Location: Pleasanton
Top Things to do in Pleasanton
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Top 6 Budget-friendly Things to do in Pleasanton, California (CA)
Pleasanton is a city in Alameda County, California, incorporated in 1894. It is a suburb in the San Francisco Bay Area located about 25 miles (40 km) east of Oakland, and 6 miles (9.7 km) west of Livermore. The population was 70,285 at the 2010 census. In 2005 and 2007, Pleasanton was ranked the wealthiest middle-sized city in the United States by the Census Bureau. Pleasanton is home to the headquarters of Workday, Ellie Mae, Roche Molecular Diagnostics, Blackhawk Network Holdings, and Veeva Systems. Other major employers include Kaiser Permanente, Safeway, Oracle, Nordstrom and Macy's. Although Oakland is the Alameda County seat, a few county offices and a courthouse are located in Pleasanton. The Alameda County Fairgrounds are located in Pleasanton, where the county fair is held during the last week of June and the first week of July. Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park is located on the west side of town.
Restaurants in Pleasanton
1. Firehouse Arts Center
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 24 reviews
Reviewed By 924ma - Pleasanton, United States
The Firehouse Arts Theater is an excellent venue for intimate performances with U shaped seating around in the balcony and angled floor seating. There are no bad seats on the floor level. However, the balcony spots overlooking the stage are a matter of personal taste - they are excellent for watching details of a musician's technique, but not so good for watching a performance with acting and drama where a more frontal view is essential. Check the website for offerings which range from bands to small orchestral and improv groups. The FHTheater is a short walk from Main St and close to the Museum on Main as well as many restaurants on Main and side streets. The Harrington Gallery is adjacent, and inside, just across the aisle from the Firehouse Theaters interior doors to the lobby. This gallery, and the wall space in front and along the upstairs hallways, provide 4 different venues for rotating art displays, so be sure to walk down the halls and go upstairs and check out the walls there in order to see all the current exhibits. The hallway exhibits are frequently devoted to regional artists as one-person shows. The main Harrington Gallery itself has new shows every few months, some selected by management, some juried with a theme, and some visiting exhibits. Exhibits usually include a small number of sculptural and figurative pieces but are primarily media for the wall. There is something for everyone's taste and the work tends to be contemporary, frequently abstract, and often less than 3 years old (per submission guidelines). Some shows have featured more landscapes and portraits as well, less abstract, so the gallery ensures that it has art for everyone. Receptions for each new show are engaging because the artists are invited and the public can meet and discuss with them about their art and learn about their ideas and techniques. The HG occasionally sponsors free public artist demonstration talks, often in the summer. All have been most informative and a pleasure to meet the volunteer local artists! The HG has classrooms upstairs where selected local artists teach children and adult classes in various media including watercolor and colored pencil for example. These classes usually require pre-enrollment and a fee and are often a several week series once a week.
2. Museum on Main
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 40 reviews
Reviewed By williamo207 - Johnstown, United States
Went to visit son and did a ghost tour with museum and very interesting and fun with variety of places to visit with presentations that were varied from dry descriptions of the paranormal in that area, to 1st person theatrical presentations and created a nice variety and saw much of the downtown area. The museum is free, but this tour had a cost, but reasonable.
3. Alameda County Fairgrounds
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 88 reviews
Reviewed By Travel75_12 - Fremont, United States
Been to numerous county fairs and none of them beat the Alameda County Fair. It has exhibit halls, shopping, 4-H, art work, technology, numerous stages for musicians, horse racing, and lots of food. It's the only attraction I would call ... heaven!
4. Pleasanton Farmers' Market
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 101 reviews
Reviewed By gotmold - Pleasanton, United States
I have seen and talked with neighbors that my son has grown up with and I have family who spend quality time together shopping and experiencing the vegetables for sale
5. Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 69 reviews
A public water park with slides, a picnic area, hiking, fishing, swimming and fun for the family.
6. Stoneridge Shopping Center
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 68 reviews
Reviewed By U4636NNchristyh - Lewistown, United States
We had to meet a family close to this mall and stopped in to see what it was like. This place was Huge!!! Two stories and lots of stores to fit almost anyone's taste. Very nice area and lots to do.
