Check Out Contra Costa County and Orinda!

Welcome to Contra Costa County

Beyond the Oakland hills lies Contra Costa County, the third largest county in the Bay Region. Incorporated in 1850 as one of California's original counties, it derives its name from the Spanish term meaning "Opposite coast", referring to its location of San Franciso. Following World War II, California boomed into suburbia and the virtues of Contra Costa County were soon discovered - among them: mild winters, balmy summers, rolling country, and a pleasant but active style of life.

Contra Costa County is bordered on three sides by water and encompasses several recreation reservoirs. Water sports, hiking and riding trails, camping, golfing and botanical gardens are just some of the recreational activities here.

The county has a fascinating and diverse commitment to cultural arts and entertainment - offering a number of small theaters, playhouses, concerts, arts programs, classical theaters, and nearby San Franciso's Symphony.

Finding transportation throughout Contra Costa County is easy. Although the major means of transportation is still by private automobile, there are several other modes of transportation - a rapid transit service, as well as bus and air service.

Contra Costa County residents are offered a wide range of academic and vocational courses leading to degrees, certificates and licenses from numerous high schools, colleges and universities. There are a large number of private schools offering religious instruction and non-traditional teaching approaches.

Contra Costa County is one of the most popular and faster growing residential areas in Northern California. It is a wonderful place to live with its good climate, attention to the cultural arts, recreational opportunities and excellent schools, all contributing significantly to the quality of life in Contra Costa County. Click here to find out more about the towns of Moraga and Lafayette.

Orinda

Orinda is one of the more prestigious towns in the County and attracts many of the Bay Area's professionals and executives. The city is nestled in a tree-flourished valley on the east side of the Oakland/ Berkeley hills and offers its residents a serene setting. The value of property in Orinda exceeds that of most Contra Costa communities.

The Orinda Theater was refurbished to it original Art Deco style and reopened to the public in 1989. Its retail and commercial shops and restaurants were a welcome addition to the business community in 1991.

With its beauty, easy commute, excellent schools, history, culture, affluence, and serenity, Orinda is a wonderful place to live!

History
Many local historians begin the history of Orinda with the Mexican colonization of California about two hundred years ago. To find out more about the history of Orinda, click here.

Parks and Recreation
Park and recreation facilities of all types are not far away. Tilden Park borders Orinda to the west, and Briones Park is to east off Bear Creek Road. There is also the San Pablo Reservoir area and the Lafayette Reservoir Recreation Area. Both offer boat rentals, fishing docks, picnic areas, and bicycle and hiking trails. The Orinda Parks and Recreation Department offers an outstanding youth sports program and public tennis parks.

Trails and Hiking
Orinda is at the crossroads of many National and Regional Trail systems in addition to local trails. They offer hikers of varying degrees of abilities wonderful scenic experiences. The 4,920 mile American Discovery Trail, which spans the Continental U.S. passes by Orinda near Wagner Ranch as does the Mokelumne Coast to Crest Trail. The Trail Council of Orinda is continually working with agencies and local governments to expand, build and maintain trails in the Orinda area.

Education
The atmosphere of the schools in the Orinda Union School District is warm and caring. Parents are highly supportive of the schools program, as well as community volunteers. Fund raising and donations have raised money to support science, music, art and physical education specialists, as well as staffing and materials for the environmental education, computer, and library programs. The teaching faculty is a strong, dedicated, creative and talented group of individuals who care deeply about their students and the schools. The schools maintain a student-teacher ration of 26:1. Academic standards are high, and school test scores are consistently above the state's 95th percentile in all grades. Each of the three elementary schools and the Intermediate school have been selected by the State Board of Education as a California Distinguished School based on its quality educational program.

Miramonte High School has been named as one of the top 120 secondary schools in the nation by the U.S. Department of Education. This is on the basis of sustained achievement of high performance by students on test scores.

Check out these links for more information:

The City of Orinda
Local Weather
Local School Report
Lafayette Chamber of Commerce
East Bay Entertainment and Arts