Union City is a city of 70,000 people (in 2020) in the southern part of the East Bay portion of the San Francisco Bay Area region of California. It is bordered to the north by the city of Hayward and to the south by the city of Fremont. It is part of the Tri-Cities area, which consists of Union City, Fremont, and Newark.

Understand

History

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.

Get in

Public transportation

• AC Transit buses bring you in from other parts of the inner East Bay.
• BART trains bring you to the 1 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.

Get around

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 Transit. Operates 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. 

See

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

Do

Dry Creek Pioneer Regional Park

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.

• 1 Dry Creek Pioneer Regional Park (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. AC Transit bus 99 or Union City bus 4 from BART), toll-free: +1 888 327 2757 (option 3 ext 4530). Nov 1 to Mar 5: 8AM-6PM; Mar 6 to Apr 6 and Sep 25 to Oct 29: 8AM-7PM; Apr 17 to May 21 and Aug 28 to Sep 24: 8AM-8PM; May 22 to Aug 27: 8AM-9PM. Dry 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. Dry Creek/Pioneer is adjacent to Garin Regional Park and shares a visitor center in Hayward. A network of hiking trails gives the chance to see raptors and coyotes, and the High Ridge Trail has extensive views of the bay. If you see cattle grazing, keep your distance.  

Buy

• 1 Union Landing. A shopping center and hang out spot. The shopping center contains mostly "big box" stores. 
• 2 Union City Farmer's Market, 30940 Watkins St / 3864 Smith St (at the intersection), ☏ +1 925 825 9090, toll-free: +1 800 949 3276. Sa 8AM-noon. A popular farmer's market held at Old Alvarado Park on Saturdays year-round. Free. 
• 3 Union Square Marketplace, Alvarado-Niles Road and Decoto Road. A strip mall without much in the way of atmosphere, but its location across from the BART station makes it a convenient place for a snack, meal, or convenience store purchase. Anchored by Safeway and Dollar Tree, with some restaurants, coffee, bubble tea shops. (updated Oct 2024)

Eat

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

• 1 Golden Bay Seafood Harbor 金海湾渔港 (formerly Mayflower Seafood Restaurant), 34348 Alvarado Niles Rd (In the Mercado near Decoto Road), ☏ +1 510-487-8880. 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. 
• Birdhaus Beer Garden and The Lone Crow. Islander cuisine and event venue (updated Jun 2024)

Sleep

• 1 Crowne Plaza Hotel, 32083 Alvarado-Niles Rd, ☏ +1 510 489-2200. 
• 2 Holiday Inn Express, 31140 Alvarado-Niles Rd, ☏ +1 510 475-0600. 

Go next

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

Routes through Union City

Oakland ← Hayward ←	N  S	→ Newark → San Jose
Oakland ← Hayward ←	N  S	→ Fremont → San Jose