Guide to Pleasanton, California

Pleasanton, California is an attractive city to live in or just visit. Located 40 miles east of San Francisco it is easily accessible by road or by BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit). Pleasanton is a quaint mixture of old and new. There’s modern shopping at Stoneridge Mall and a rather attractive downtown with one of a kind shops and restaurants on Main Street. Many Pleasanton homes are large and attractive, especially those near Foothill and Bernal.

Where to Stay
Most of the major chains of business hotels have a presence in Pleasanton – Hilton, Sheraton, Hyatt, with a really exclusive hotel on Main Street called The Rose Hotel. Most hotels are near the Dublin/Pleasanton BART station and run buses to and from the BART. The Wyndham Garden Hotel, Pleasanton is a very attractive hotel near Stoneridge Mall. The Pleasanton Hotel on Main Street is no longer a hotel, but a restaurant. Just the other side of the 580 is the city of Dublin with more business hotels.

Where to Eat
Pleasanton has a very attractive downtown with many great places to eat. Some get so busy you have to book, especially at the weekend. There’s Steak and Seafood, French, Italian, Chinese, Mexican, pizza and many more. The best Italian Restaurant, in my opinion, is Fontina’s on Main Street. It’s a very pleasant walk to stroll down the half a mile of Main Street choosing where to eat, especially in the evening when it is tastefully illuminated. If the weather is accommodating (and it usually is) then you can eat outside almost any of the restaurants and watch others strolling by.

What to Do
For modern fashion there’s no better place to shop than Stoneridge Mall which is very close to the 580/680 interchange. Stoneridge Mall has Macys, Sears, Nordstrom and JC Penny as well as many smaller stores. For a pleasant walk where you can browse antique shops and curiosity shops, go to Main Street. If you’d prefer a hike, try Pleasanton Ridge. The main entrance is on Foothill Road. It’s a small climb up and then you can walk along the ridge for great views of Pleasanton. There is no movie theater in Pleasanton, but there is a large multiplex in nearby Hacienda Crossings in Dublin. Also in Hacienda Crossings are large stores and chain restaurants. Pleasanton is home to the Alameda County Fair.

Nearby
San Francisco is 45 minutes by BART. You can also get to San Francisco or Oakland airports from Dublin/Pleasanton BART. With just over an hour’s driving north you can get to the wine country of Sonoma and Napa. Yosemite National Park and Lake Tahoe are both 4 hours’ driving away, while San Jose and Silicon Valley are half an hour to an hour in a southerly direction.

Weather
The weather is a mild climate with little wind. Usually in the summer it’s about 80 to 90 degrees with a few days going over 100. The winter temperatures range from 50 to 70 degrees with occasional rain. There’s usually no rain from May to November and thunderstorms are rare. For more information on Pleasanton visit topix for local and local business news.