Pleasanton is a charming community located at the intersection of Interstates 580 and 680 in Alameda County. Pleasanton’s historic downtown houses a wealth of well-preserved properties from the 19th century. A short stroll through downtown takes in numerous Colonial Revival, Gothic Revival, Italianate, Pioneer, and Queen Anne architectural styles. Pleasanton also has a thriving modern economy, with several business parks housing a variety of finance, healthcare, and tech companies. Pleasanton’s convenient highway access and location place it within a 30 minutes drive of Oakland and 45 minutes from San Francisco.
Pleasanton offers a wide variety of housing options. There are quiet neighborhoods of spacious contemporary single-family homes, townhouses within walking distance of downtown, and lavish golf course view estates in the private Ruby Hill gated community.
What to Love
- Historic architecture
- Community atmosphere
- Thriving downtown
- Stoneridge Shopping Center
People & Lifestyle
Pleasanton has won many accolades for its inviting small-town atmosphere. It has been recognized as one of America’s best cities by USA Today, a top hometown spot by Forbes, one of the best places to raise a family by WalletHub, and one of the nation’s best places to live by Money. There is a strong community feel, especially since many residents live here their whole lives. Pleasanton is an inviting place with lots of events and great schools.
Dining, Entertainment & Shopping
Pleasanton’s downtown area is lined with many historic buildings and has more than 550 businesses, including over 220 restaurants.
Oasis Restaurant & Wine Lounge’s exotic ambiance and creative contemporary Mediterranean cuisine is a highlight, while family-run
Pastas Trattoria is a classic white-tablecloth Italian restaurant with an outdoor patio and delicious food and wine. Surrounded by verdant gardens,
Barone’s Restaurant serves a rotating menu of seasonal cuisine and features Thursday night “Music Under the Stars” outdoor performances.
Hap’s Original Steaks & Seafood provides an elegantly old-school dining experience with mouth-watering dry-aged beef, fresh seafood, and an award-winning wine list with over 300 international varieties.
De La Torre showcases authentic cuisine from Italy’s diverse epicurean regions with ever-changing daily specials. Other popular dining spots include
Lokanta Bar & Grill for flavorful Turkish and Greek fare and Mix & Eat Bobs House for eclectic international dishes.
Located at the intersection of Interstates 580 and 680 in Pleasaton’s northwest corner, the upscale two-level
Stoneridge Shopping Center has more than 165 retailers. Stores at Stoneridge include two Macy’s stores, Nordstrom, JCPenney, and a wide range of well-known fashion brands.
Things to Do
Alameda County Fair is a huge event that takes place at Pleasanton’s Alameda County Fairgrounds over several weeks between June and July. The County Fair features a nightly concert series with a mix of cover bands and popular touring acts, an
action sports arena with demolition derbies, monster trucks, and extreme rodeos, and a carnival with lots of thrilling rides. Many diverse
cultural celebrations happen throughout the County Fair’s duration. There are also wine and livestock contests, cooking demonstrations and tastings, and many vendors selling food, drinks, and arts and crafts.
Pleasanton Fairgrounds Racetrack is the oldest horse-racing track in the western United States. Constructed in 1858, the Racetracks hosts many annual competitions, including races held during the Alameda County Fair. The County Fair is one of more than 45 special events scheduled in Pleasanton every year. Other events include a year-round Saturday
farmers’ market, a
Summer Concert Series at Lions Wayside Park each Friday night from June to August, and a
Hometown Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting Ceremony in December.
Schools
Pleasanton operates its own highly-regarded Pleasanton Unified Public School District. Highlights include:
