Downtown Orinda, Orinda, CA
Neighborhood Reviews & Questions
Key Words:
Walkable village core, Historic charm with modern access, BART and trails within reach
Downtown Orinda blends small-town character with quick Bay Area access. It’s anchored by Theatre Square and the Orinda Theatre, where cafés, wine bars, and family-run restaurants cluster around mid-century storefronts. The BART station and Highway 24 sit right at the edge, giving residents an easy jump to Oakland or Walnut Creek while keeping the core walkable and compact. Homes in the surrounding blocks mix early 20th-century cottages, hillside view homes, and renovated ranches tucked just uphill from the village. Mature trees and stone retaining walls frame many streets, and morning walks often trace through Orinda Community Park, where the farmers market and local concerts set a friendly rhythm. Traffic can bottleneck near the BART crossing during commute hours, and parking fills quickly on weekends. Still, the neighborhood’s combination of open-air plazas, everyday convenience, and scenic trailheads nearby (De La Veaga Trail and Orinda Oaks) make it a rare blend of semi-rural calm with true downtown practicality.
Schools serving this Neighborhood
| School Name | Type | Grades | Houseberry School Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beach Elementary | Primary | K-5 | |
| Havens Elementary | Primary | K-5 | |
| Wildwood Elementary | Primary | K-5 | |
| Glorietta Elementary | Primary | K-5 | |
| Wagner Ranch Elementary | Primary | K-5 | |
| Orinda Intermediate | Middle | 6-8 | |
| Miramonte High | High | 9-12 |
Click links for school listing
info at GreatSchools.org
Houseberry School Score Data
from CA Dept. of Education
Houseberry recommends using these scores as only a starting point, and conducting your own investigation into what schools fit best for your preferences. School boundaries are not guaranteed and may change. It is important to contact the appropriate school district to confirm enrollment eligibility before making any decision to move to a neighborhood.
Neighborhood Amenities
Near good merchants3.4
Public Spaces4
Curb Appeal3.5
Overall Amenities score: 3.7
Median Price
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