Just an hour east of bustling San Francisco, sunny Livermore Valley is a year-round destination known for its amusement parks, breweries, country roads, indie restaurants, outdoor recreation, shopping and wineries. “The City of Happiness” also packs its calendar with seasonal and cultural to-dos aimed at both adults and kids.
Hotels in Livermore, including the Quality Inn & Suites, offer a convenient base and put this pretty Northern California town’s many attractions within easy reach.
Sip Local Beer & Wine
The sun-dappled vineyards of Livermore await!
As one of the oldest wine regions in the state, Livermore Valley is home to more than 50 wineries. The warm-to-cool climate and gravelly soil are especially favorable growing conditions for cabernet sauvignon, petite syrah and zinfandel. Because Livermore is a bit under the radar (for now), tasting rooms are less crowded. Wente Vineyards has a beautiful 18-hole golf course, and Retzlaff Vineyards hosts live music on Sundays on its large lawn under the shade of 100-year-old pepper trees. If you don’t have a designated driver, the Livermore Wine Trolley can ferry you to the vineyards. Beer lovers can enjoy a pint at one of 15 craft breweries, many of which host food trucks and festivals. The Tri-Valley Beer Trail app lays out all the options.
Fun for Kids of All Ages
Pixieland Amusement Park, a whimsical attraction where “little kids enjoy big fun,” is just 35 miles north in Concord. There’s a train, rides and a cafe. Vallejo’s Six Flags Discovery Kingdom is about an hour south of Livermore. The 135-acre animal theme park includes a variety of roller coasters along with lions, dolphins, and macaws. Tweens and teens will enjoy the arcade games, bumper cars, go karts and laser tag at Boomers Livermore.
Get Moving
Another beautiful day dawns at Del Valle Regional Park in Livermore.
The 27-mile Wine Country Bike Tour winds through scenic, vine-staked countryside. Brushy Peak Regional Preserve supports a wide variety of wildlife including amphibians, badgers, eagles, fox, hawks, owls and reptiles amid its 2,000 acres. You can bike, hike or horseback ride; and in summer, it’s dotted with wildflowers. Pet-friendly Del Valle Regional Park has a lakeside resort feel, with boating, swimming and windsurfing. Want to hit the links? Try the 18-hole Las Positas Golf Course or the 27-hole Poppy Ridge Golf Course.
Savor Regional Fare
Fresh-picked fruits and handmade jams and jellies are among the enticing treats at the Livermore Farmers Market.
The Livermore Farmers Market, which is open on Sundays all year and seasonally on Thursdays, is a great place to assemble a picnic. Top-rated Livermore restaurants include an array of international options: The Grill at Wente Vineyards; Posada for Southwestern fare; Demetris Taverna for Greek; Wasabi Bistro for Japanese and sushi; Sansar Indian Restaurant; and Denica’s Real Food Kitchen for comfort fare. Or, hit the Tri-Valley Ice Cream Trail to sample sweet flavors at 10 delicious ice cream shops. The Olivina makes true California extra virgin oil from olives grown, harvested, milled and bottled on the estate.
Local Shopping
Baughman’s Western Outfitters boasts a bonanza of apparel, boots, hats and home décor for cowgirls and cowboys. For big-name shopping, the San Francisco Premium Outlets, located in Livermore, is Northern California’s largest outlet center with 180 stores. Livermore Valley Made features specialty makers of everything from candy to ceramics, photography to woodworks, jewelry to toys, and coffee to soaps.
Plug Into Arts & Culture
Livermore showcases a variety of cultural venues. The Livermore Performing Arts Center presents acclaimed comedians, dance, musical acts and theater. The Vine Cinema & Ale House shows both classic and first-run films, and the Livermore Valley Opera features staged shows. The stunning Shiva-Vishnu Temple, built in 1977 for Hindu community members, welcomes everyone to visit and attend a spiritual service.
Mark Your Calendar
The Livermore Rodeo Parade features fast-paced barrel racing.
Livermore is lively year-round. The Livermore County Downtown Wine Street Fest, held in May, is the year’s biggest draw—enjoy beer, wine and restaurant tastings, arts and crafts and a kids’ Fun Zone. The Rodeo Parade, held in June, features barrel races, bull riding, roping and kids’ events. Round out the year with Kidztown Halloween HayDay in October and the Holiday Sights & Sounds Parade and Carnegie Park Holiday Village in December.