9 Attractions In Moraga California

By their own admission, Moragans will describe their California town as ‘sleepy,’ but that by no means makes it a borning city. Locals have instead focused entirely on safety and developing award-winning schools, which makes it the ideal suburb in the traditional sense. Although Berkeley and Oakland offer plenty of fine nightlife and cuisine, Moraga still has activities by day for the outward bounder, nature lover, and market-goer.

The Redwood Trail

Located in the canyon area between Oakland and Moraga, Redwood Park and the greater park system in the Oakland hills offer dozens of miles of single track in the woods. Sloping upwards and downwards, the parks are eerily quiet, and remain under the Redwood branch’s shaded canopy. One has the option between hiking the long and aggressively steep French trail – which loops through Oakland’s Chabot area – or to cut straight through the picnic and field area on a more calm incline.

1. St. Mary’s Basketball

School, University

Since arriving in 2001, Coach Randy Bennett has built St. Mary’s into to a national grade team, gaining attention for the small school and small town somewhere near San Francisco. Having competed at the NCAA championships five times in the last eleven years, Bennett’s program often earns the title ‘best little guy’ from ESPN. In the most unfavorable odds, it regularly beats larger and better funded programs like Stanford, BYU, and Georgia. The Gaels are in season starting in October and usually go to the end of March. Tickets are relatively cheap – between $15 to $30 for general admission.

2. The Commons

Park

The Commons is a park incorporating play structures, skating domes, an outdoor theater, a trail head, a frisbee golf course and a bocce ball pit. It’s a good place to kill time with friends, perhaps after getting a sandwich from nearby Bianca’s. On Thursday nights during the summer, family-friendly bands play at the theater, serving mostly as a communal gathering for kids to run around.

3. Farmers' Market

Farmers' Market, Market, Healthy

As with most thing Moragan, humor its farmers’ market. Assembling on Sundays, it comes off as small and underwhelming – only about the size of the Berkeley Bowl’s meat section. But whatever the Market may lack in quantity, it apparently makes up for in quality. According to the American Farmland Trust’s national competition, the Moraga farmers’ market places 10th in the nation for any mid-size category, coming only second to Aptos within California. With produce distribution stretching over 90 miles, the market offers any seasonal vegetable or part-of-animal that could come to mind. For beginners especially, Moraga’s market is an easy introduction to an ethical, healthy, and sustainable practice.

4. TJ Maxx

Market, Store

While otherwise operating like a regular TJ Maxx, Moraga’s store has a feature that could’ve only spawned from local, managerial innovation. Taking center stage in the store, what can only be described as a cube-like structure displays designer clothes. This cube-structure is a local secret (until now?), something that word of mouth impels women from Martinez and Oakland to drive past their local stores to Moraga. For many, TJ Maxx is the first word associated when they hear the town name.

The Oakland Hills

Mostly a fixture for the local kids, and yes, technically in Oakland, the Oakland Hills are otherwise a regular Moraga custom. After driving through the neighboring canyon’s windy roads, one summits up to roads like Fish Ranch and Grizzly Peak to vistas that really are gorgeous. Barring any fog, the Hills are most glorious around sunset, perhaps best done as the scenic – longer – route to Berkeley and Oakland.