El Sobrante, California
El Sobrante is a community of 16,294 people in Contra Costa County, California.
Why visit El Sobrante
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 25 parks and trails, 47 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Century Hilltop 16, Bank of Pinole, Bernardo Fernandez House and Alvarado Area.
September is the warmest month, with average highs of 75°F; January lows average 44°F.
Weather in El Sobrante
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About El Sobrante
El Sobrante (pronounced [el soˈβɾante]; Spanish for 'The Surplus') is a census-designated place (CDP) in Contra Costa County, California, United States. The population was 15,524 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article El Sobrante, Contra Costa County, California (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks3
Bank of Pinole
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.3 mi
Historic building in Pinole, California, United States
Bernardo Fernandez House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
Historic house in California, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds25
Alvarado Area
Park · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
National Historic Place in Richmond, California
Breuner Marsh
Park · 3.3 mi
Park in California, United States of America
Kennedy Grove Regional Recreation Area
Park · 2.9 mi
Park in California, United States of America, United States of America
Richmond Country Club
Park · 2.7 mi
Park in California, United States of America
Sobrante Ridge Botanic Regional Preserve
Park · 2.2 mi
Park in California, United States
Sobrante Ridge Regional Park
Park · 2.2 mi
Park in United States of America
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Wildcat Canyon Regional Park
Park · 2.8 mi
Park in California, United States
13 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes47
California Thai Restaurant
Restaurant · Thai · 0.8 mi
3873 San Pablo Dam Road, El Sobrante
35 more on the map.
History
Between 5000 and 1000 BC, an indigenous tribe of people called the Huchiun (alternate spellings: Huichin, Xučyun), an Ohlone people, came to the East Bay, including El Sobrante. One of the Huchiun villages was located where the El Sobrante Library now stands. The Huchiun left a now-buried shell mound beside San Pablo Creek. Ohlone people still live in the bay area and other parts of the world today.
Between November 1794 and May 1795, the Huchiun were forcibly converted to Christianity by Spanish missionaries. After all of the Huchiun were removed to Mission San Francisco, they suffered an epidemic of European diseases as well as food shortages, and died in great numbers, resulting in alarming statistics of death and escapes from the missions. In pursuing the runaways, the Franciscans sent neophytes first and (as a last resort) soldiers to go round up the runaway "Christians" from their relatives, and bring them back to the missions. Thus illness spread both inside and outside of the missions.
From the History section of El Sobrante, Contra Costa County, California on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Churches and places of worship10
Temple Beth Hillel Richmond
Place of worship · Reform · 0.7 mi
801 Park Central Street, Richmond
Shopping11
Gas and EV charging9
Schools, colleges and libraries67
El Sobrante Library - Contra Costa County Library
Library · 0.6 mi
4191 Appian Way, El Sobrante
Pinole Library - Contra Costa County Library
Library · 1.6 mi
2935 Pinole Valley Road
Aspire Richmond Ca. College Preparatory Academy
School · 1.3 mi
3040 Hilltop Mall Rd., Richmond
Healthcare4
Map of El Sobrante
180 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58°F | 44°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Feb | 61°F | 46°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Mar | 64°F | 47°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Apr | 67°F | 49°F | 1.6 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 69°F | 52°F | 0.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 72°F | 54°F | 0.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 71°F | 55°F | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 72°F | 56°F | 0.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 75°F | 56°F | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 73°F | 54°F | 1.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 65°F | 49°F | 2.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 58°F | 44°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Richmond (6 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
Contra Costa County has had 9 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2023-01-14: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2023-01-09: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2020-03-22: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2017-04-01: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2017-03-16: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
San Rafael Airport (SRF) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 12 miles away.
- Rollingwood 2 mi west, about 3 min by car
- Tara Hills 2 mi northwest, about 3 min by car
- San Pablo 2 mi west, about 4 min by car
- East Richmond Heights 2 mi south, about 3 min by car
- Pinole 2 mi north, about 4 min by car
- Montalvin Manor 2 mi northwest, about 4 min by car
- Bayview 2 mi north, about 4 min by car
- Richmond 3 mi southwest, about 6 min by car
- Hercules 3 mi north, about 5 min by car
- El Cerrito 4 mi south, about 6 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
- SanPabloDamRoad, Coro, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Bank of Pinole (Pinole, CA), Sanfranman59, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Bernardo Fernandez House (Pinole, CA), Sanfranman59, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Alvarado Park (Richmond, CA), Sanfranman59, CC BY-SA 3.0
- East bay hills (4409718145), nick fullerton from 'Vallejo, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Wildcatcanyonrichmond-2019, Ndołkah, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ustilago avenae (43), Alan Rockefeller, CC BY 4.0
- Ustilago avenae (40), Alan Rockefeller, CC BY 4.0
- Ustilago avenae (39), Alan Rockefeller, CC BY 4.0
- Ustilago avenae (41), Alan Rockefeller, CC BY 4.0
- Ustilago avenae (42), Alan Rockefeller, CC BY 4.0
- Ustilago avenae (38), Alan Rockefeller, CC BY 4.0
- DanielSchmidt, Cteaghin, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Angel Falls at Rolling Hills, Cary Bass-Deschenes, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Serenity Mausoleum in Rolling Hills, Cary Bass-Deschenes, CC BY-SA 2.0
- WestCAT route 16 bus on Fitzgerald Drive, March 2019, Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Say's Phoebe (16044858234), Becky Matsubara from El Sobrante, California, CC BY 2.0
- Say's Phoebe (16486745488), Becky Matsubara from El Sobrante, California, CC BY 2.0
- Round Table Pizza restaurant in Pinole, California, Thomasfan1916, CC BY-SA 4.0
- In-N-Out Burger restaurant in Pinole, California, Thomasfan1916, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Target store in Pinole, California, Thomasfan1916, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Motel 6, Pinole, California, Thomasfan1916, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Western Contra Costa Transit Authority 416-a, Evan0512, CC BY-SA 4.0
- DSC17005, Starbucks, Pinole, CA, USA (256901930), Jim G from Silicon Valley, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0
- House Wren (49971380707), Becky Matsubara from Contra Costa County, California, CC BY 2.0
- Sizzler in Pinole, California, Thomasfan1916, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sizzler restaurant in Pinole, California, Thomasfan1916, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hilltop Mall exterior from the hill IMG 2614 (51135624172), Jonathan Konrath from Oakland, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Hilltop Mall parking lot IMG 2615 (51136299821), Jonathan Konrath from Oakland, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Red-tailed Hawk with tongue out (32080826254), Becky Matsubara from El Sobrante, California, CC BY 2.0
- Hilltop Mall outer deck IMG 2616 (51137408830), Jonathan Konrath from Oakland, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Hilltop Mall Expressive Activity IMG 2617 (51137077944), Jonathan Konrath from Oakland, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Mourning Dove (16045675644), Becky Matsubara from El Sobrante, California, CC BY 2.0
- Hilltop Mall stairs IMG 2613 (51136516533), Jonathan Konrath from Oakland, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Hilltop Mall hallway IMG 0715 (51136511133), Jonathan Konrath from Oakland, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Ustilago avenae (20), crothfels, CC BY 4.0
- Hilltop Mall Shops Tags IMG 0717 (51137403640), Jonathan Konrath from Oakland, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Hilltop Mall all shops IMG 0739 (51137074239), Jonathan Konrath from Oakland, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Hilltop Mall sunken seating IMG 0718 (51135619377), Jonathan Konrath from Oakland, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Hilltop Mall upper level IMG 0719 (51137072694), Jonathan Konrath from Oakland, USA, CC BY 2.0
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