Welcome to El Cerrito

El Cerrito was founded by refugees from the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. They settled in what was then Don Víctor Castro's Rancho San Pablo, and adjacent to the ranch owned by the family of Luís María Peralta, the Rancho San Antonio. The town is nicknamed "Little Taipei" by the Asian Community, particularly for the Pacific East Mall.

Major local attractions include Wildcat Canyon Regional Park.

El Cerrito is best known for El Cerrito Plaza, a large automobile-oriented shopping center, and for the Cerrito Theater, a restored two-screen movie theater that is known for offering beer, wine, and a full dining menu. The shopping center is surrounded by other commercial and retail businesses along San Pablo Avenue and Fairmount Avenue respectively, including fast food and an ACE Hardware store.

The Guitar Center, also located on San Pablo Avenue, is well known among the Bay Area music scene.

Wildcat Canyon Regional Park
Park Website;
Wildcat Canyon Regional Park encompasses 2,430 acres along the Wildcat Creek watershed and the surrounding hills and ridges. The park extends from the Tilden Nature Area in the south to historic Alvarado Park at the north end in Richmond. It includes a significant portion of the paved Nimitz Way coming from Inspiration point in Tilden Park. Easy access from the busy cities of the East Bay makes Wildcat Canyon a popular place for hikers, mountain bikers, equestrians, and those simply looking for a quiet place to spend an afternoon. Alvarado Park, with its historic stonework, provides picnic areas for large and small groups, a wonderful play area for children, and access to Wildcat Creek, all just steps from the busy streets of Richmond.

El Cerrito city parks include both recreation/sports parks as well as undeveloped nature areas. Most notable are the 80-acre Hillside Natural Area open space, Huber Park (Terrace Drive), Cerrito Vista Park (Moeser Lane and Pomona Avenue), and Arlington Park (Arlington Boulevard), Tassajara Park (Tassajara Avenue and Barrett Avenue), Poinsett Park (Poinsett Avenue), and the Canyon Trail Park and Art Center (Gatto Avenue).

The City is home to a 2.6-mile (4.2 km) segment of the Ohlone Greenway, a trail that runs the length of the City along the BART right-of-way and is popular with walkers, runners, and bicyclists.

Contra Costa Sports & Recreation

Sports & Athletics
Parks & Outdoor Recreation
Festival Guide - Sports Events
Regional Golf Courses

Contra Costa Boy Scouts
Outdoor Recreational Adventure Activities for Youth: