Eyeing a Move to Lafayette? Don’t Miss Idyllic Reliez Valley & 4 Other Coveted Neighborhoods

 

Choices, choices, choices...

With so many neighborhood flavors in Lafayette – from downtown charm to rolling hills and equestrian trails – how do you pick the right landing place for your family? Well, Abio Properties is here to help!

You should know first that although Lafayette neighborhoods are very different, they also are wonderfully similar in all the best ways: They have access to some of California’s best public schools, share a mild Mediterranean climate, and are minutes from shops, restaurants, parks, trails, sports facilities, and public transit.

Let's start with Reliez Valley, Lafayette

 

 

In the pastoral neighborhood of Reliez Valley in northeastern Lafayette, sightings of horses, vineyards, and farmhouses will make you feel like you’ve discovered a bucolic oasis in the middle of the busy Bay Area.

Reliez Valley has a sweeping, rural character. It's a reminder of Lafayette's history as a fertile farming community that started in the 1850s with grain, orchards, and livestock.

Yet no modern amenity is too far away.

Many of the homes here, nestled in the hills or along the valley floor, are walking distance from highly acclaimed public schools. And Downtown Lafayette is just a short drive or bike ride away.

The residential community includes a mix of traditional neighborhoods and suburban courts, sought-after gated developments such as Baywood (built against the Briones Regional Park open space), and large estates with room for horses to roam and vineyards to grow.

 

Downtown Lafayette

 

 

The obvious draw to Downtown Lafayette is its proximity to chic boutiques, bistros, services, farmers market, and events like the Art & Wine Festival.

It’s a thriving commercial district with small-town charm. Attractions and conveniences include the Lafayette BART station, library, bike trails, playgrounds, creeks, excellent grocery options such as Whole Foods and Diablo Foods, and the nearby Lafayette Reservoir with 550-acres of oak woodland.

The Downtown residential neighborhood features diverse housing options, from condos and apartments to large custom homes. Many of the homes built in the 1940s-1960s on the market today have been gorgeously remodeled with high-end upgrades.

And we have to mention the schools again. Lafayette Elementary serves the downtown neighborhood and scored a 9 out of 10 by GreatSchools.org.

 

Trailside

 

 

Nextdoor to Downtown Lafayette is the Trailside neighborhood.

As its name promises, Trailside runs parallel to the bucolic Lafayette-Moraga Trail.

In Trailside, you still live close to everything that Downtown offers, and also have easy access to walk, bike, or ride horses along a 7.65-mile trail with a rich history. It was once used by mule trains to carry redwood from Oakland to Sacramento until steam trains took over.

Today, the trail connects to several schools, including St. Mary's College, local parks, and downtown Moraga. You typically find ranch-style homes in quiet cul-de-sacs along the trail.

 

Burton Valley

 

 

Burton Valley in southeastern Lafayette is the peaceful Mayberry of Lafayette – a neighborhood full of kids on bikes, grassy parks, creek walks, a top-rated elementary school and swim clubs.

Tucked in the "back" of Lafayette away from the bustle of the freeway and downtown, it is a quiet and coveted neighborhood once filled with pear and walnut orchards.

Now Burton Valley is known for large ranch and traditional homes built between 1937 and 2016, with lawns and oaks in front and swimming pools in back.

We have a lot more to say about Burton Valley, so read on here.

 

Happy Valley

 

Happy Valley lives up to its name!

This neighborhood is home to some of Lafayette’s most enviable custom estates – houses with 4,000+ square feet on hilltops with views, private grounds behind gated entries, swimming pools, guest cottages, game rooms, and dream kitchens.

Although this area in western Lafayette might seem a world away, it is near everything you want. Happy Valley is only about a mile from Downtown, BART, the freeway, and trail systems.

 

Read related: Full of Surprises: Saranap, nestled in an unincorporated pocket of Contra Costa County

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Want a tour of neighborhoods and homes for sale in Lafayette, CA? Visit our Abio Properties office at 985 Moraga Rd, Suite 212, and we'll take you around! Contact us at 888-400-ABIO (2246) or hello@abioproperties.com.