Downtown Concord - Concord, CA

Downtown Concord was originally founded under the name of Todos Santos, or "all saints," in 1869 by Salvio Pacheco. The nearby town of Pacheco was also founded by this man and when fire and flood hit the town of Pacheco, many residents relocated to Concord for relief and to rebuild.

Downtown Concord has not undergone any cultural shifts in its history. The area has, however, seen a shift in its economy. Once a largely agricultural area, growing and producing grapes, walnuts, wheat, hay and tomatoes, Concord now houses many large businesses and headquarters, such as Bank of America and Chevron. No longer just a commuter town, where people live and sleep in the area and travel elsewhere to work, Concord now sees active industry within the town itself.

Every year, Downtown Concord puts on its annual Concord Jazz Festival. The event began in 1969, and locals consider it a staple of the area's music scene.

The restaurant scene defines much of Downtown Concord. You can go all-veg, BBQ, Asian or Italian all within a few blocks. Many of the restaurants occupy the streets surrounding Todos Santos Plaza, including Mt. Diablo Street, Willow Pass Road, Grant Street and Salvio Street, but Clayton Road and Monument Boulevard have just as many restaurants.

Many locals love for Tortilleria El Molino, located on Monument Boulevard. The restaurant dishes up authentic Mexican fare so good you will think you're in Mexico. Many people rank Tortilleria El Molino best Mexican food in the entire East Bay. When you go, be sure and order the Taco Dorados or the Carnitas. Regulars also love the freshly squeezed carrot and orange juice.

For a taste of something closer to home, head over to Monument Grill on, fittingly, Monument Boulevard. Monument Grill keeps the Concord Area fed with its scrumptious American Traditional food. The restaurant features American classics like hot dogs, burgers, sandwiches and salads but the friendly and welcoming restaurant owners, Sam and Susan, keep locals coming back. Make sure to try the tasty curly fries when you're here.

Downtown Concord sees a fairly active nightlife, so if you're looking for something to do, you're sure to find something. Night owls in the Downtown Concord Area enjoy dropping into a local club, watching a sports game at a bar, smoking hookah, singing karaoke or grabbing a late bite to eat. You will find these, and more, night time hotspots on the streets bordering Todos Santos Plaza, as well as on nearby Monument Boulevard and Concord Road.

The Hop Grenade on Monument Boulevard more or less tops the local bar scene. This bar attracts customers with its extensive beer menu as well as with its beer monitors. These state-of-the-art monitors constantly update what beers are available and how much remains.

Most Downtown Concord residents drive. The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) services the area as well as the local County Connection bus line. Most people use BART when traveling to and from other surrounding cities, but they use County Connection when traveling within the city.

You can easily find a cab at the Concord BART station, although it's best to call ahead for cabs outside of the BART station. Sadly Uber and other rideshare services do not service the area.

You'll normally find plentiful parking in Concord. Outdoor strip malls and large stores have parking lots, and the city has plenty of free and metered parking, specifically around the Todos Santos Plaza, as well as free residential side street parking.

Interstate 680 borders Concord to the left and California State Route 4 to the north. Many bike trails exist within the city, but they tend to be a little disconnected, making cycling a little hazardous. Most residents don't walk around the area.

Though the entire city of Concord has over 20 parks, Todos Santos Plaza, Willow Pass Park and Concord Community Park are the three closest to Downtown Concord.

Patrons visit the tiny 2.5-acre Todos Santos Plaza for its weekly farmers markets, open air festivals, picnic benches and children's play structures. The park welcomes both kids and pets, but be sure to put the latter on leashes.

Willow Pass Park's 40 acres attracts sports enthusiasts, especially softball and tennis players, because of its numerous softball fields and tennis courts. The large acreage gives runners a great space to run too.

If you're into swimming, or just enjoy a good BBQ in the summer, Concord Community Park has it all. Larger than Todos Santos Plaza, but smaller than Willow Pass Park, this 30-acre park has an indoor Olympic-size pool, which was updated in 2004. On the surrounding grounds, Concord Community Park has many picnic tables and grills for when those summer nights call for barbecuing.

Should you have a dog, you are welcome to bring him or her to any of the three parks. Other parks in Concord, however, have dog parks if that's what you're looking for.

At approximately $1,759 per month for a single-bedroom apartment, rent costs slightly less in Concord than in other surrounding areas. To ride BART from Concord to Downtown Oakland, you can expect to pay about $4 for a one-way ticket. For a glass of beer at a local pub, you can expect to pay anywhere from $6 to $8. Gas in Downtown Concord runs around 14 percent more than the national average.

Sunvalley Shopping Mall is Concord's main shopping destination. This mall contains few high-end stores and most of the stores are fairly run-of-the-mill and cost-friendly.

Concord, by and large, has few specialty/boutique shops. However, thrift and consignment shops are very popular among locals. ARF Thrift Store, on Market Street in Concord, is highly rated for its impressive selection of affordable goods, friendly staff and cleanliness. Many customers note the fabulous jewelry section here and its great mission supporting the veterinary needs of the companion animals for low-income Contra Costa County residents.

Trader Joe's and Safeway are Concord's go-to grocery stores. Locals seek out these popular vendors for their overall selection, budget friendliness, and helpful staff. On Tuesdays, head over to Downtown Concord's Todos Santos Plaza for the city's weekly farmers' market. Not only will you find hyper-local, hyper-fresh produce and specialty food items, but you will also find half a dozen food stands. If the line isn't too long, treat yourself to a No-No Burger, featuring a tasty meat-free patty, and killer sweet potato fries.