There’s nothing like the serenity of relaxing at home at the end of the day, sipping a glass of wine, while watching the sunset over the water.
Denise’s Top Picks for Best Places Around the Bay to Begin Living the Ultimate Waterfront Lifestyle
By Denise Dohogne
Published: August, 2006
There’s nothing like the serenity of relaxing at home at the end of the day, sipping a glass of wine, while watching the sunset over the water. Or as enjoyable as having friends and loved ones over on a warm, sunny day to barbeque on your private deck overlooking the marina, before going out for an evening cruise on the bay on your boat, docked right in front of your home.
Nothing compares to the enchantment of falling asleep to the distant sound of fog horns romantically calling in the night, waking up to the crisp, clean ocean air, and walking down to the shore for a stroll with the dog and a mug of fresh coffee.
One of the most common questions I get from people seeking this lifestyle is where to find the best opportunities for homes in great communities on the water in the Bay Area.
From my experience, the answer is almost always found by looking to the Bay and Delta regions of Solano, Napa and Contra Costa Counties. This area’s scenic waterways offer over 1,000 navigable miles of pristine shoreline, numerous yacht clubs and harbors, new and exciting community revitalization, breathtaking water views, and myriad wildlife watching opportunities.
To advise my clients where to home search, I’ve come up with a top picks list of waterfront developments (in no particular order), many of which are newer construction and becoming quite popular places to live. All are within easy access to the modern conveniences of civilization.
Benicia
• Portside Village, completed in
1999, is a marina community of contemporary village-style town homes designed for the utmost in live-ability, within walking distance via waterfront esplanade to the downtown historic main street.
• Harbor Walk is a beautiful new
coastal residential/commercial community located where the heart of historic downtown meets the water. The architecture and interior design combines old town charm and contemporary amenities, with a live-work lifestyle.
• Waterfront Village is a new community of eleven beautiful single family homes in a highly desirable location directly on the waterfront one block from downtown.
Vallejo/Glen Cove
• Vista Del Mar is a community of luxurious Mediterranean-style single family water view homes perched above the Glen Cove Marina and the Alfred Zampa Bridge, the newest suspension bridge built in the U.S. in 35 years. Hidden behind a palm-lined gated entry to afford the ultimate in privacy and ambience, one can escape here to a home that feels like a resort.
• Harbor Homes is a small waterfront community of newer town homes sitting on the protected Glen Cove Waterfront Park and Bay Trail, next to the Glen Cove Marina, right below Vista Del Mar.
• Mare Island includes a broad range of home styles and sizes, ranging from single-family residences to town homes. Neighborhoods are designed with curved tree-lined streets, neighborhood parks and broad sidewalks, and many will enjoy views across the bay
Napa
• Napa Yacht Club is a gated community of contemporary style villas with unique architectural features and innovative amenities. Surrounded by rolling hills and lush vineyards that provide a background of green and gold to the rippling blue of the Napa River, you’ll experience few greater pleasures in life than sailing home to your own private dock.
Point Richmond
• SeaCliff Estates is a newer community of single family homes set on a hillside with sweeping views of San Francisco Bay overlooking the Richmond Yacht Club. This is a special place with local charm and natural beauty right in your own front yard.
Others that make my list and certainly deserve mention are:
• Hercules-Pinole waterside developments
• Promenade at Delta Coves, Suisun City Marina
• Marina Park /Downtown, Pittsburg Marina
• Discovery Bay
• Delta Coves, Bethel Island (2008)
There’s nothing more conducive to a relaxing, yet active, lifestyle than having a vacation home that’s your real home year-round.
Whether you enjoy the beauty and solitude found along the Delta shores or the nautical charm and spirit of the marina life, there is a waterfront home that’s just right for everyone. There are numerous places within our beautiful Bay Area to enjoy waterfront living – we are certainly blessed that there are so many to choose from.
