Benicia, California
Benicia is a city of 26,749 people in Solano County, California, founded in 1850.
Why visit Benicia
Townapedia lists 34 museums and landmarks, 43 parks and trails, 39 places to eat, 5 places to stay and 7 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Benicia–Martinez Bridge, Cal Poly Maritime Academy, Benicia Capitol State Historic Park and Fischer-Hanlon House.
September is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 42°F.
Weather in Benicia
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Benicia
Benicia is a city in Solano County, California, United States, on the north bank of the Carquinez Strait in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. It served as the capital of California for nearly thirteen months from 1853 to 1854. The population was 27,131 at the 2020 United States census. Benicia is just east of Vallejo and across the strait from Martinez.
From the Wikipedia article Benicia, California (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do7
Benicia–Martinez Bridge
Bridge · 2.8 mi
Californian series of road & rail bridges on the Carquinez Strait
Cal Poly Maritime Academy
School · 4.1 mi
Maritime academy in Vallejo, California, United States
Carquinez Bridge
Bridge · 3.9 mi
Suspension and cantilever bridges on San Pablo Bay
Carquinez Strait Light
Lighthouse · 3.2 mi
Lighthouse in California, United States
Museums and landmarks34
Benicia Capitol State Historic Park
Museum · National Register of Historic Places · 1.6 mi
State historic park in Benicia, California, USA
Fischer-Hanlon House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.6 mi
Historical house built in 1858 in Benicia, California, USA
Benicia Arsenal
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.7 mi
Historic district in Benicia, United States of America
Benicia Southern Pacific Railroad Passenger Depot
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.0 mi
Railway station in Benicia, the United States of America
Carr House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
United States national historic place
Martinez Library
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.0 mi
Martinez Branch of the Contra Costa County Library system
Old Masonic Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Building in California, United States
Port Costa School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.7 mi
School building in Port Costa, United States of America
Tucker House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.0 mi
Historic house in California, United States
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USCGC Storis
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.9 mi
U.S.Coast Guard cutter and icebreaker (1942–2007)
22 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds43
Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline
Park · 2.6 mi
Regional park in California, US
City Park, Benicia
Park · 1.3 mi
Park in Benicia, United States of America
Radke Martinez Regional Shoreline
Park · 3.6 mi
Park in Contra Costa County, California, United States of America
Waterbird Regional Preserve
Park · 4.5 mi
Regional park, Contra Costa County, California,
31 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes39
Starbucks
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.3 mi
90 Solano Square, Solano Square
Su-Fr 04:15-21:00; Sa 04:00-21:30
Bella Siena
Restaurant · American, Fine Dining, Italian · 1.9 mi
127 1st Street
Mo-Th 11:30-21:00; Fr-Su 11:30-22:00
Rrags Caffé
Cafe · Breakfast, Coffee Shop, Sandwich · 1.3 mi
1383 East 2nd Street, Benicia
Mo-Fr 05:00-18:00; Sa 06:00-17:00; Su 06:00-15:00
Sailor Jack's
Restaurant · American, Seafood · 1.9 mi
123 1st Street, Benicia
Mo, We-Th 11:00-20:00; Su 10:00-20:00; Fr 11:00-21:00; Sa 10:00-21:00
Bull Valley Road House
Restaurant · 2.4 mi
14 Canyon Lake Drive, Port Costa
Th 17:00-21:00, Fr 17:00-22:00, Sa 16:00-22:00, Su 10:30-14:00, Su...
The Rellik Tavern
Bar and pub · 1.6 mi
726 1st Street, Benicia
Mo 16:00-21:00; Su, Tu-We 12:00-22:00; Th-Sa 12:00-01:00
27 more on the map.
History
The City of Benicia was founded on May 19, 1847, by Dr. Robert Semple, Thomas O. Larkin, and Comandante General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, on land donated to them by General Vallejo in December 1846. It was named for the General's wife, Francisca Benicia Carillo de Vallejo, a member of the Carrillo family of California, a prominent Californio dynasty. The General intended that the city be named "Francisca" after his wife, but this name was dropped when the former city of "Yerba Buena" changed its name to "San Francisco," so her second given name was used instead. In his memoirs, William Tecumseh Sherman contended that Benicia was "the best natural site for a commercial city" in the region.
In February 1848, first word of gold found at Sutter's Mill was leaked at a Benicia Tavern, thus starting the California Gold Rush. Benicia became a way station on the way to the Sierras.
In March 1850, Benicia became one of the first incorporated cities in California, a month after Sacramento. Benicia was the original county seat of Solano County. The lower floor of the Benicia Masonic Hall, built in 1850 with lumber donated by Benicia founder Robert Semple on land donated by Alexander Riddell, was used as the County court room and offices prior to the completion of Benicia's city hall. In 1858, the county seat was moved to Fairfield.
From the History section of Benicia, California on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay5
Holiday Inn Express Benicia
Motel and hotel · 1.5 mi
1375 East 5th Street, Benicia
Churches and places of worship17
Shopping12
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries45
Healthcare1
Map of Benicia
206 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57°F | 42°F | 4.5 in |
| Feb | 63°F | 45°F | 3.6 in |
| Mar | 68°F | 46°F | 3.2 in |
| Apr | 73°F | 47°F | 1.4 in |
| May | 78°F | 51°F | 0.8 in |
| Jun | 83°F | 54°F | 0.2 in |
| Jul | 85°F | 56°F | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 86°F | 56°F | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 86°F | 56°F | 0.1 in |
| Oct | 79°F | 54°F | 1.0 in |
| Nov | 66°F | 47°F | 2.2 in |
| Dec | 58°F | 42°F | 4.5 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Vallejo (3 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Solano County has had 16 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2023-04-03: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2023-01-14: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2023-01-09: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2020-08-22: Wildfires (Fire)
- 2020-08-18: Lnu Lightning Fire Complex (Fire)
- 2020-03-22: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Buchanan Field Airport (CCR) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 8 miles away.
- Martinez 6 mi southeast, about 9 min by car
- Vallejo 6 mi west, about 10 min by car
- Hercules 8 mi southwest, about 13 min by car
- Pleasant Hill 9 mi southeast, about 15 min by car
- American Canyon 9 mi northwest, about 15 min by car
- Pinole 10 mi southwest, about 16 min by car
- Concord 11 mi southeast, about 17 min by car
- El Sobrante 11 mi southwest, about 17 min by car
- Bay Point 11 mi east, about 17 min by car
- San Pablo 13 mi southwest, about 20 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Benicia Capitol, Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 3.0
- USA-Benicia-Saint Dominic's Cemetery-Grave of Garrett Dominic Murphy-3, Eugene Zelenko, CC BY-SA 4.0
- USA-Benicia-Saint Dominic's Cemetery-Grave of Garrett Dominic Murphy-2, Eugene Zelenko, CC BY-SA 4.0
- USA-Benicia-Saint Dominic's Cemetery-Grave of Garrett Dominic Murphy-1, Eugene Zelenko, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Benicia Bait and Tackle, Cullen328, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Benicia, CA USA (Fish-Riddel House, c. 1900) - panoramio (3), MARELBU, CC BY 3.0
- USA-Benicia-Saint Dominic's Cemetery-Priests Graves-2, Eugene Zelenko, CC BY-SA 4.0
- USA-Benicia-Saint Dominic's Cemetery-Grave of María Concepción Argüello-1, Eugene Zelenko, CC BY-SA 4.0
- USA-Benicia-Saint Dominic's Cemetery-Priests Graves-1, Eugene Zelenko, CC BY-SA 4.0
- USA-Benicia-Saint Dominic's Cemetery-Grave of María Concepción Argüello-2, Eugene Zelenko, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Benicia, CA USA (Fish-Riddel House, c. 1900) - panoramio (2), MARELBU, CC BY 3.0
- USA-Benicia-Saint Dominic's Cemetery-Nuns Graves-3, Eugene Zelenko, CC BY-SA 4.0
- USA-Benicia-Saint Dominic's Cemetery-Nuns Graves-1, Eugene Zelenko, CC BY-SA 4.0
- USA-Benicia-Saint Dominic's Cemetery-Nuns Graves-4, Eugene Zelenko, CC BY-SA 4.0
- USA-Benicia-Saint Dominic's Cemetery-Priests Graves-3, Eugene Zelenko, CC BY-SA 4.0
- USA-Benicia-Saint Dominic's Cemetery-Nuns Graves-2, Eugene Zelenko, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Benicia, CA USA (Fish-Riddel House, c. 1900) - panoramio, MARELBU, CC BY 3.0
- Benicia, CA USA (Fish-Riddel House, c. 1900) - panoramio (1), MARELBU, CC BY 3.0
- Benicia, CA USA - panoramio (36), MARELBU, CC BY 3.0
- Benicia, CA USA - panoramio (1), MARELBU, CC BY 3.0
- Benicia, CA USA - panoramio (31), MARELBU, CC BY 3.0
- Benicia, CA USA - panoramio (6), MARELBU, CC BY 3.0
- Benicia, CA USA - panoramio (3), MARELBU, CC BY 3.0
- Benicia, CA USA - panoramio (29), MARELBU, CC BY 3.0
- Benicia, CA USA - panoramio (4), MARELBU, CC BY 3.0
- USA-Benicia-1036 First Street-1, Eugene Zelenko, CC BY-SA 4.0
- USA-Benicia-1036 First Street-2, Eugene Zelenko, CC BY-SA 4.0
- USA-Benicia-1036, 1038 First Street, Eugene Zelenko, CC BY-SA 4.0
- USA-Benicia-159 West J Street, Eugene Zelenko, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Benicia, CA USA - panoramio (5), MARELBU, CC BY 3.0
- USA-Benicia-155 West J Street, Eugene Zelenko, CC BY-SA 4.0
- USA-Benicia-151 West J Street, Eugene Zelenko, CC BY-SA 4.0
- USA-Benicia-135 West J Street, Eugene Zelenko, CC BY-SA 4.0
- BeniciaMasonicHall -- Side, DonaldCreaven, CC BY-SA 3.0
- BeniciaMasonicHall -- Front, DonaldCreaven, CC BY-SA 3.0
- USA-Benicia-121 West J Street, Eugene Zelenko, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Benicia state capitol exterior, Epolk, Public domain
- FISCHER-HANLON HOUSE IN BENICIA CAPITOL STATE HISTORIC PARK, CALIFORNIA, JERRYE AND ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0
- USCGC Storis goes home, United States Coast Guard, PA1 Kurt Fredrickson, Public domain
- Benicia Arsenal 1878, Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain
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