Brentwood, California

The community has seven elementary, three middle and four high schools. The Brentwood Union School District includes many schools recognized as being a California Distinguished School. Only five percent of the state’s schools receive this honor.

Heritage High School offers students a wide range of advanced placement courses and boasts having the highest Academic Performance Index score in the region. The building is also solar-powered, which demonstrates the benefits of using renewable energy and serves as a model for students and city residents. Higher education opportunities are provided by the Los Medanos College, which has a satellite facility within the community.

• East Contra Costa Historical Society Museum-The facility enables visitors to step back in time and explore earlier life by touring the 1906 Eden Plains Schoolhouse, Homer’s Tool Shed and the 1878 Byer/Nail House. The property also displays an array of vehicles previously used for agriculture, public service or transportation.

• Los Vasqueros Reservoir-Approximately 20,000 acres serve as a California wildlife habitat for endangered, rare and threatened species of marine life, birds, reptiles and mammals. The location is also a popular recreation destination for fishing. Rental boats are available. Hikers enjoy the 55 miles of trails throughout the landscape.

• Rockin’ Jump – The Ultimate Trampoline Park-The facility features a huge open trampoline area, trampoline dodge-ball, slam dunk basketball, a climbing wall, a stunt airbag and the X-bream jousting arena. There are also four party rooms, a cafe, a parent’s lounge and free Wi-Fi.

• City Park-The community has more than 50 parks. However, in the summer, City Park hosts the Starry Nights free concert series on Friday nights. The location also presents movie nights under the stars.

• Vineyards-The city is surrounded by vineyards, which span across hundreds of acres. The wines produced at these facilities are available in many local restaurants. The Bloomfield Vineyards, the Hannah Nicole Vineyards and the Tamayo Family Vineyards offer tours, have wine clubs and wine tasting facilities.

• Play golf-The community has three courses situated within minutes from each other. All are professionally designed and feature views of the grand Mt. Diablo. Play a few rounds a the Deer Ridge Golf Club, the Golf Club at Brentwood or the Shadow Lakes Golf Club. All are open to the public, have golf practice facilities and putting greens in addition to banquet facilities and bars.

• Dining options-The city has more than 100 restaurants, fast food venues and coffee shops serving everything from American to Vietnamese cuisine. Each year, the Chamber of Commerce hosts food tasting festival, which welcomes all to sample foods prepared by venues representing more than one dozen ethnic backgrounds.

• Fresh produce-From May through June, local orchards and farms offer a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts. Some facilities offer picked produce and others provide the option to pick your own.

• Festivals-For an entire weekend each July, the community hosts the Corn Festival. The event features a barbecue, arts and crafts, games, live concerts and nightly fireworks displays. In the same month, City Park serves as the location for the annual Harvest Time Festival. The festivities include cooking demonstrations, children’s activities, a large selection of vendors, live entertainment and a beer and wine garden.