Washington Manor-Bonaire - San Leandro, CA Area Guide

The Rancho San Leandro, along with Rancho San Antonio, were Mexican land grants given to Spanish soldiers in the mid-1800s. The owner of Rancho San Leandro was Jose Joaquin Estudillo. Estudillo, who had been a soldier in the Spanish army since the age of 15, eventually made his way to Yerba Buena and requested a land grant. When he was denied, he moved his wife and 10 children across the bay and years later was finally granted the 6,829-acre rancho, which he named for his patron saint, Saint Leander. His sons-in-law later laid out the town of San Leandro. The home Estudillo built in 1850, Casa de Estudillo, is a California Historical Landmark. The McConaghy House and the Hayward Area Historical Society provide ways to connect to the area's historical past through exhibits and education. The Hayward Arts Council also holds exhibitions of local artwork. The Rowell Ranch Rodeo Parade, held in nearby Castro Valley, takes place every May. This popular even includes a chili cook-off, a pancake breakfast, a rodeo, and more.

R&D Cafe supplies Washington Manor with sumptuous Vietnamese dishes such as BBQ beef with garlic noodles, rice noodle chicken soup, and its signature papaya salad. Locals love the super friendly service and casual vibe as well as the subtle flavors that percolate through the soups. Frodo Joe's Coffee & Tea doesn't just serve eye-opening java in the morning. This place gets crepes right and keeps locals coming back year after year, filling crepes with chicken, cheese, mushroom, spinach, avocado, or bacon. The place has also been known to carry cronuts, but you need to get there early to score one. When you crave Indian food, Flavor of India has you covered. From saffron-heavy biryani dishes to lamb curry and warm soft breads, the fresh-made food attracts locals all of the time, even during the lunch and dinner buffets. Given Washington Manor-Bonaire's residential reputation, the area's nightlife doesn't emerge until the weekend, when locals tend to gather at a selection of local bars. Nippers Marina Lounge draws residents in with cheap drinks served in a dive bar atmosphere. Its real hits are Friday's karaoke night and Thursday night's jam sessions with Joe Lococo of the band Throwing Roses. Dark Horse Lounge has a pool table and plenty of televisions for checking out local sporting events, and nearby San Leandro has Club Caliente for Latin music and dancing all night long.

Since Washington Manor and Bonaire both have easy access to Interstates 880 and 580 as well as the 238 Freeway, many people in the area prefer to drive to their destinations. Residents also find parking to be generally easy to find and inexpensive. Public transportation options include BART trains stopping at San Leandro and Bayfair as well as San Leandro LINKS shuttles and AC Transit buses. Flex Shuttles also take senior citizens around in this area. Unless you find yourself near one of the BART stations, hailing a cab on the street here proves difficult. However, scheduling a pickup from a local cab company or Uber makes using one of these services easy. While locals find Washington Manor and Bonaire to be moderately walkable, most residents still choose to drive when going about their days or running their errands. With bike lanes scattered throughout some parts of the neighborhood, cyclists can feel safe.

Washington Manor-Bonaire contains several parks. Bonaire Park is five acres and includes a ball field, a playground, picnic areas, and horseshoe pits. Washington Manor Park covers 15 acres and includes an aquatic center with a swimming pool with zero-depth entry and several aquatic features, tennis courts, BBQ areas, a playground, ball fields, basketball courts, and open green space. Stenzel Park is a waterfront park that features four baseball diamonds, a basketball court, and two playgrounds. The San Leandro Marina provides a natural environment for locals to admire the stunning views of the bay. An indoor structure has a gym with some workout equipment and outdoor paths for walking or jogging. Outer Fremont hosts the Annual Adobo Festival in August. The event celebrates Filipino heritage with an adobo cook-off, music, arts, and games.

Washington Manor-Bonaire's cost of living sits higher than Oakland's average and the national average. A typical one-bedroom apartment in Washington Manor-Bonaire rents for around $1,484.20 per month. For an example cost from the area's public transit system, it costs $2.40 to get from the San Leandro BART station to Oakland's city center on the subway. Drivers find costs running slightly higher here, with prices hovering around 17 percent more than the national average. When out on the town, a beer at a local pub runs around $5.

Washington Manor-Bonaire's shopping destinations include the nearby Nike Clearance Store and Marina Square, a large shopping plaza that contains several popular stores and restaurants. Nordstrom Rack provides shoppers with discounted luxury brand items. The primary shopping area lies just off the 880. Most of this area's boutiques are in neighboring Hayward, Castro Valley, and Union City. Vintage Alley sells men's and women's clothing from the 1930s, 40s, and 50s in a friendly atmosphere of helpful salespeople and quirky music that truly sets the mood. Although Washington Manor and Bonaire residents find larger chain stores in San Leandro or other neighboring areas, one of the closest options for food shopping is Pacific Ranch Supermarket. Foodnet Supermarket also has a large selection of pre-cooked foods and fresh produce with an Asian flair. The area's closest farmers market takes place on 14th Street in San Leandro each Saturday morning. Locals cite the amazing selection of fruit and baked breads as reasons to go every week, and they look forward to the fresh apple cider during fall.