Welcome to El Sobrante
El Sobrante, located in the East Bay, in Contra Costa County, is a town with around 14,000 inhabitants. Life here runs at a slower pace than the rest of the surrounding town and cities, and most residents prefer it that way. There are plenty of large parcels, and people love to have horses and mini farms. That doesn\’t mean that it\’s in the middle of nowhere as people still work in tech and regularly commute to the larger surrounding cities.
Lay of the Land
El Sobrante is in a convenient location, far enough to allow people to relax, but close enough to get to any of the major cities. It\’s located in an unincorporated area of the county. With the main roads of San Pablo Dam, one can easily get to Richmond or San Pablo. The area now is home to a number of smaller ranches, which usually follow a dirt road along the San Pablo Creek. But, there is building going on and many of the ranches are being divided into smaller lots to squeeze in more people, though it\’s still more rural than the surrounding areas.
Transportation
Much like the rest of the Bay Area, people here don\’t work in the same area the live. People commute to Berkeley, Oakland, San Jose and San Francisco. While there is no BART station, people can head to the Richmond BART station or the El Cerrito del Norte station, which allows one to get into the downtown area of San Francisco. Car owners can rejoice as Interstate 80 is right down the road, and it provides access to any of the major cities in the Bay Area. While not as friendly to commuters as other cities on the BART line, are El Sobrante is certainly a great town to commute from, especially or people who want the country experience without having to resort to living too far from amenities that big cities offer.
Local Highlights
As mentioned, El Sobrante is a rural town, so most people here are content entertainer themselves on their farm and ranches. But, if you are into biking, hiking or horseback riding, this is the town for you. With miles of trails and very few people on them, residents have plenty of time to head out to nature and get away from it all. Horseback riders love to head out to Tilden Regional Park as it\’s a great place to enjoy miles of practically empty trails. The roads are easy to get up, and it\’s not hard if you are towing a trailer with a horse or two. Of course, it\’s not a bad place to mountain bike either!
Of course, let’s not forget that residents are still not far from San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, and the bay itself and plenty of other places to check out. If you are into horse racing and gambling, you can head to Golden Gate Fields and have a ball. Not only is the place well-kept, but it offers a nice view and atmosphere. But, don\’t forget, there are has amazing weather, and if you want to golf, play tennis or check out the local arts scene in Berkeley. Either way you are just minutes away from having a good time.
Since El Sobrante is in the Bay Area, where people are very accepting, there is a large Sikh population in the area, which is well-loved and accepted. At the Gurdwara Sahib, worshipers and all others can enjoy the large golden dome that sits high in the hills well above the San Pablo Dam Road. This is truly a great place to check out, whether a visitor is spiritual or not.
