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Home » The Water Cooler – Who Has The Best Downtown?

The Water Cooler – Who Has The Best Downtown?

by CLAYCORD.com
26 comments

The “Water Cooler” is a feature on Claycord.com where we ask you a question or provide a topic, and you talk about it.

The “Water Cooler” will be up Monday-Friday in the noon hour.

Who do you think has the best Downtown? Concord, Clayton, Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, Martinez, or Lafayette?

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Talk about it….

26 comments


Dawg May 11, 2021 - 12:18 PM - 12:18 PM

Martinez gets my vote, it’s charming and quaint. Clayton is almost always dead. Pleasant Hill is a mess with heavy traffic. Walnut Creek is way too crowded with heavy traffic and hard to find street parking. Ditto for Lafayette, and I’m still trying to figure out where downtown Concord is.

Dorothy May 11, 2021 - 12:53 PM - 12:53 PM

Agree, Martinez is very charming and so close to a lot of things that people need to visit. And don’t forget the beavers…

bdml May 11, 2021 - 12:56 PM - 12:56 PM

That would be Todos Santos

Roz May 11, 2021 - 12:58 PM - 12:58 PM

Dawg~
Yes, the charm is still there in Martinez, and Walnut Creek isn’t what it use to be,…traffic anywhere kind of keeps me away.
Agree with lack of downtown location in Concord at Willow Pass Rd. around the Park. It could be charming, if there were a few more shops, instead of just eateries.

Well Folks May 12, 2021 - 9:08 AM - 9:08 AM

I agree with you 100% Dawg. I’ve always loved downtown Martinez. I had the pleasure of living in or super close (as in 3 blocks off) downtown Martinez for 19 years and loved it. Sadly when I was able to buy a home Martinez was not affordable to me so I ended up in Concord…oh well.

And Roz – Yes it would be WONDERFUL if Todos Santos had a few boutique shops and perhaps an art gallery featuring nothing but local artists. It’s needs to be made a 3-4 hour visit destination instead of an eat & run destination. Maybe some of the Concord braintrust should come visit where I live now or Tahoe City, Truckee, old downtown Sonoma or Napa for a few ideas.

Concordejet May 11, 2021 - 12:41 PM - 12:41 PM

Concord Santos todo plaza

Badge1104 May 11, 2021 - 12:44 PM - 12:44 PM

I would have to vote for Lafayette. It’s very quaint a lot of trees.
I used to love Walnut Creek but it’s really kind of Stark and ugly now and the people are not all that nice.
I got also slip in a votr for the veranda shopping center in Concord…. And the wonderful terrace is there with the water fountains dancing in the pond. Was there today and really enjoyed it.

Laguna island May 11, 2021 - 1:02 PM - 1:02 PM

I’d go with Martinez. Nice quiet area good restaurants and your by the Delta.
Plus I love trains and the amtrak station is right there.

Stealthy Mama May 11, 2021 - 1:03 PM - 1:03 PM

Martinez! The town has character and some of the old buildings are historical and cool. I also like the fact that Martinez has many antique shops and many small eateries. Last, but not least, downtown Martinez isn’t as congested like downtown Walnut Creek.

Cowellian May 11, 2021 - 1:13 PM - 1:13 PM

I loved working in downtown Martinez. It is a quaint and charming little town. I liked having banks, the post office, train station, museum, credit union, and several restaurants, all within walking distance. I never needed a bail bondsman, but I could have walked to one if needed.

Wesley Mouch May 11, 2021 - 1:15 PM - 1:15 PM

Yes to Martinez! Lots of history on display, fun antique shops, a marina, and trains. Indeed charming and quaint. The eclectic homes nearby are underrated.

It’s always quiet when I visit; a big plus. Also, what other local downtown was used in a feature film? Anybody?

The Mamba May 11, 2021 - 1:24 PM - 1:24 PM

Walnut Creek, not even close, they have shopping, dining, entertainment. They also have a bunch of BS parking though.

ilovepopcorn May 11, 2021 - 1:33 PM - 1:33 PM

Martinez is my favorite for OLD AND BEAUTIFUL
Walnut Creek is good for shopping, and btw I have never had a hard time parking there.
Lafayette, Orinda and Moraga are also neat places to go to.
Concord is a very sad. I like shopping at the Ranch ASIAN MARKET. HARVEST HOUSE, AND COSTCO
Danville is cool too.
Pleasant Hill is ok GROCERY OUTLET IS GREAT

Amateur Teacher May 11, 2021 - 1:34 PM - 1:34 PM

It should be Walnut Creek but the city planning there is so bad there is no cohesion or sense of community. There’s no central location. Broadway Plaza is a barren wasteland with no unifying restaurant, bar, etc. Lafayette doesn’t have a downtown and is totally unwalkable. Same for PHill. Clayton could also be really great but there is nothing going on there and parking is a PITA. Todos Santos would be my pick though I’d like to see more event happening in the plaza and more casual, non-chain cafe type things. Less fast casual food. Martinez is awesome but still doesn’t have that “take the kids, park the car and spend the day vibe.”. I’d actually consider Bishop Ranch or Hartz Ave to be the in our area.

WC---Creeker May 11, 2021 - 2:01 PM - 2:01 PM

For a Downtown that you can spend all day there. Art museum, play, movie, check out the art in a park or sit in the shade. Grab a gourmet coffee, some wine. Have lunch from a number of diverse eateries. Do a rum tasting at a seafood place. Get a Belgian beer. Do some shopping for clothes, furniture, high end kitchen stores. Test drive a Tesla. Buy some chocolates. Hang out in some comfy chairs and watch the shoppers go buy. Have a charcutier plate at a rooftop eatery. Downtown Walnut Creek has all this and gets my vote. I do like the feel of downtown Martinez and they have a brewery or two there.

Caskydiver May 11, 2021 - 2:12 PM - 2:12 PM

Clayton….nice, quiet, no crowded

Rollo Tomasi May 11, 2021 - 3:01 PM - 3:01 PM

Finally somebody is catching on…

Jeff (the other one) May 11, 2021 - 2:16 PM - 2:16 PM

I would choose Martinez. I like the older buildings in Martinez. Walnut Creek looks like an outdoor food eatery to me (not that it is a bad thing, just not into that kind of restaurant dining), Todos Santos is nice, but not as pleasing to experience as Walnut Creek. I have to admit, I do not know where downtown Pleasant Hill is. Is that where that theatre is? Meh.

RetailSlave May 11, 2021 - 2:33 PM - 2:33 PM

Adding my negative opinion, Walnut Creek has the WORST downtown! So sad because growing up it was a great place to hang out. Now you couldn’t pay me to go down there. None of the choices are great.

Exit 12A May 11, 2021 - 3:53 PM - 3:53 PM

.
Walnut Creek tops them all.
.
Martinez is dead.
.
Concord is haphazard.
.
Pleasant Hill’s “Downtown” is FAKE… it’s a strip mall without a roof.
.

Persepheny May 11, 2021 - 4:01 PM - 4:01 PM

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hanne jeppesen May 11, 2021 - 5:45 PM - 5:45 PM

I have been coming to Concord since the mid eighties, didn’t move here until 2008, then left in 2009 and moved back in 2014. I think downtown Concord has improved a lot, I like Todos Santos Plaza, special when there is Farmer’s Market. I love downtown Clayton, although not much there, use to be a bar with live music that my friends and I would frequent once in awhile, it is very quaint. Walnut Creek is the best for shopping, but traffic and parking a hassle.
I know that was not in the question, but my favorite is Benicia, because I lived there for 10 years. They have different kinds of street fairs, some nice restaurant’s, especially the ones on the water.

Roz May 12, 2021 - 7:37 AM - 7:37 AM

Hamme~
Yes,….Benicia has a cute downtown area. Fun shops and some yummy places to eat.

qwerty May 11, 2021 - 7:15 PM - 7:15 PM

Did you know the designer of Todos Santos Plaza also designed the 9/11 Memorial at the site of the World Trade Center? Also, designed the Concord Pavillion. His name is Peter Walker and the office is in Berkeley. Now you know.

Antler May 12, 2021 - 12:12 AM - 12:12 AM

querty,
Technically speaking:
The 9/11 memorial in NYC was designed by architect Michael Arad.
Peter Walker was the landscape architect.

And if Peter Walker is the one who came up with the diagonal tripping-stone slash across what was supposed to be an historically-oriented Todos Santos Plaza, then ………….

Sienna May 11, 2021 - 7:54 PM - 7:54 PM

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