Residents of Orinda enjoy a friendly small-town atmosphere, with great schools and a low crime rate. The beautiful rural setting and pleasant weather make Orinda a favorite location for professionals that commute to San Francisco, Oakland, Walnut Creek or other nearby business centers.
Highway 24 bisects downtown Orinda. Recent tasteful renovations have resulted in a charming downtown with lots of character. The South side of the downtown is the home to the refurbished art deco style Orinda Theater and the newer Theater Square with shops, restaurants and office buildings. Known for its’ fried chicken and classic bar, the Casa Orinda Restaurant is also considered an Orinda landmark. The North side of the business district is called Orinda Village and features a wonderful community center with playground, the library and more shops and restaurants.
The Caldecott Tunnel, completed in the late 1930’s, provides easy freeway access to all points west. The BART train, completed in the early 1970’s, is another favorite commute option. Orinda also has a casual carpool pickup location where drivers can pick up passengers in order to use the carpool lanes over the Bay Bridge for their morning commute. Passengers are dropped off in the Financial District in San Francisco.
Orinda community events include a weekly farmers market, an annual Easter Egg Hunt, a 4th of July parade and concerts in the park. The internationally recognized Shakespeare Festival is held during the summer at the Bruns Memorial Amphitheater.
Orinda is surrounded by parks and trails and is an ideal location for nature lovers. Nearby Tilden Park is fun for the whole family with a merry go round, steam train, swimming, fishing, golf and more. The gorgeous 5756 acre Briones Regional Park is also nearby and is ideal for hikers, runners, bikers and horseback riders. Lake Cascade in Orinda is a favorite spot for walkers and runners as is the nearby Lafayette Reservoir.
The exclusive Orinda Country Club, founded in 1924, features lovely facilities including a Spanish-style club house with restaurant and beautiful golf course.
Orinda School District
Orinda Unified School District | School | API | Score | Class Size |
| Sleepy Hollow Elementary School | 982 | 10 | 26 |
| Del Rey Elementary School | 973 | 10 | 25 |
| Glorietta Elementary School | 962 | 10 | 25 |
| Wagner Ranch Elementary School | 952 | 10 | 25 |
Orinda Intermediate
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Related Links
City of Orinda Official Website
