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.
Which of the following downtowns do you think is the best?
- Downtown Concord
- Downtown Clayton
- Downtown Walnut Creek
- Downtown Pleasant Hill
- Downtown Martinez
Talk about it….
Downtown Walnut Creek for sure.
Walnut Creek for sure!
I’m not a big fan of “downtowns” but when I was a kid I guess I liked WC the best. However, now I consider WC the worst. I don’t like feeling like a tourist in my own town or dealing with parking issues. Way to many people flock there now.
@ME
Like Yogi Berra said after he visited Walnut Creek.
Nobody goes there anymore, it’s too crowded.
Clayton for safety and family-friendly atmosphere.
WC for number of activities.
Martinez has a pleasant old fashioned appeal to it. Park nearby for free and take a nice stroll. You can walk to the park and you can even stroll down to the water.
Clayton is nice but dead.
Walnut Creek was nice 30 years ago, now there’s too much traffic.
Pleasant Hill was nicer before they built their so-called downtown area.
As with Concord, I don’t see a downtown. The Todos Santos area is quaint, but I wouldn’t call it downtown, it’s a plaza.
Agree, I enjoy Martinez old town feel.
It depends on what you are looking for. Concord is my hometown favorite. Free parking and convenient and good restaurants and a movie theatre. Feels like home because it is.
If you like to shop, walk a lot, and spend lots of money, then Walnut Creek is for you.
Walnut Creek by far is the best though it is declining with too many homeless and ridiculous parking meters. Pleasant Hill is simply a strip mall they call downtown and Martinez is just plain old. Clayton is cute and Concord has a sales tax that’s approaching 10%
Antioch Downtown without a doubt!
you have got to be kidding me.
only if you want to die while there.
Actually Antioch downtown (the old town by the waterfront) is really nice! Lots of great little shops and nice people. Took Dad there last Sunday on Fathers Day for a classic car show – was a great time. People love to knock Antioch but it isn’t all bad….
I live in P Hill, is there a downtown? I guess from that list I would select Walnut Creek because of the shopping and restaurants.
What people consider to be “Downtown Pleasant Hill” is just all of the shops by Crescent Plaza near Monument and Contra Costa.
Concord- a park, farmers market, live music, free parking & lots of restaurants.
While Walnut Creek is the most visually appealing- the crowds, traffic & parking situation are enough to keep me away. Clayton, Pleasant Hill & Martinez don’t have enough to offer.
Martinez. Walnut Creek too crowded. Clayton is nice, but in the summer it is ten degrees hotter than hell. Where is the concord/ pleasant hill downtown? Antioch? “Better than Baypoint” is their new town slogan.
Lafayette
This is an ironic question since of all these towns only Walnut Creek actually has a downtown. Concord and Pleasant Hill are especially annoying because no matter how hard I have tired I was never able to locate a city center there. Clayton is cute and isolated but hardly a town more like a pit stop. And Martinez is a lost cause it is so unattractive and disjointed. Any town that has a jail as the main attraction is nowhere.
Downtown Martinez. I love the character of the downtown area. Martinez is one of five cities that made the cut as “best downtown” in the country. That says a lot…
None of the above. Clayton I’ve only driven through a few times on the way to a business there but it was just strip mall Americana. Walnut Creek has a downtown but I haven’t been there in years but looks like nothing much has changed. Martinez has a downtown which is falling apart. Too many buildings closed because their plumbing is bad. It’s target market is antique collectors and jurists on a lunch break trying to find a reasonably priced lunch (good luck!) It’s a downtown that might have worked in 1910 but not 2019. Concord and Pleasant Hill don’t really have a “downtown” just a shopping center. OTOH, the concept of “downtowns” themselves might be out-of-date.
Clayton downtown “strip mall Americana”??? I definitely think you got the wrong downtown. Clayton’s downtown is about 3 blocks long with very few stores. A better word to describe it would be Quaint.
There are no strip malls in downtown Clayton. Perhaps you are thinking of Ygnacio/Kirker as it goes by Clayton. That is still Concord. Downtown Clayton is small town personified.
The one that Petula Clark sang about.
It depends, would you rather be shot, ripped off by a parking meter or hit by a sweater?
I don’t see a whole lot of risk in being hit by a sweater?
@old Concord guy
We like to live in the danger zone.
We go for the Trifecta of your choices.
I’m intrigued by this hit by a sweater thing. Is it recommended or appalling?
To me “downtown” has always meant where the biggest buildings are clustered. I don’t go to any downtown unless required to. I am not the party type.
Walnut Creek.
Walnut Creek can boast a Tiffany & Co. store.but the old town has changed so much.
Nothing “strip mall Americana” about Clayton.
I was thinking about that comment. They must be thinking of Clayton Road. The town of Clayton has maybe ten buildings and most of them built in the 1800’s . I don’t think a bar, pizza place, church , 3 restaurants , a park, and a post office could be considered a strip mall. It is the entire town.
As much as it’s lost it’s charm, Walnut Creek still has the best options for restaurants and shopping. There are also fewer hoodlums, and fewer convenient parking spaces.
Back in the ‘60s & ‘70s we cruised Main and Locust. It was great fun and a way to meet kids from other high schools because we were all in WC on Friday and Saturday nights.
Downtown Walnut Creek. There’s so much to do
Hard to pick since each one has different vibe and what you’re looking for :
Downtown Concord ~ Park, farmers market, music, I do a lot.
Downtown Clayton ~ quaint, but too far out of my way.
Downtown Walnut Creek ~ SHOPPING, but rarely go.
Downtown Pleasant Hill ~ Shopping, Michael’s, but rarely go.
Downtown Martinez ~ Vintage shops, plus more, been enjoying!
There is no best, they all have their draws.
Roz…next time you go to Walnut Creek you have to try Leonidas Belgian Chocolates. OMG they are soooo good. I spend at least a hundred bucks on the wife every time. (about twice a year)
Downtown Walnut Creek. Good mix of old and new. Options on both sides of the spectrum from high end to lower end. Like Ruth Chris to Stadium Pub. Prima for some wine or Dan’s for a shot and a beer. I have my parking spots but I’m not telling anyone about them 🙂
Out of those four, probably still Walnut Creek, even though parking is difficult and it’s getting overcrowded. The best around here would probably be Danville (plus there’s free parking)!
Walnut Creek used to be the best before it became too crowded and like others mentioned, they started charging excessive parking fees for the privlege to spend your money there. No thanks… as far as my current favorite, I will keep that and my best camping spots to myself…..
Concord by far wins
The cigarette smoke and panhandlers in Todos Santos town square is the best. Blue tarps and sleeping bags under the park benches can’t be beat. Keep up the great work Concord city council your the best.
I live in the North Bay now but grew up in Concord. Sad how it’s gotten there.
Concord. Good parking options, lots of food choices, farmers market, music, the square. Even some decent craft beer options.
Definitely Walnut Creek! There’s a lot for me to do while solo as well as take out-of-town guests!
Downtown Port Costa wipes a tear!
Downtown Martinez is the best, although I don’t go very often. Parking is easy.
Years ago I would’ve said W.C., but now it’s just too crowded.
CONCORD!!! I like to go to the Half Price Book Store!!!
Use to work at Macy’s in Walnut Creek, so was there a lot. Lived in Benicia for 10 years, loved First Street. Now live in Concord, like to go to Farmer’s Market, and while Half Price Books was open combined shopping for fresh for veggies and fruit with book shopping. I now work at Macy’s in Palo Alto, so most of my clothes shopping I do at work, once in awhile I might go to Sun Valley Mall, but that is not really downtown, anyway I rarely have a reason to go downtown Walnut Creek, since I can get what I need either at work or right here in Concord, especially now that Barnes and Noble is open in Concord.
Walnut creek. I dont think of P.H having a down town.
Hate them all. Too many people.
Walnut Creek would be the nicest, except their high cost of parking suggests they don’t want visitors. It use to be a great downtown. Now the attitude has completely changed. I like the Todos Santos area of Concord. However, I don’t know if that can be called “downtown”. I really like what they are doing with downtown Martinez. This could very possibly be the best downtown of the future!
Answering this question is difficult because each of these downtowns reflect the economic and social issues of our time. The consolidation of wealth, and of retail. Downtown Walnut Creek is basically Downtown Contra Costa, especially for the central and eastern portions of the county. It is a healthy retail center, has restaurants, and other cultural attractions. Being at the intersection of two major freeways, and closer to Oakland and San Francisco, have made it the ideally location in our county. Concord, Martinez, and Clayton have downtowns at their founding locations. All three have lost their retail in the post-freeeay shift to retail locations with greater automobile access. I’m not sure about Clayton, but Concord and Martinez have the kinds of businesses that have not moved to e-commerce, like restaurants, hair and beauty, second hand stores, and government offices. Pleasant Hill does not appear on any maps prior to its incorporation in 1961, and never had a town center. Crescent Plaza is a privately owned shopping center that dubs as a downtown in part because of its location near city hall. My favorite is Concord, but it is far from perfect.
Clayton for me!! Quaint, quiet, “old West” feel to it, nice restaurants and pubs….what more you want??
@Scott – Maps of the area show “Pleasant Hill” starting in 1915. The southern boundary was what’s now known as Geary Road which went west from Contra Costa Blvd but ended and turned right onto Putnam. Treat Blvd. to the east of Geary and Beuna Vista to the south of Putnam did not exist. Putnam went north and ended at what’s now known as Oak Park Blvd. where the road turned left to the west. This situation of a road zig-zagging through the area existed until 1947 when development started.
The very first “Pleasant Hill” development was in 1947 in the neighborhood around Pleasant Valley Drive, Hook Avenue, and Esther drive. Officially, the area was still county land though known as Pleasant Hill and sometimes Pleasant Hills.
When Pleasant Hill was incorporated in 1961 the southern border was shifted from Geary to Oak Park. The part to the south of Oak Park was added to Walnut Creek and Pleasant Hill was to the north. (technically, the border is 100 feet south of Oak Park so that both sides of Oak Park would be in Pleasant Hill.) Streets such as Boyd, Gregory, on up north were all added starting in 1947.
The Pleasant Hill area went from a mix of farms, orchards, grassland straight to residential development. It never had a business district which is why it never had a “downtown” other than the recent Crescent Circle area which the city of PH now calls their “downtown.”
I’d have to say Martinez. And it is so close to the Marina.
I recently moved to Concord after having lived 1/2 mile from downtown Walnut Creek for 18 years, so I’m partial to “The Nut.” I really had no need to own a car from where I was situated, and it was particularly nice when Andronico’s and the post office were there. I really enjoyed not being tethered to the car (note all the parking complaints).
Library, post office, 2 grocery stores, bank(s), restaurants, BART, etc. Really, just about everything a person could need on a day-to-day basis.
That said, I do not miss my landlord! Or even having one, for that matter, so, thank you, Concord—I will learn to love you. Now, where is downtown?
Welcome, Earthling!
Y’all ain’t got nuthin’ on Piccadilly Circus!
It is possible Martinez is the closest to a circus.
Concord hands down! Martinez too many tweekers, Walnut creek too crowded and no parking and PH is a street not a “downtown.”
I am with Roz on this on. Each has its own charm. For quaint, I like Clayton and Port Costa. For that funky vib, Martinez. WC is for upscale shopping and dining…which I don’t do anymore since I discovered I am poor.
Orinda was fun. Is there stll a Nations across from the theater? Orinda had that old school casual with under currents of wealth. Danville? A little too primped up, not that I would know. It has its charms.
Lafayette? I want to like Lafayette. Some cool restaurants and shops. I just don’t like the traffic. Too bad. No one ever mentions Alamo. Lol. They are well hidden…oops. Not really a downtown. More like a country strip. Don’t go there. Haha.
On to P.Hill. Whatever. I miss the vacant lots and the burger bar. But what do I know. It has a Peets. And a Poets Corner. And P.Hill market. All within a mile or three of each other. DeVinos!