A lot, and much of it is outdoors. Walnut Creek has more than 3,000 acres of city open space, Mount Diablo State Park at its edge, and a downtown with a Sunday farmers market, three theaters and a winter ice rink.
Here is what’s there, where it is and what it costs, so you can picture a regular week before you pick a street.
Where can I hike or bike in Walnut Creek?
Right from town. The City of Walnut Creek manages more than 3,000 acres of open space in four areas, plus over seven miles of neighborhood trails (City of Walnut Creek, Open Space page, checked September 25, 2026):
| Open space area | Acres | Miles of trail |
|---|---|---|
| Shell Ridge | 1,420 | 31 |
| Lime Ridge | 1,226 | 25 |
| Acalanes Ridge | 202 | 4 |
| Sugarloaf | 177 | 3 |
Shell Ridge also takes in Borges Ranch, a historic cattle ranch, and Lime Ridge has trailheads with parking in both Walnut Creek and Concord, per the same city page. Many entrances sit at the end of residential streets, so the Walnut Creek Open Space Foundation asks visitors to park only where it is allowed and keep driveways clear (Walnut Creek Open Space Foundation, checked September 24, 2026).
For a flat ride or run, the Iron Horse Regional Trail follows the old Southern Pacific rail line through Walnut Creek and runs 32 miles between Concord and Pleasanton (East Bay Regional Park District, checked September 24, 2026).
How close is Mount Diablo?
Very. Mount Diablo State Park’s North Gate Road entrance, at 1300 North Gate Road, has a Walnut Creek address. Gates open at 8:00 am and close at sunset. Vehicle day use is $10 at peak times and $6 otherwise, and dogs are allowed only in developed areas, not on trails or fire roads (California State Parks, Mount Diablo State Park page, checked September 24, 2026).
The summit visitor center is open daily from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, per the same page. Go on a clear winter morning and you’ll see why people make the drive.
What parks are in town?
Heather Farm Park, on North San Carlos Drive, is the city’s largest community park. Walnut Creek Arts + Rec lists a swim center, tennis, a community center, an all-abilities playground, a dog park, athletic fields, ponds and a connection to the Iron Horse Trail, plus picnic areas you can reserve. Construction at the park is closing some picnic sites during 2026 (Walnut Creek Arts + Rec, Heather Farm Park and Picnic Rentals pages, checked September 25, 2026). For hours, current fees and other city parks, check the city’s Arts + Rec site, walnutcreekartsrec.org.
What is there to do downtown?
Eat, shop, see a show, and on Sundays, buy produce. Downtown is compact enough to park once and walk.
- Farmers market. Open year round, every Sunday, 9 am to 1 pm, on Locust Street between Cole and Lacassie, a short walk from BART (Contra Costa Certified Farmers’ Markets, Walnut Creek Market page, checked September 24, 2026).
- Lesher Center for the Arts. The Lesher Center lists three theaters, the Hofmann, the Margaret Lesher and the Vukasin, plus the Bedford Gallery, and hosts Center REP’s season (Lesher Center for the Arts website, checked September 25, 2026).
- Broadway Plaza. The main shopping center. One honest note: the former Neiman Marcus building there has been empty since 2021, and Restoration Hardware withdrew its plans for the site in June 2026 (Patch, July 1, 2026).
What events happen in Walnut Creek each year?
Several, most of them downtown. The Walnut Creek Downtown association lists a Locust Street Festival, a summer concert series and Oktoberfest each year. Two coming up in the 2026 holiday season (checked September 25, 2026):
- Holiday Tree Lighting, November 20, 2026, 5:30 to 6:30 pm, at Civic Park (Walnut Creek Downtown, Holiday Tree Lighting page).
- Walnut Creek on Ice, November 20, 2026 to January 18, 2027, at Civic Park (walnutcreekonice.com). Check the rink’s site for ticket prices.
Dates change every year, so check the calendar before you plan around one.
How do I get downtown without fighting for parking?
Take the free shuttle or use a city garage. County Connection’s Route 4 runs free between Walnut Creek BART and Broadway Plaza every 15 minutes on weekdays, 7:00 am to 9:00 pm, and every 20 minutes on weekends, 9:30 am to 6:45 pm (County Connection routes page, checked September 24, 2026).
If you drive, the city garages are open to the public at $1.25 an hour with the first hour free. They include the Lesher Center Garage at 1625 Locust Street (664 spaces), the South Locust Street garage at 1350 Locust Street (250 spaces) and the Broadway garage at 1390 Broadway (464 spaces) (Walnut Creek Downtown, Transit and Parking page, checked September 24, 2026). Rates can differ on Lesher Center show nights.
Questions people also ask
When is the Walnut Creek farmers market?
Every Sunday, all year, from 9 am to 1 pm, on Locust Street between Cole and Lacassie Streets, per Contra Costa Certified Farmers’ Markets, checked September 24, 2026. It’s a short walk from Walnut Creek BART. The Grower’s Square garage at 1646 North California Boulevard offers the first hour free to market shoppers on Sundays, with regular rates after that.
How much open space does Walnut Creek have?
The City of Walnut Creek says it manages more than 3,000 acres of open space in four areas, Shell Ridge, Lime Ridge, Acalanes Ridge and Sugarloaf, with 63 miles of trail between them, per the city’s Open Space page, checked September 25, 2026. Over seven more miles of neighborhood trails connect streets to those areas.
Is there an ice rink in Walnut Creek?
Yes, seasonally. Walnut Creek on Ice runs at Civic Park from November 20, 2026 to January 18, 2027, per the Walnut Creek Downtown site, checked September 24, 2026. Ticket prices are on the rink’s own site. The Holiday Tree Lighting kicks off the season in the same park on opening night.
How much does it cost to visit Mount Diablo State Park?
Vehicle day use is $10 at peak times and $6 at other times, per California State Parks’ Mount Diablo page, checked September 24, 2026. Gates open at 8:00 am and close at sunset, so plan to be back in your car before dark. The North Gate Road entrance is on the Walnut Creek side of the mountain.
Your next step
Found a trailhead or a downtown block you love? Tell us, and we’ll show you the homes within walking distance and what they have sold for lately. Talk to a Walnut Creek agent on our team or call (510) 949-5525.
More on Walnut Creek: Is Walnut Creek a good place to live? · How much a house costs in Walnut Creek right now · What’s my home worth?
By Bill Davis, DRE #01880656, The Davis Team at eXp Realty, Walnut Creek, CA. Updated September 24, 2026.
Sources
- City of Walnut Creek, Open Space page: walnutcreekca.gov/government/departments/open-space (checked September 25, 2026)
- Walnut Creek Open Space Foundation, Enjoy the Open Spaces: wcosf.org (checked September 24, 2026)
- East Bay Regional Park District, Iron Horse Regional Trail: ebparks.org/trails/interpark/iron-horse (checked September 24, 2026)
- California State Parks, Mount Diablo State Park: parks.ca.gov (checked September 24, 2026)
- Walnut Creek Arts + Rec, Heather Farm Park and Picnic Rentals pages: walnutcreekartsrec.org (checked September 25, 2026)
- Contra Costa Certified Farmers’ Markets, Walnut Creek Market: cccfm.org/walnut-creek-market (checked September 24, 2026)
- Lesher Center for the Arts: lesherartscenter.org (checked September 25, 2026)
- Walnut Creek Downtown, event pages and Transit and Parking page: walnutcreekdowntown.com (checked September 24, 2026)
- Walnut Creek on Ice: walnutcreekonice.com (checked September 25, 2026)
- County Connection, routes page: countyconnection.com/routes (checked September 24, 2026)
- Patch, “Sweeping Plans For Empty Project Withdrawn In Walnut Creek,” July 1, 2026