Photo above: Aerial view of Lafayette Reservoir and the surrounding wooded hills with Mount Diablo in the distance, Lafayette, California, June 2022. Dicklyon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Get outside, mostly. Lafayette has the Lafayette Reservoir with two loop trails and boat rentals, the 7.65-mile paved Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail, trailheads into Briones Regional Park, and a compact downtown along Mt. Diablo Boulevard with a live theater, a large library and monthly markets.

It’s not a late-night town. It is a place where a free Saturday can mean a lake loop in the morning and a show on School Street at night. Here’s where to go and what’s coming up.

What can I do at the Lafayette Reservoir?

Walk, run, fish, row or picnic. EBMUD runs it as a year-round, day-use park at 3849 Mt. Diablo Boulevard, about a mile from Lafayette BART (EBMUD, Lafayette Reservoir page, checked September 25, 2026). The details:

• Two loop trails. The paved Lakeside Nature Trail is 2.7 miles. The unpaved Rim Trail is 4.7 miles and climbs the ridges. With connectors, there are more than 10 miles of trail.
• Boats. Row boats and pedal boats rent first come, first served, from $15 for up to an hour, with a $40 deposit. Boats go out until 4 p.m. and must be back by 5 p.m. Stand-up paddleboards aren’t allowed, and hand-launched boats must pass an inspection first.
• Fishing. EBMUD plants trout November through March. You need a California fishing license plus an EBMUD access permit from the Visitor Center.
• Bikes and skates. Allowed on the paved Lakeside trail only on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and Sunday mornings until noon.
• Dogs. Welcome on a leash of 6 feet or less.

Two things to know before you go. EBMUD has posted a harmful algae notice, so body contact with the water isn’t allowed and dogs should stay out of it. And the outlet tower is getting a $14 million seismic upgrade, so expect some construction activity (same EBMUD page).

Where can I walk or bike without a car trip?

On the Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail. It’s a 7.65-mile paved, 10-foot-wide trail along St. Mary’s Road, starting at a staging area at Olympic Boulevard and Pleasant Hill Road, south of Highway 24, and running into Moraga (East Bay Regional Park District, Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail page, checked September 25, 2026). It’s open 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Bikes, e-bikes, dogs and horses are allowed. The park district calls it one of the first rail-trails in California. The old railroad corridor became a utility easement before the trail was paved.

Where are the bigger hikes?

In Briones Regional Park, which borders Lafayette to the north. The park district lists two staging areas with Lafayette addresses: Reliez Valley Staging Area at 1956 Reliez Valley Road and Bear Creek Staging Area at 1611 Bear Creek Road, plus a Lafayette Ridge staging area on the Lafayette Ridge Trail (East Bay Regional Park District, Briones page, checked September 25, 2026).

Bring cash. Parking is $5 per vehicle when the kiosk is staffed, and Briones takes cash only. Gates at Alhambra and Bear Creek are open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. through November 6, then 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through December 31 (same page).

What is downtown Lafayette like?

Downtown runs along Mt. Diablo Boulevard, with Lafayette Circle, La Fiesta Square and Golden Gate Way just off it. Three places anchor it:

• Town Hall Theatre, 3535 School Street at Moraga Road: a 183-seat stage with a full lobby bar. Street parking on School Street fills fast; the theater points to a paid lot at 945 Moraga Road (Town Hall Theatre, Plan Your Visit page, checked September 25, 2026).
• Lafayette Library and Learning Center, 3491 Mt. Diablo Boulevard: talks, workshops and a Friends book shop, with programs run by its foundation (City of Lafayette, Weekly Roundups, September 2026).
• Park Theater, 3519 Golden Gate Way: not open yet. The volunteer Park Theater Trust is rebuilding the old single-screen theater as a two-theater venue, and the city’s September 18, 2026 Weekly Roundup said steel beams and a new roof were next.

The Lafayette Art & Wine Festival takes over Mt. Diablo Boulevard, Lafayette Circle and La Fiesta Square each September. The 2027 dates aren’t posted yet.

What events are coming up in Lafayette?

Here’s what’s on the calendar for fall 2026 and beyond, as of September 25, 2026:

• Saturday, October 10, 9 to 11 a.m.: 50th anniversary of the Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail at the Lafayette Community Center, 500 St. Mary’s Road, with a preview of new history panels for the trail. Presentation at 10 a.m. (Weekly Roundup, September 18, 2026).
• Sunday, October 11, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Contra Costa Vintage Market in the lots at 3578 and 3583 Mt. Diablo Boulevard. The city says it runs the second Sunday of each month, so November 8 and December 13 follow (Weekly Roundup, September 11, 2026).
• December 5 to 19: Robin Hood of the Reservoir, an original holiday panto set around the Lafayette Reservoir, at Town Hall Theatre (2026-2027 season page).
• March 6 to 27, 2027: Native Gardens, a comedy, at Town Hall Theatre (same page).

One closure: parts of Leigh Creekside Park are closed for lawn restoration through October 16, 2026. The rest of the park stays open (Weekly Roundup, September 18, 2026).

For more, the city sends out a Weekly Roundup every Friday, and the Lafayette Chamber keeps a community events calendar.

How does this help me pick a home?

Decide which of these you’ll use every week, then look at homes by distance to it. A walk to the Lafayette-Moraga trail, a short drive to the reservoir, or a downtown address near the theater and library are different searches. Check the drive at the hour you’d go, and walk the route once before you write an offer.

Questions people also ask

How long is the walk around Lafayette Reservoir?

The paved Lakeside Nature Trail around Lafayette Reservoir is 2.7 miles. The unpaved Rim Trail above it is 4.7 miles and has steeper climbs. With connector trails, EBMUD counts more than 10 miles of hiking at the reservoir, according to its Lafayette Reservoir page, checked September 25, 2026. Hikers must stay on designated trails, and dogs must be leashed.

Can you rent boats at Lafayette Reservoir?

Yes. EBMUD rents row boats and pedal boats first come, first served, starting at $15 for up to an hour with a $40 deposit, per its Lafayette Reservoir page, checked September 25, 2026. You must be 18 to rent. Boats go out until 4 p.m. and must be docked by 5 p.m. Swimming and other body contact with the water are not permitted.

Where does the Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail start?

The north end starts at a staging area at Olympic Boulevard and Pleasant Hill Road in Lafayette, south of Highway 24. From there the paved trail runs 7.65 miles along St. Mary’s Road into Moraga, according to the East Bay Regional Park District, checked September 25, 2026. It is open 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. and allows bikes, dogs and horses.

What shows are playing at Town Hall Theatre in Lafayette?

Town Hall Theatre at 3535 School Street has Robin Hood of the Reservoir, an original holiday panto, from December 5 to 19, 2026. Native Gardens follows March 6 to 27, 2027, according to the theater’s 2026-2027 season page, checked September 25, 2026. The theater seats 183.

Your next step

Tell us how you want to spend a Saturday, and we’ll show you homes that fit that routine. Ask a Lafayette agent on our team or call (510) 949-5525.

More on Lafayette: Living in Lafayette, CA · Best time to sell in Lafayette · What’s my home worth?

By Bill Davis, DRE #01880656, The Davis Team at eXp Realty, Lafayette, CA. Updated September 25, 2026.

Sources

• East Bay Municipal Utility District, Lafayette Reservoir page: ebmud.com/recreation/lafayette-reservoir (checked September 25, 2026)
• East Bay Regional Park District, Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail page: ebparks.org/trails/lafayette-moraga (checked September 25, 2026)
• East Bay Regional Park District, Briones Regional Park page: ebparks.org/parks/briones (checked September 25, 2026)
• Town Hall Theatre Company, 2026-2027 Season and Plan Your Visit pages: townhalltheatre.com (checked September 25, 2026)
• City of Lafayette, The Weekly Roundup, September 11 and September 18, 2026: lovelafayette.org (checked September 25, 2026)