Richmond, California

While there’s a lot to love about Richmond the thing you hear the most from locals is about how convenient it is to live here to everything you’d want to do in the Bay Area. You’re on the BART line so commuting to Oakland or San Francisco is easy. You can also take a ferry from Richmond to San Francisco or Tiburon or a Giants game. If you feel like driving you’re 12 minutes from Berkeley, 15 from Oakland, and 20 from San Francisco (assuming a non-traffic drive). Richmond is also home to Wildcat Canyon Park, one of the most beautiful hiking spots in the area, and the views from Point Richmond rival those in the Marin Headlands.

As with most cities Richmond is hit or miss on the ratings of the public schools. There are higher-rated publics amidst the neighborhoods so if you’re moving here with a family keep that in mind. As an alternative many choose the higher rated charters, privates, or parochial schools.

Richmond is a quiet city so if you want serious nightlife then you’re driving or taking BART or a Ferry to Berkeley, Oakland, or San Francisco, pretty amazing to have all three options within minutes. Much of the lifestyle here is centered around the outdoors. Considering you’re surrounded by water you can expect much of your time here to be spent enjoying some of the most beautiful views on the planet or strolling the area beaches or out on the water on a kayak or paddleboard. As was noted you also have Wildcat Canyon in town for some amazing local hiking and you’re minutes from dozens of regional and state parks when you’re ready for a different view.

While the city does not have the commercial districts of the larger cities nearby there are a growing number of excellent restaurants, cafes, and micro-breweries keeping the locals fed and satisfied when they’re in the mood to stay local. The Point Richmond neighborhood has its own small but fun and groovy commercial district and there are other options scattered throughout the city.

Check out the Berkeley Parent's Network for more info about living in Richmond, schools, and more.

We highly recommend visiting Richmond and staying in the community in a VRBO rather than a hotel to get a feel for living among the locals. You can receive discounted fares on travel via our partnership with Expedia as well.

Richmond is functionally a peninsula. Jutting out between San Pablo Bay to the north and San Francisco Bay to the south. Living in Richmond means having a constant and personal connection to the Bays and ocean it can feel like you’re on a coastal vacation on a daily basis when you live here. The water is specials; you’ll travel on it, recreate on it, contemplate on it and overall enjoy it in an easy and integrated way few other cities can offer.