trail to downtown Danville to go have lunch or have a coffee. Biking is also popular on Mount  Diablo, a great landmark in the valley where people like to hike, camp, ride horses or just visit the center at the top of the mountain where you can read and learn about the history of the valley including the many Indian tribes that have lived here.

BART is a great way to get to San Francisco quickly and you avoid the hassle of parking your car in the city. BART runs from either Dublin/Pleasanton or Lafayette/Walnut Creek to San Francisco.

Living in the East Bay is great; you not only have the advantage of raising your children in a small community but at the same time you have one of the world's great cosmopolitan cities nearby. The East Bay, having so much to offer, is simply one of the best areas you could hope to relocate to.