Overview
Martinez is in the outer East Bay in the San Francisco Bay Area in California. Martinez has easy access to nature, so it's no wonder the famed naturalist John Muir decided to settle here.
4 sights · 9 things to do · 8 places to eat · 3 bars & cafés · 1 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Martinez
John Muir National Historic Site
This site includes a mansion, woodland, and grassland once belonging to John Muir and his family. Muir was known as an early environmentalist who founded the Sierra Club. The house, which has three stories plus a cupola,…
Martinez Museum
Includes exhibits on John Muir, Don Ignacio Martinez, Joe Di Maggio (another Martinez native), the Port Chicago disaster, and general history of the town, as well as a gift shop and information on tours, including a ceme…
Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial
This memorial honors 320 people (including 200 young African American men) who were killed in a munitions accident during World War II while loading munitions and bombs onto ships bound for the Pacific Rim. Following the…
Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline
Located immediately to the northwest of the John Muir NHS and extending to the Carquinez Strait, the ridgelines of this park offer extensive views of Mt. Diablo and the cities at its base, the Sacramento River Delta, Mt.…
Mount Wanda
The hills behind John Muir's orchards, where the family used to take nature walks, are open for hiking. Two peaks were named after Muir's daughters, Wanda and Helen; Mount Wanda is the main one at 650 feet (200 meters). …
Radke Martinez Regional Shoreline
Radke Martinez Regional Shoreline (RMRS) is a regional park on the shoreline of Carquinez Strait. This wetland area, inhabited by lots of birds and other wildlife, contains approximately three miles (5 km) of trails thro…
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Mar–Nov. Summer highs reach about 87°F; winter lows dip to about 39°F. Wettest: Jan and Feb. (climate data from nearby Concord)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- CCR Buchanan Field, Concord — 5 mi away. Directions
- OAK Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport, Oakland — 21 mi away (major hub). Directions
Martinez is connected by County Connection buses to the town of Concord, as well as the North Concord/Martinez BART Station, Pleasant Hill BART Station, and Walnut Creek BART Station. Bus 16 is free, and buses 16 and 98X both go by John Muir National Historic Site. Amtrak Thruway #7 goes up to McKinleyville via Vallejo, Napa, Santa Rosa, Ukiah, Willits, etc. See link for a complete list of stops along the 101.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 3-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Contra Costa County History Center, Martinez Museum, Walk Across the Martinez-Benicia Bridge
- Lunch JP's Bistro
- Afternoon John Muir National Historic Site, Mount Wanda
- Dinner Aberdeen Cafe 香港仔
- Evening Cue and Brew
Day 2
- Morning Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial, Hidden Lakes Park
- Lunch Sunflower Garden
- Afternoon Radke Martinez Regional Shoreline
- Dinner Mangia Bene
- Evening Ray's Lounge
Day 3
- Morning Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline, Martinez Skatepark
- Lunch Hanabi Sushi
- Afternoon Waterbird Regional Preserve
- Dinner Cinco De Mayo
- Evening Mountain Grounds
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Get in
By train
- Routes stopping in Martinez:
- Coast Starlight operates daily between Seattle and Los Angeles. Stops include Tacoma, Lacey, Centralia, Kelso, Vancouver, WA, Portland, Salem, Albany, Eugene, Klamath Falls, Dunsmuir, Redding, Chico, Sacramento, Davis, Martinez, San Francisco (Emeryville), Oakland, San Jose, Salinas, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Oxnard, Simi Valley, Van Nuys, and Burbank.
- Capitol Corridor operates 11 to 12 round trips daily between Sacramento and San Jose, via Oakland.
- California Zephyr operates a daily train between Emeryville and Chicago.
By bus/BART
Martinez is connected by County Connection buses to the town of Concord, as well as the North Concord/Martinez BART Station, Pleasant Hill BART Station, and Walnut Creek BART Station. Bus 16 is free, and buses 16 and 98X both go by John Muir National Historic Site. Amtrak Thruway #7 goes up to McKinleyville via Vallejo, Napa, Santa Rosa, Ukiah, Willits, etc. See link for a complete list of stops along the 101.
By car
Accessible by Highway 4 and Interstate 680.
By plane
The nearest airport is Buchanan Field in Concord (small aircraft). The closest major airport is Oakland International (OAK). Note that San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is the terminus of the BART line that serves the North Concord/Martinez Station.
Get around
Downtown Martinez is very walkable, and some other attractions, including the John Muir historic site, can be reached by County Connection bus service (+1 925 676-7500). Some of the nature in Martinez is easy to get to without a car, including Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline, Radke Martinez Regional Shoreline, and Mount Wanda.
See
See John Muir National Historic Site
This site includes a mansion, woodland, and grassland once belonging to John Muir and his family. Muir was known as an early environmentalist who founded the Sierra Club. The house, which has three stories plus a cupola, is full of exhibits about the lives of Muir and his family. If you enjoy being in nature, it's hard not to appreciate Muir's passion for trees, glaciers, and mountains, as well as his seminal accomplishments in protecting American wilderness. The historic site presents a nuanced, warts-and-all picture of Muir as a person. The grounds include his orchards, and if you come at the right time of year you might be able to try fruit from them. There is also an interesting adobe structure on site. In the spirit of Muir's legacy, you can combine your visit to the historic site with nearby Mount Wanda, where he and his family used to hike.
See Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial
This memorial honors 320 people (including 200 young African American men) who were killed in a munitions accident during World War II while loading munitions and bombs onto ships bound for the Pacific Rim. Following the explosion many of the enlisted men refused to work, resulting in the Navy's largest mutiny trial and eventually helping to push the US Armed Forces to desegregate. The memorial is located on an active military base and as a result reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance and all visitors must be US citizens or permanent residents. Reservations can be made by calling or via an online reservation form. The memorial is actually located in Concord, but all visitors are shuttled to the memorial from John Muir National Historic Site in Martinez.
Do
Do Briones Regional Park
A beautiful 5,756-acre park covered in grassy hills and shady Oak trees. The park is south of Highway 4 off Reliez Valley Rd. Briones is a hikers paradise in the heart of the busy San Francisco Bay Area. East Bay Regional Park District Headquarters-PARK, group picnic reservations +1 510 636-1684, group camping reservations +1 510 636-1684. The park is open 8AM-10PM $5 per vehicle when the kiosk is attended.
Do Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline
Located immediately to the northwest of the John Muir NHS and extending to the Carquinez Strait, the ridgelines of this park offer extensive views of Mt. Diablo and the cities at its base, the Sacramento River Delta, Mt. Tamalpais and Mt. St. Helena. On clear winter days the snow-capped Sierras may be seen. Wild turkeys, hawks, deer, and other wildlife call the park home. In the spring cows are allowed to graze on the grassy hills. The park hosts a segment of the Bay Area Ridge Trail. Great for a short day hike (1 to 5 miles / 2 to 8 km).
Do Martinez Marina
Features trails, a marsh, a pond, two playgrounds and a fishing pier. Located in downtown Martinez near Ferry Street and the Amtrak station. Bicycling is allowed on the trails. Dogs are allowed in some areas of the park but not near the ducks and pond.
Do Mount Wanda
The hills behind John Muir's orchards, where the family used to take nature walks, are open for hiking. Two peaks were named after Muir's daughters, Wanda and Helen; Mount Wanda is the main one at 650 feet (200 meters). The fastest trail to the peak is almost all uphill with little tree cover, but the hard work is rewarded with lovely views of wild rolling hills, Benicia across the water, and Mount Diablo in the distance. A side route called the "nature trail" has more trees and variety in the landscape. Expect about 40 minutes to get to the peak if you're a strong hiker. The hills are managed by the National Park Service together with the John Muir historic site and make a fitting addition to a visit to the naturalist's house and orchards. You can reach the trailhead almost directly from the orchards: exit the historic site to the west, then turn left.
Do Radke Martinez Regional Shoreline
Radke Martinez Regional Shoreline (RMRS) is a regional park on the shoreline of Carquinez Strait. This wetland area, inhabited by lots of birds and other wildlife, contains approximately three miles (5 km) of trails through marshland and along the shoreline. The park's eastern half is managed by the city of Martinez and offers group picnic areas, baseball fields, bocce ball courts and soccer fields. The western half contains open lawns, small family picnic areas, and ponds and creeks.
Do Waterbird Regional Preserve
Waterbird Regional Preserve is a 192 acre regional park located in Contra Costa County adjacent to the city of Martinez. It is part of the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD). It primarily consists of an area known as McNabney Marsh, which provides habitat for a wide variety of waterfowl and shorebirds for resting and feeding. Activities in the park include birdwatching and hiking, although trails are mostly limited to upload areas. Dogs are not permitted in the preserve.
Events
- Martinez Beaver Festival In the fall of 2006, two beavers made their way up Alhambra Creek in downtown Martinez and decided to call it home, proceeding to produce 4 kits over the course of the summer. The beaver have transformed Alhambra Creek from a trickle into multiple dams and beaver ponds, which in turn, led to the return of steelhead trout and river otter in 2008, and mink in 2009. Rumor has it the beavers have since moved away, but their legacy remains in the form of Martinez's annual beaver festival.
Eat
American
Chinese
Eat Aberdeen Cafe 香港仔
In downtown Martinez.
Italian
Eat Mangia Bene
In a strip mall off of Morello Ave. Advertised as "The Best Kept Secret in Martinez."
Japanese
Eat Hanabi Sushi
Sushi and other Japanese dishes.
Mexican
Eat Cinco De Mayo
Restaurant and Catering
Eat La Tapatia
Downtown. Family owned and operated business, with two restaurants: one in Martinez and one in Concord.
Drink
Bars
Drink Cue and Brew
Great place for drinks and billiards.
Cafes and coffeehouses
Sleep
Stay safe
Exercise caution in downtown during nighttime as it's dimly lit. It's the crime hotspot of the city, but just use smart judgement and you should be safe.
Go next
- - Visible across the Carquinez Strait at the north end of the Martinez-Benicia Bridge.
- - This neighboring town is primarily a typical family suburb, but it does offer options for food and shopping.
- - One of the largest cities in the East Bay, offering a variety of shopping and dining options.
- - The downtown Walnut Creek area offers shopping, bars, and restaurants.
- - This 20,000-acre park provides great hiking opportunities on a mountain that dominates the landscape for most of central and eastern Contra Costa County. It offers an incredible viewshed, with views on clear days stretching 181 miles to Mount Lassen.
- - Eclectic, political and always interesting, Berkeley is only a 20- to 25-minute drive away. Alternatively, using BART, either a) transfer at the MacArthur station and exit at Downtown Berkeley, or b) exit at Rockridge and walk ~2 miles (~3 km) to downtown.
- - Although "the City" feels a world away, it's just a 46-minute BART ride (from North Concord/Martinez station) to the Embarcadero or a 35-90-minute-drive, depending on traffic.
Nearby
Benicia
City / town · 16 listings · 3 mi away
Pleasant Hill
City / town · 16 listings · 6 mi away
Concord
City / town · 30 listings · 8 mi away
Vallejo
City / town · 26 listings · 9 mi away
Pinole
City / town · 10 listings · 9 mi away
Lafayette
City / town · 5 listings · 9 mi away
Orinda
City / town · 8 listings · 10 mi away
Walnut Creek
City / town · 32 listings · 10 mi away
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