landmark
Alcatraz Island
Notorious former federal penitentiary on a rocky island in San Francisco Bay that once held America's most dangerous criminals.
14 km · about 25 min drive
North AmericaUnited StatesCalifornia
El Cerrito
California, United States · North America
About El Cerrito
El Cerrito works well as a base: 5 minutes from Richmond, 24km from Muir Woods National Monument.
El Cerrito is in California, United States, with about 24,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Richmond, about 4 km away.
El Cerrito (Spanish for 'The Little Hill') is a city in Contra Costa County, California, United States, and forms part of the San Francisco Bay Area. It has a population of 25,962 according to the 2020 census. El Cerrito was founded by refugees from the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. It was incorporated in 1917 as aRead more
village with 1,500 residents. As of the census in 2022, there were 25,583 people and 10,637 households in the city.
Where to Stay in El Cerrito
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near El Cerrito?
Within an hour or so of El Cerrito: Alcatraz Island (14 km), Exploratorium (15 km), Coit Tower (15 km), Golden Gate Bridge (18 km).
Where is El Cerrito?
El Cerrito is in California, United States, about 4 km from Richmond.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 23,549
- Continent
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Region
- California
- Timezone
- America/Los_Angeles
- Coordinates
- 37.9158, -122.3116
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United States
AAA roadside assistance: 1-800-222-4357. Right turn on red is legal in most states unless signed otherwise.
Full driving guide for United StatesTags
Worth the detour from El Cerrito
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
museum
Exploratorium
A pioneering hands-on science museum on San Francisco's waterfront that inspired interactive museums worldwide.
15 km · about 30 min drive
landmark
Coit Tower
Art Deco observation tower on Telegraph Hill offering 360-degree views of San Francisco, the bay, and the Golden Gate Bridge.
15 km · about 30 min drive
bridge
Golden Gate Bridge
The Art Deco suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate strait in famous International Orange; drive, cycle, or walk it, with classic viewpoints at Battery Spencer and Fort Point.
18 km · about 20 min drive
museum
California Academy of Sciences
A unique museum combining an aquarium, planetarium, and natural history museum under a living green roof in Golden Gate Park.
21 km · about 25 min drive
national park
Muir Woods National Monument
An ancient old-growth coast redwood forest just north of San Francisco, offering peaceful trails beneath towering thousand-year-old trees.
24 km · about 25 min drive
racetrack
Sonoma Raceway
A challenging road course set among the rolling hills of California wine country, hosting NASCAR and IndyCar events.
30 km · about 35 min drive
museum
Blackhawk Museum
Classic and rare automobiles displayed as art in an elegant gallery setting in the San Francisco Bay Area.
37 km · about 45 min drive
Driving roads near El Cerrito
- 18 kmGolden Gate BridgeThe Art Deco suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate strait in famous International Orange; drive, cycle, or walk it, with classic viewpoints at Battery Spencer and Fort Point.
- 42 kmTom Lantos Tunnels (Devil's Slide)Twin highway tunnels that bypass the notorious Devil's Slide cliffs on Highway 1 south of Pacifica; the old clifftop roadbed is now a spectacular coastal trail.
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