Top 10 Ways To Spend Your Day In Danville, California

With an elevation of 3,849 feet, Mt. Diablo is a great destination for people looking to physically challenge themselves while taking in a great view of the Bay Area. At Mount Diablo State Park, you will find well-maintained trails that are open for your nature rehabilitation needs from 8am until sunset. These wide open trails accommodate every experience level, ranging from the easy one-mile Mary Bowerman Trail to the strenuous 8.1-mile Mitchell Canyon/Back Creek Loop.

A recipient of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence and approaching its 20-year anniversary, Esin Restaurant and Bar has become a local favorite in Danville. Esin opened in San Ramon in 1998, followed by a move to Danville’s Rose Garden Center in 2008. With a large selection of both lunch and dinner items, you can find reasonably priced American and Mediterranean dishes. The spread touches everything from ‘hand-cut spinach pappardelle with wild prawns’ to ‘all natural burger with cheese’. Mix that with good wine and beer, and Esin has something for every diner.

Alamo Danville Artists’ Society is a great non-profit organization that operates a gallery in Blackhawk Plaza. This gallery is a must-see for art lovers, as well as visitors who wish to give back to a great cause. Alamo Danville Artists’ Society has been fighting to keep the arts in public schools since 1977, with proceeds today still going toward that increasingly difficult fight. The Blackhawk Gallery opens exhibits for established and emerging artists from all across the Bay Area and has a perfect scene at the center of Blackhawk Plaza. Shoppers can easily poke their heads in and hopefully support a great cause while enjoying their experience.

Easily one of the most storied establishments in the entire Bay Area, McGah’s Pub is a great destination for thirsty sports fans. The McGah family is well known as the co-founders of the Oakland Raiders, and this pub has enough Bay Area sports history to ponder over many a pitcher. McGah’s also has weekly live music, week-day happy hour, and a large lunch and dinner menu with plenty of options. McGah’s is a local favorite to watch every Bay Area team compete.

Located in downtown Danville, The Vine is a relaxing wine bar that not only caters to the local wine novice but also to experienced wine collectors and club members. Whatever your forte, The Vine offers a large choice of wine from around the world and year-round tasting events for all to enjoy. Sommeliers select the best recently released bottles as well as the hard-to-find bottled treasures for the more experienced clientele. The Vine also welcomes beginners with a very laid-back, casual setting, including live music four nights a week. Wednesday through Saturday nights, you can listen to anything from solo jazz guitarists to three-piece rock bands. Check out the website for more information and easy online purchasing of its wines.

Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, Ferrari, and Cadillac – the Blackhawk Automotive Museum has beautiful antique automobiles dating all the way back to 1886. Since opening in 1988, the Blackhawk Automotive Museum has collected nearly 50 magnificent vehicles inside their ‘jewel box’ architectural design. While the automotive exhibit is permanent, Blackhawk also features rotating exhibits, including the current Spirit of the Old West, educating visitors on Native American and Frontier history. Along with the Blackhawk Gallery, Blackhawk Museums is located in Blackhawk Plaza.

Executive Chef Rodney Worth opened his first restaurant with just $58.00 in his pocket. Now he owns five restaurants in the East Bay and one in Napa Valley. The Peasant and the Pear has a unique menu offering ‘classic peasant cuisine,’ with dishes such as ‘Italian lamb shank’ and ‘peasant scramble.’ Winning the Best New Restaurant Award of 2006 by Diablo Magazine, The Peasant and the Pear has delicious food that won’t break the bank, as well as happy hour Monday through Friday.

Awarded Best New Restaurant of 2015 by Diablo Magazine, Revel Kitchen and Bar is the second deCarion family-owned restaurant on our list, the first being Esin Restaurant and Bar. Revel, however, is currently only open for dinner between 4pm and 10pm. It offers a slightly smaller food menu, consisting mainly of appetizers and small dishes, but it has a spectacular craft beer and wine selection. Also located in downtown Danville, Revel is within walking distance to its sister restaurant Esin and many other wonderful bars and restaurants on Danville’s historic Hartz Ave.

‘Italy in downtown Danville’ – Incontro Ristorante is a two-time OpenTables’s Diner’s Choice Award winner. Incontro offers family-style dishes from all over Italy. It has a daily brunch buffet and evening live music on the wonderful outdoor patio. Incontro is also on Hartz Ave, making it a great location due to its proximity to all the downtown Danville nightlife. With everything from the fresh green salad, ‘insalata del girono,’ to the tender chicken of ‘pollo alla cacciatora,’ Incontro is a great place to sit down with family and friends and share a delicious meal.

With so much mass-produced corporate coffee in the Bay Area today, it’s nice to see a place like Sideboard compete, with a small, quality driven, certified green restaurant and coffee bar. Here, the team serves hand-selected ground beans and European-style espresso while you catch some morning sun on the patio. Later in the day, Sideboard offers more hearty meals like meatloaf or mac and cheese, and you can wash it down with your favorite craft beer.