Which Neighborhood for a Rural Feel?
Parent Q&A
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Friendly, Rural East Bay Neighborhood?
June 2008
My partner and I are the parents of 2 toddlers and live in Oakland. We are sick of the increase in crime, poor-performing schools, and our lack of a cohesive, safe neighborhood where kids can play together outside. I was raised in a more rural setting and long for that, but for many reasons, we need to stay in the East Bay. Is there a neighborhood or area that has a more rural feel to it, with kid-friendly neighborhoods? I want our kids to be able to run around outside and play with other kids in a place that does not seem so urban. We also want a decent public school near us. Is there anything in Oakland that meets these criteria? Anywhere else in the East Bay that is not prohibitively expensive (we are middle class). Thanks! Looking for a better place
While it's not rural, Alameda has a lot to offer: nice parks and neighborhoods, low crime, good schools and friendly residents. Come check it out! Jessica
We moved to Moraga a few years ago, after spending the previous couple of decades in Berkeley, Oakland, and San Francisco. We enjoy it here very much. Many areas have a rural vibe, especially the neighborhoods that back up onto cow pastures! In our area (off of Camino Pablo) we are surrounded by hills on three sides. When we sleep with our window open, we often hear owls at night and cows in the morning. The schools are good and not all the houses are totally expensive. I found the prices to be in line with Oakland's Montclair and Rockridge districts, but with better schools and lots of open space, trails, and such.
My kids play in the street, ride their bikes to their friends' houses, walk to and from school, etc. I ride my bike to the farmer's market and pilates (AWESOME pilates studio in Moraga...a real hidden gem).
No, it isn't Berkeley or Oakland hip. But it has a lot to offer, especially if you are looking for a something rural and close in. Moraga Momma
Hi! I live in the Oakland Hills (off Skyline - I think the neighborhood is called Parkridge Estates), and it sounds like exactly what you're looking for. We have neighbors down the street who have goats, and many neighbors have chickens, even horses. We're 2 blocks from an entrance to a Regional Park, and the neighborhood is definitely more "rural," as you've described. It's not the most accessible, since we are about a 15-20 minute drive to most everywhere in Oakland or Berkeley. On a map, look for the neighborhood by Skyline and Parkridge Drive.
Piedmont Pines or Montclair, or other areas in the hills, are very green. It is hard to find homes with yards but there are some lower in the foothills.
Look south of Joaquin Miller Park in the Oakland Hills. That whole stretch south of the park, east of hwy 13 up the hill might suit you. I have a friend with an actual farm in the Leona Heights area. No idea what property values currently are, though.
Some of the neighborhoods around Montclair have a pretty rural feel, especially some of the side roads off Thornhill (the Merriewood neighborhood) - there are a number of houses with chickens there and even goats, I think - and some of the places up Ascot in Piedmont Pines. I also know some people who live on/near Joaquin Miller Road and have yards that back up to Joaquin Miller Park that feel very rural, although JM itself is a busy 4-lane street. I've lived here 25 years and haven't really encountered any place that feels as rural as, say, Moraga, but there are pockets left with the feel from when the Oakland Hills were a hunting and fishing getaway for San Franciscans.
We live in a 'rural' area of Oakland; the general neighborhood is called Piedmont Pines. We have turkeys, deer, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, vultures, falcons, hawks, and even a bobcat that occasionally come through; most houses have spacious lots, and some of our neighbors have chickens. There are homes that come up for sale or rent that literally back onto Redwood Regional Park, so your outdoor area (and even house, imo) can feel significantly larger than the stated footage. We live east of Skyline, and there are other neighborhoods beyond Piedmont Pines either direction along Skyline that are adjacent to the regional parks. We now know the streets and traffic patterns well, and are just 7 minutes away from Montclair Village, 12 minutes away from Piedmont or College Ave; downtown Oakland is about 20 or less minutes away. I adore our house and friendly, nature-connected neighborhood within the interesting city of Oakland, but the downside is fire risk - I hope that fire prevention measures increase, as they are slated to do. I appreciate that on our quiet street we have more pedestrians than cars - people love walking around the neighborhood and park.
Montclair above highway 13 , or Merriewood, may be what you are looking for. I don;t know OHDS but if OH means Oakland Hills, you will be close. You also should check out the Montclair business district, library, and the Montclair Railroad Trail (old railroad right of way). And I know people have kept chickens in Upper Rockridge so it is probably OK in Montclair, too.
Oh, my goodness -- your ideal neighborhood is very close to Redwood Road (where OHDS is located, I just discovered)!
I lived there with my husband in the 80s, and to be frank, we had trouble selling the house (we needed to move to Berkeley), because the neighborhood didn't have a name.
But here's how to find it: our address was 5610 Denton Place; look it up on Google Maps. The entire area is made up of lots that, by law, must be a minimum of 3/4 acre in siz, so plenty of room for chickens! Before we were married, my husband would rent a goat to take care of the grass on the hillside. We would often see people on horseback on the main road.
Good luck in your search!
I live in the Grass Valley neighborhood and there are definitely areas in this neighborhood that have exactly this feel. Our home bumps up against Chabot Park behind us and so there are horses nearby and wildlife behind us. And our neighbors are not at all near us, so we have immense privacy. Sounds like we're pretty close to the school that you've chosen as well. The one downside to living here for other families with young children is that Grass Valley elementary is now closing so we won't have a neighborhood school. (You can thank the school board for that, smh).
Other than that, we feel like we have the best of both worlds (urban nearby, rural feel) where we live.
Many of the East Oakland hills neighborhoods near OHDS fit this bill, so given that you know you have that destination in the mix, I'd start there and focus your search about Highway 13 and south of Skyline, assuming that area is in your price range. You could also look in Canyon should something happen to pop up there. People all over Oakland (even in the urban areas with tiny yards!) have chickens, so that piece doesn't sound like a wild dream at all. In some areas of the hills, you'll even find a few neighbors with goats or horses. Given that you don't need walkability and transit, there are definitely options. Good luck!
While great parts of Oakland are fully urban, there are also a number of neighborhoods that are very quiet, safe, and leafy. I can recommend two that I’ve lived in—Crocker Highlands/Trestle Glen (my current one; incredibly lovely and about a 10-15 mins drive to OHDS, walkable to Lakeshore Ave and Lake Merritt) and, in case you change your mind about wanting even more walkability, there are certain pockets of Rockridge that are especially serene (I love the areas between College and Telegraph as well as College and Broadway near the Berkeley border).
Thank you so much for everyone's replies, that's extremely helpful! Really appreciate it, and feeling welcome in the area already.