Lafayette

Welcome to Lafayette

Lafayette sits in the hills of Contra Costa County, between Orinda and Walnut Creek, just east of the Caldecott Tunnel and about 25 minutes from San Francisco by BART. It's the kind of town where a tree-lined downtown of boutique shops and gourmet restaurants coexists with quiet residential streets and easy access to open space. Get in touch with The DiMaggio Betta Group.

Discover the Community

History

Lafayette's history stretches back more than 10,000 years, beginning with the Saclan tribe, a subgroup of the Bay Miwok who established villages throughout the area. In California's early statehood era, the town served as a stopover point for the Pony Express and wagon trains crossing the Sierras — a frontier history that still shows up in the town's name and character today.

Schools, Parks & Everyday Life

Lafayette's schools are a major draw for families: Acalanes High School carries an A-plus rating and is ranked among the top high schools in California, and the feeder schools — Stanley Middle School, Lafayette Elementary, Happy Valley Elementary, Springhill Elementary, and Burton Valley Elementary — carry the same reputation for excellence.

The town itself divides into a few distinct pockets, each with its own feel: Burton Valley's open space draws hikers and dog walkers, Happy Valley offers a quieter, under-the-radar kind of elegance, and Reliez Valley keeps a rural, pastoral character despite being minutes from downtown.

At the center of it all is the Lafayette Reservoir, a 126-acre reservoir built in 1933 that's since become the town's backyard — open for kayaking, fishing, and looped trails that residents use year-round. Downtown, the annual Art and Wine Festival brings out live music, local art, and food from across the region, and it's one of the clearest signs of how much community pride runs through this town.

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