Sunol is a rural community of 1,330 residents located in Alameda County between the south San Francisco Bay and the Livermore Valley at mouth of Sinbad Creek, 45 miles south east of San Francisco and just 4 miles south of Pleasanton, at the southern end of the Sunol Ridge. The total land area designated as Sunol encompasses...
Show all »
Sunol is a rural community of 1,330 residents located in Alameda County between the south San Francisco Bay and the Livermore Valley at mouth of Sinbad Creek, 45 miles south east of San Francisco and just 4 miles south of Pleasanton, at the southern end of the Sunol Ridge. The total land area designated as Sunol encompasses approximately 86 square miles.
In the mid 1800's, Antonio Maria Sunol and Maria Bernal Sunol gained ownership of 14,000 acres of Rancho El Valle de San Jose. One of their sons built a complex of ranching support buildings near the present-day Sunol Water Temple. A larger community was created as disappointed gold miners settled as farmers. The small, rural town of Sunol is well known for its historic railroad system, on which the tourist railroad Niles Canyon Railway makes an in-town stop and the Altamont Commuter Express passes en route to San Jose and the Central Valley. The large Calaveras Reservoir lies south of Sunol.
There is plenty to do and see in Sunol. The adjoining Sunol and Ohlone Wilderness areas cover over 15,000 acres. There are picnic grounds and easy hiking and mountain biking, as well as miles of difficult back-country trails. You can bring your own horses or go for rides through Western Trail Riding Services. The Historic Niles Canyon Railway runs its steam trains from the boarding station in Sunol through Niles Canyon on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month.
Visitors and residents can enjoy Elliston Vineyards tasting room to sample a wide variety of wines or enjoy a treatment at the Pleasanton Spa. Residents can gather at the Sunol Coffee House and Cafe. Established in 1906, this small eatery has been the social center of Sunol for almost a hundred years. The cafe's windows look out on the town's Main Street, with a view of the antique store across the street from one side and the Sunol Train Station from the other.
The Sunol Glen Unified School District encourages life long learning in an accepting environment where students demonstrate academic excellence and a commitment to their community. The current Sunol Glen School, built in 1925, has about 250 students in kindergarten through eighth grades. The school has always acted as a community center - the auditorium still contains a metal lined movie projection loft designed during the era of carbon-arc projectors.
Home owners enjoy favorable property appreciation rates and values. There is a limited supply of homes available; however, there are no condos available. The average sales price for a home in Sunol was $1,399,000 in August 2007. Information from MLS, while deemed reliable, is not guaranteed.
« Show less
.