Photo above: Fernandez Park on Tennent Avenue in Pinole, California, in May 2024. Mx. Granger, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Mostly outdoor things, plus a small historic downtown. Pinole has a 231-acre valley park, bay views and a Bay Trail link along the shoreline, a city pool, a Saturday farmers market, and Old Town on San Pablo Avenue. Point Pinole’s 2,432-acre regional shoreline is right next door.

One heads up before you plan a library day: the Pinole Library is closed for renovation until January 1, 2027.

Where can I walk along the bay in Pinole?

Start at Bayfront Park, 1 Tennent Avenue. It’s a 2-acre city park that the City describes as having sweeping views of San Pablo Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge (City of Pinole, Bayfront Park page, checked September 24, 2026).

From there you can pick up the San Francisco Bay Trail. In September 2018 a half-mile piece opened that closed the gap between Pinole Shores and Bayfront Park, with a sloping bridge over the Union Pacific tracks (MTC, the Bay Area regional transportation agency, September 12, 2018).

What is at Point Pinole?

The biggest open space near town. Point Pinole Regional Shoreline is a 2,432-acre East Bay Regional Park District park with about twelve miles of trails, a fishing pier and the restored Dotson Family Marsh. The park lists two entrances in Richmond, next to Pinole: 5551 Giant Highway and 3000 Atlas Road (East Bay Regional Park District, Point Pinole page, checked September 24, 2026).

Know before you go, from the same page:

  • Parking is $5 per car from April through October when the kiosk is staffed.
  • Dogs are limited to three per person and are not allowed on the pier.
  • The Bay Trail east of the Atlas Road bridge entrance is closed because of a large sinkhole. Check the park page for updates before you head out.

What are the main parks in Pinole?

Two big ones and a handful of neighborhood parks.

  • Pinole Valley Park and Picnic Grove, 1270 Adobe Road. 231 acres with tennis courts, sports fields and picnic areas you can reserve (City of Pinole, Pinole Valley Park page, checked September 24, 2026). The City’s history page says Don Ignacio Martinez built his first adobe here in 1824, on land that is now the park (City of Pinole, History Overview, checked September 24, 2026).
  • Fernandez Park, 595 Tennent Avenue. 6 acres, with a gazebo and barbecue area you can reserve. It stays open until 9:00 p.m., while other city parks close half an hour after sunset (City of Pinole, Fernandez Park page, checked September 24, 2026).
  • Neighborhood parks. The City’s parks list also includes Wilson Point Park, View Park, Sarah Drive Park, Pinon Park, Meadow Park, Hugh Young Park, Louis Francis Park and the Pinole Dog Park (City of Pinole, Parks list, checked September 24, 2026).

Two city park rules worth knowing: no alcohol in any city park, and dogs stay leashed except in designated areas (City of Pinole, Park Rules, checked September 24, 2026).

Does Pinole have a public pool?

Yes, the Pinole Swim Center at 2450 Simas Avenue. It has a five-lane pool kept at 80 degrees, 3.5 to 9 feet deep, plus a 25 by 25 foot beginner pool that is 2.5 feet deep. The pool is open to the public from April through October. The fall season runs weekends only through October 11, 2026, with lap swim at $6 and recreational swim at $7 for a walk-in visit (City of Pinole, Pinole Swim Center page, checked September 24, 2026).

What is in Old Town Pinole?

Historic buildings along San Pablo Avenue, and a Saturday market nearby.

  • The Bank of Pinole building, 2361 San Pablo Avenue, built in 1915 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996 (National Register of Historic Places, reference 96001175).
  • The Fernandez Mansion. The City’s history says Bernardo Fernandez, who started a trading post on the bay by the 1850s, built it, and that it still stands at the end of Tennent Avenue (City of Pinole, History Overview, checked September 24, 2026).
  • A self-guided walking tour. The City posts a walking tour of Old Town and a map as free downloads (City of Pinole, Walking Tour page, checked September 24, 2026).
  • Pinole Farmers’ Market, every Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at 798 Fernandez Avenue, with produce, baked goods and food stands (City of Pinole, event listing, checked September 24, 2026).

Does Pinole hold community events?

Yes. The City’s Community Services Department runs yearly community events and posts the current list and dates on its Community Events page (City of Pinole, checked September 24, 2026). Dates change year to year, so check that page or email [email protected] before you plan around one.

Is the Pinole Library open?

Not right now. The Pinole Library at 2935 Pinole Valley Road is closed March 3, 2026 through January 1, 2027. Book drops are closed, you can return items at any Contra Costa County Library branch, and holds go to the El Sobrante Library (Contra Costa County Library, Pinole page, checked September 24, 2026).

The county says the building opened in 1974 and is getting a new all-electric heating and cooling system, a new roof, updated electrical and lighting, and a repaved parking lot with accessibility upgrades (Contra Costa County Library, renovation announcement, January 21, 2026).

Questions people also ask

Is there a Bay Trail in Pinole?

Yes. A half-mile Bay Trail segment opened in September 2018 between Pinole Shores and Bayfront Park at 1 Tennent Avenue, including a bridge over the Union Pacific tracks, per MTC’s September 12, 2018 announcement. Nearby Point Pinole Regional Shoreline has more trail, but the Bay Trail east of its Atlas Road entrance is closed for a sinkhole, per the park district, checked September 24, 2026.

When is the Pinole farmers market?

Every Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at 798 Fernandez Avenue, according to the City of Pinole’s event listing, checked September 24, 2026. Vendors sell produce, eggs, breads and pastries, and prepared food. The lineup changes, so check the market’s own site or the City’s events calendar for current vendors before you go.

When will the Pinole Library reopen?

The Contra Costa County Library says the Pinole Library at 2935 Pinole Valley Road is closed March 3, 2026 through January 1, 2027, for work on heating and cooling, the roof, electrical, lighting and the parking lot. Until then, return items at any county library branch. Holds go to the El Sobrante Library. Check ccclib.org for the reopening date.

How big is Pinole Valley Park?

Pinole Valley Park and Picnic Grove, at 1270 Adobe Road, covers 231 acres, according to the City of Pinole’s park page, checked September 24, 2026. It has tennis courts, sports fields and picnic areas you can reserve through the City. Like most city parks, it closes half an hour after sunset. The City’s history page ties the site to Ignacio Martinez’s 1824 adobe.

Your next step

Want to live near the trail, the valley park or Old Town? Tell us which, and we’ll send the homes for sale within a short walk and what similar ones sold for. Talk to a Pinole agent on our team or call (510) 949-5525.

More on Pinole: Is Pinole a good place to live? · Downsides of living in Pinole · Search homes for sale · What’s my home worth?

By Bill Davis, DRE #01880656, The Davis Team at eXp Realty, Pinole, CA. Updated September 24, 2026.

Sources

  • City of Pinole, Parks list and park pages (Bayfront Park, Fernandez Park, Pinole Valley Park and Picnic Grove, Park Rules): pinole.gov/recreation/parks-facilities (checked September 24, 2026)
  • City of Pinole, Pinole Swim Center: pinole.gov/recreation/parks_facilities/pinole-swim-center (checked September 24, 2026)
  • City of Pinole, Community Events: pinole.gov/recreation/community-events (checked September 24, 2026)
  • City of Pinole, Pinole Farmers’ Market event listing: pinole.gov/event_list/pinole-farmers-market (checked September 24, 2026)
  • City of Pinole, History Overview and Walking Tour: pinole.gov/our-community/pinole-history (checked September 24, 2026)
  • MTC (Bay Area regional transportation agency), “Bay Trail Openings: Hercules and Pinole,” September 12, 2018: mtc.ca.gov
  • East Bay Regional Park District, Point Pinole Regional Shoreline: ebparks.org/parks/point-pinole (checked September 24, 2026)
  • Contra Costa County Library, Pinole location page and “Pinole Library to Undergo Major Renovation to Modernize the 50-Year-Old Facility,” January 21, 2026: ccclib.org (checked September 24, 2026)
  • National Register of Historic Places, Bank of Pinole, reference 96001175, listed October 24, 1996