What and where is Tri-Valley?

Dog on patio at winery in the Tri-Valley

Three valleys and four cities make up the Tri-Valley region, which away from urban areas is characterized by rolling hills studded with gnarly oaks and sprawling vineyards. It’s less than an hour from San Francisco or Sacramento, straddling the line between Alameda and Contra Costa counties on the “sunny side” of the bay. Dog-friendly hotels, restaurants, wineries and craft breweries abound as you explore the three valleys—Livermore, Amador and San Ramon—from which the region takes its name. Read more.

East bay hikes for fresh-air fiends

Bright Red Golden Retriever Dog by the River

Don’t come to Oakland or the Tri-Valley without your hiking shoes! You’ll need them, along with a leash, to explore open-space preserves. Read more.

Lots to wag about in tri-valley

Dog and person walking in the Tri-Valley

For those who live in San Francisco, Sacramento and most points in between, the Tri-Valley region, with its rolling topography and semi-rural character, offers a refreshing change of venue for weekend explorers traveling with their dogs. Read more.

Tri-valley chow-down

Pleasanton, a community of 75,000, is the wealthiest middle-size city in the country according to the 2010 national census, and it’s as pleasant as its name suggests when it comes to the Fido factor. Unlike other communities that block off streets and ban canines at farmers’ markets and street fairs, Pleasanton welcomes patrons with four-legged companions at its 1st Wednesday Street Parties, held May through September and featuring more than 150 vendors each week. Come celebrate the Dog Days of Summer at the dedicated-to-dogs 1st Wednesday Street Party on August 5th and watch all the dogs in the neighborhood shake their stuff in the popular pooch parade down Main Street. Read more.

“tri” something new

Pleasanton Ridge - Photo: Maverick Wyatt Myers Residents of the East Bay’s Tri-Valley region know they’ve got it good when it comes to open space, but the casual visitor buzzing through on the Interstate 680 corridor might not realize the foresight and vision responsible for the region’s semi-rural character. Regional plans limiting urban sprawl and protecting agriculture are why vineyards, rather than houses, grow on Tri-Valley’s rolling hills, and why wide-open views are available even from densely populated areas. Read more.