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Top 6 Reasons Why Diablo Valley Is California's Best-Kept Secret

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Diablo Valley is in the East Bay, anchored by the City of Concord and impressive Mount Diablo. The region offers a wealth of exceptional activities and events throughout the year. While the enormity of resources available in the San Francisco area are well known, the richness of Diablo Valley may surprise the rest of California. Below are six great reasons to visit Diablo Valley.

Lesher Center for the Arts 
1601 Civic Drive
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
(925) 295-1400
www.lesherartscenter.org

The Lesher Center for the Arts is a well-known Bay Area arts and entertainment destination. This exceptional venue, owned and operated by the City of Walnut Creek, presents over 900 events and productions each year and attracts more than 350,000 visitors annually. A rich and varied showcase of performance art genres, plus the Lesher Speaker Series, combine to offer a stimulating variety of first-class, professional performances and talks. Find an event that suits your interests in this year's season lineup.

John Muir National Historic Site
4202 Alhambra Ave.
Martinez, CA 94553
(925) 228-8860
www.nps.gov

John Muir is well known as America's most famous naturalist and conservationist. His life's work puts him at the forefront in advocating for nature. Muir fought to protect and preserve the wilderness he loved. His passion benefits us today. We can still visit and enjoy the spaces Muir worked tirelessly to protect. John Muir National Historic Site was Muir's home and is now a beautiful nine-acre park where guests can freely wander through fruit orchards and trails, visit the Martinez Adobe and bring a picnic basket to enjoy lunch with family or friends under the trees. Sweetening the trip, admission is free.

Borges Ranch
1035 Castle Rock Road
Walnut Creek, CA 94598
(925) 943-5860
www.walnut-creek.org

Borges Ranch is the former ranch of Frank Borges, an early Walnut Creek pioneer, and is now the home base for the city's Shell Ridge Open Space activities. The ranch is a wonderful place to get a feeling of what it was like to live and work on a family farm in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Built in 1901, the Borges family home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The compound includes many outbuildings, a blacksmith shop and farm equipment exhibits that history aficionados will appreciate. Kids will enjoy the animals including sheep, goats, chickens and pigs, all cared for by the Pleasant Hill 4-H Club. There are free weekend tours or pick up a self-guided tour brochure at the Ranger Station.

Mount Diablo State Park
96 Mitchell Canyon Road
Clayton, CA 94517
(925) 837-2525
www.parks.ca.gov

Mount Diablo is a true gem of the region and sits within Mount Diablo State Park. This beautiful, natural wonder is an ecological jewel of the San Francisco Bay Area and welcomes visitors to its numerous marvels throughout the year. The park is a treasure with beautiful wildflowers, captivating wildlife, distinctive rock formations and breathtaking views in spite of Mount Diablo's relatively modest height; at its summit it is 3,849 feet. An extensive trail system beckons trekkers who enjoy returning for frequent hikes.

Concord Pavilion
2000 Kirker Pass Road
Concord, CA 94521
(925) 676-8742
www.concordpavilion.net

The Concord Pavilion is an outdoor entertainment venue that has been hosting professional musical acts since it opened in 1975. Located at the foothills of Mount Diablo and designed by famed architect Frank Gehry, the Concord Pavilion seats 12,500 people, providing fine amphitheater acoustics throughout the venue, plus free parking. In addition to musical acts and concerts, the Pavilion is used for community events including the annual Concord Jazz Festival and local high school graduations. Owned by the city of Concord and operated by Live Nation, the Concord Pavilion is a definite Bay Area destination for top names in entertainment.

Biking Diablo Valley

Biking enthusiasts will delight in the amazing network of biking paths and trails in Diablo Valley. All skill levels will find appropriate biking routes, from paved paths in city parks just right for recreational cyclists to more challenging remote trails ideal for advanced cyclists and mountain bikers. Consider these popular biking trails throughout Diablo Valley.

Biking Mount Diablo State Park: Mount Diablo reigns supreme as the prime location for East Bay mountain biking. The quantity and variety of biking trails shine, and Mount Diablo boasts exquisite and unusual beauty, panoramic views and an array of plants and wildlife that simply can't be beat. While there are biking trails for easy-going, intermediate and advanced levels, most trails are best suited to solid intermediate and above cyclists. View Mount Diablo State Park bike trail maps.

Biking East Bay Regional Park District: A collection of paved trails and a series of smaller, shorter paved trails highlight the bike trails in the East Bay Park District. Bikes are allowed on the majority of multi-use trails, but are not allowed on most narrow trails. Each East Bay Regional District Park has a trail brochure indicating where biking is permitted. View East Bay Regional Park District bike trail maps.

Biking Contra Costa Canal Trail: One of the most popular trails in the East Bay Park District, the Canal Trail is a multi-use trail that meanders along the Contra Costa Canal following a paved path through Central Contra Costa County. The trail passes through several county local parks, making important connections to several regional trials. View Contra Costa Canal bike trail maps.

Biking Lime Ridge Open Space: With over 1,200 acres of unspoiled open space and 25 miles of trails, Lime Ridge Open Space is an area rich in plant and wildlife diversity. Stretching from Concord south into Walnut Creek, the space offers a variety of dirt trails through grasslands also used by dog walkers, runners and daily strollers. View Lime Ridge Open Space bike trail maps.

Biking Shell Ridge Open Space: Shell Ridge is the largest City of Walnut Creek open space entity, with 31 miles of trails for hiking, biking and equestrian use. Bikes are allowed only on paved roads more than eight feet wide. Borges Ranch, a National Register of Historic Places site, is within Shell Ridge. View Shell Ridge Open Space bike trail maps.

 

Visit CBS San Francisco's section Introducing Diablo Valley

to continue planning your next East Bay adventure

 

Melanie Graysmith is a writer, artist and educator based in San Francisco. She writes on adult education, art and lifestyle topics, and enjoys writing short stories and poetry. She is also a member of an independent filmmaking group. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.

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