Todos Santos Plaza, in downtown Concord, has been a community gathering space since 1869. A bronze statue here honors Don Salvio Pacheco, who received a land grant for Concord’s Ygnacio Valley and gave parcels to early Todos Santos (today’s Concord) residents. Leash up the dog and check out the city’s Spanish-inspired architecture on a free audio walking tour produced by Visit Concord and the Concord Historical Society.
Concord sits at the base of Mount Diablo, the 3,849-foot peak that dominates the East Bay skyline. The city’s location in the broad, sun-warmed Ygnacio Valley made it prime ranching country in the mid-1800s, and that pastoral character lingered well into the twentieth century. Walnut orchards and cattle ranches once stretched from what is now downtown all the way to the flanks of Lime Ridge. Today, the valley’s open spaces survive in preserves like Lime Ridge Open Space and Newhall Community Park, both great for leashed walks with views of Diablo’s oak-studded ridgelines.
Get the lay of the land at the Concord Visitor Center, where you’ll find maps, merchandise and helpful travel advice. Vintage photos from the Concord Historical Society show how the landscape once looked, while also showcasing the city’s evolution. From here, embark on your self-guided walking tour. (Please note, the audio works best through the Geotourist app that’s available for Apple or Android devices.)
The tour highlights more than two dozen sites, including historic structures like the Salvio Pacheco Adobe and a 1938 firehouse, along with a memorial honoring Concord-born jazz musician Dave Brubeck. The Brubeck memorial sits near the corner of Salvio and Mount Diablo Streets — fitting for a hometown tribute to a musician whose improvisation shaped the sound of American jazz. Keep an eye out for the old Galindo Home site as well, one of the valley’s earliest dwellings, which dates to the 1850s and reflects the area’s Mexican rancho heritage.
The walking route is mostly flat and shaded, covering roughly a mile through the downtown core — a comfortable distance for dogs of any size. Sidewalks are wide and well-maintained, and several of the stops have benches where you can sit and listen to the audio narration while your dog people-watches. Spring and fall are the ideal seasons; summer afternoons in the Ygnacio Valley can push past 90 degrees, so early-morning outings are smart if you visit between June and September.
When it’s time for food, detour into LiMA, a mainstay that serves Peruvian fare, or order a sandwich and a California-brewed beer at the Hop Grenade. Both downtown spots have dog-friendly seating. Todos Santos Plaza itself hosts a weekly farmers market on Thursdays during the warmer months, so if your timing lines up, you can grab fresh produce and local bites before heading out to explore more of Contra Costa County‘s trails and open spaces.
