Union City (California)

When California began to experience incredible growth in the 1950s, Southern Alameda County developed quickly and the city of Hayward began to eye the townships to its south for potential annexation. To preclude such an event, a citizen's committee petitioned for incorporation; and on January 13, 1959, the City of Union City came into being, binding together the four townships of Union City/New Haven/Alvarado/Decoto. Tom Kitayama, who served on the citizen's committee, became its first mayor. He was the first Japanese American to hold public office in California, just 14 years after the end of World War II.

Public Transportation

• AC Transit buses bring you in from Contra Costa County and the rest of Alameda County.
• BART trains bring you to the Union City BART Station from Fremont to the south and from Hayward, San Leandro, Oakland and Richmond to the north, as well as San Francisco to the west.
• Dumbarton Express buses bring you in from Palo Alto via Dumbarton Bridge.

Cycling, walking, and taking public transportation are all alternatives to driving, although traffic isn't bad relatively speaking and free parking is plentiful.

• Union City TransitOperates four bus routes, which are coordinated with BART trains, AC Transit, and the Dumbarton Express to areas outside the city. Main transfer points are at the Union City BART Station and the Union Landing transit facility. Fares are $1.75 adults, $1 youth, $0.75 seniors.

The Union Landing shopping center is also home of the Century 25 movie theater.

Cycle, run, or walk your dog on the Alameda Creek Trail which extends from the hills to the bay. One side of the trail is paved and the other is mostly unpaved.

• Dry Creek/Pioneer Regional ParkDry Creek Cottage was a popular summer home of Edith, Mildred, and Jeanette Meyers, three sisters of Alameda who were very active locally during the early and mid 1900s. The restored garden and cottage is accessible by the Meyer trail at the end of Tamarack Dr off Mission Blvd, which also provide access to hiking trails at the south end of Dry Creek Regional Park. Dry Creek/Pioneer is adjacent to Garin Regional Park and shares a visitor center in Hayward.

There is a shopping center and hang out spot off of 880 called Union Landing. The shopping center contains mostly "big box" stores.

There is a variety of different (fast food) restaurants inside Union Landing.

• Mayflower Seafood Restaurant

  phone: +1 510 489-8386
  address: 34348 Alvarado Niles Rd
  Very popular Chinese restaurant. Avoid the weekend lunch hour, when it is packed. Come early (before 11:30AM) during the weekdays to experience probably the best dim sum in the Tri-cities.

• Crowne Plaza Hotel

  phone: +1 510 489-2200
  address: 32083 Alvarado-Niles Rd

• Holiday Inn Express

  phone: +1 510 475-0600
  address: 31140 Alvarado-Niles Rd

The Tri-City area includes Union City, Newark, and Fremont. Go south and visit Newark and Fremont.