Neighborhood Guides

Orinda

A suburb of nearly 20,000 residents east of San Francisco, Orinda is an affluent community with homes perched along hillsides and in small valleys of the East Bay hills. Along with Lafayette and Moraga, Orinda is part of a group of three similar towns that are nicknamed Lamorinda.

Lafayette, Orinda and Moraga are located just over the Berkeley Hills between the Caldecott Tunnel and Walnut Creek along Highway 24. Each shares similar characteristics as single-family suburban communities that have some of the top public schools in all of California and their proximity to San Francisco tends to attract a more affluent population base. Orinda is bisected by Highway 24 and conveniently served by a BART train stop, giving it slightly shorter commute to SF than Lafayette or Moraga. Its has a historic theater in a lovely downtown that is a bit smaller than Lafayette’s.

  • Schools and infrastructure

Sleepy Hollow

The neighborhood of Sleepy Hollow is close to the freeway and downtown Orinda as the crow flies, but it has many smaller winding roads that meander through the trees and shady hills off of Camino Pablo and Miner Rd. As a result of the terrain, Sleepy Hollow has a wide range of home styles, lot sizes, and lot shapes, though on the whole it is one of the most upscale neighborhoods in Orinda. Some of the street names in Sleepy Hollow have spooky names in keeping with the neighborhood theme, which makes for fun Halloween trick or treating on Van Ripper Lane. In addition to having its own elementary school and swim and tennis club, Sleepy Hollow borders upon Orinda Country Club.

Notable streets

  • Tarry Lane
  • Sandhill Road
  • Sunnyside Lane
  • Van Ripper Lane
  • Tappan Lane

Orinda Downs

Located slightly north and east of Sleepy Hollow, Orinda Downs is home to mostly flat lots with some of the largest homes in the area. Dalewood Drive is the main road through the area, eventually connecting to the Happy Valley neighborhood of Lafayette.

Notable streets

  • Miner Road
  • Dalewood Drive
  • Diablo View Road
  • Amber Valley Drive
  • Singingwood Ln

Notable amenities

Orinda Country Club / Orinda Woods

Characterized by hilly and windy streets, OCC and Orinda Woods offer the closest proximity to Highway 24. OCC wraps around the golf course and Lake Cascade with smaller or terraced backyards. Orinda Woods is generally more open and accessible, with most homes built in the last 1970s, slightly newer than average for Orinda. Along with single family homes, Orinda Woods has a handful of townhomes, and many homes in the area have trademark natural wood shingle siding.

Notable streets

  • Camino Sobrante
  • La Cuesta Road
  • Dos Posos
  • Las Vegas Road
  • Via Floreado

Notable amenities

Glorietta

Glorietta is one of the older neighborhoods of Orinda south of Highway 24. Like the rest of Orinda, it has a mix of terrain, but many of the homes near Glorietta Elementary School have flatter lots and a strong community vibe. Glorietta also has easy access to Lafayette and Highway 24 via Glorietta Blvd to the north, in addition to the primary Orinda exit.

Notable streets

  • Glorietta Blvd
  • Orchard Road
  • Scenic Drive
  • Overhill Rd

Notable schools

Notable amenities

Del Ray

The neighborhood furthest south along Moraga Way and adjacent to the town of Moraga, Del Rey is home to both the main middle and high school in Orinda. Del Rey (and neighboring micro-hood Alice) have access to Orinda Oaks Park and the Mulholland Ridge Open Space for hiking and biking trails.

Notable streets

  • Ardith Drive
  • Ivy Drive
  • Coral Drive
  • Eastwood Drive

Notable amenities

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More neighborhood guides

Lafayette

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Danville

Walnut Creek

Moraga

San Francisco

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