Rio Vista sits at almost the exact midway point between Sacramento and San Francisco in northern California. Though technically incorporated as a city in the late 1960s, it’s maintained a small-town atmosphere since it was established in 1858. “You’ll see that a lot in the smaller cities south of Sacramento,” says Jerry Bassler, a Realty Agents Inc. realtor with more than a decade of experience working with clients in the area. “People are friendly and they know their neighbors,” he says, adding that part of the reason the community is so close-knit stems from the fact that the city is “off-the-grid.” Bassler: “Not a lot of people know Rio Vista, but if you take the time to visit, it’s a charming little city.” With quiet residential streets, local shops and dining clustered along Main Street and several community parks, its charm is clear. But overlooking State Route 12 and within an hour and a half of both Sacramento and San Francisco, Rio Vista is just as convenient.
Local produce and waterfront dining
At the Delta Farmers Market by the Tower, off Highway 12 across the Helen Madere Memorial Bridge just over a mile east of Rio Vista, residents can grab fresh, seasonal produce, local wines, craft beers, as well as scratch-made baked goods and other foodstuffs. The market also hosts local artists for live music nights on Saturday and Sunday evenings year-round. For a yummy meal with a view, locals can head to The Point. Perched on the river at the end of Marina Drive, the eatery was named the No. 2 best waterfront restaurant in northern California by Only in Your State. For everyday essentials and even more local dining, residents can visit Main Street. The little downtown area has everything from banks and bakeries to diners and cafés.
The Point at The Rio Vista Marina offers fine dining to the Rio Vista community.
Rio Vista locals hang out at the ice cream shop and cafe on Main Street.
Breakfast and lunch is served at Raul's Striper Cafe in downtown Rio Vista.
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2000s-era Mediterranean-style homes
Most of the single-story ranch-style homes in Rio Vista were built between the early 2000s and late 2010s. They’re Mediterranean in style, featuring stucco siding and Spanish tile roofs in neutral earth tones like sand or terra cotta. Prices here span the spectrum between $360,000 and $640,000, but the median is close to the $450,000 mark, which is under the median for Solano County.
Find your perfect home at the private Trilogy community in Rio Vista.
A newer ranch-style home is common in Rio Vista.
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River Delta school days
Students in Rio Vista attend schools in the River Delta Unified School District. Many kids go to D.H. White Elementary between kindergarten and sixth grade, Riverview Middle for seventh and eighth grades and Rio Vista High between ninth and 12th. In 2023, the elementary school earned a B-minus grade from Niche. Riverview Middle earned a C-plus and Rio Vista High earned a B that same year. Rio Vista teens can participate in a variety of varsity sports, from wrestling or baseball to swimming, soccer or football.
The campus of DH White Elementary School includes modern amenities for students.
Riverview Middle School provides a safe, positive, and nurturing environment for students.
Rio Vista High School offers a sprawling campus when viewed from above.
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Get outside
Bruning Park spans the acre and a half between Third and Fourth Streets and offers everything from a classic basketball court to a grassy, tree-lined field and a sunny playground. There are even barbecues and picnic tables for locals to enjoy. At the corner of Fourth and California Street, the park also features the Simonsen Swim Center. The public, outdoor pool is home to the Sharks, a local summer league swim team. Skateboarders can practice their kick flips at the Rio Vista Skatepark off Scott Street near D.H. White Elementary. The Rio Vista Bridge to Beach Trail extends from the Helen Madere Memorial Bridge along the Sacramento River down to Sandy Beach County Park. The multiuse trail meanders through parts of Rio Vista’s shopping and dining district and is dotted with spots where locals can fish and launch their boats.
Sandy Beach is one of the many local boat launches in Rio Vista.
People drive across the picturesque Helen Madere Memorial Bridge to enter Rio Vista.
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Getting from delta to valley
State Route 12, a main thoroughfare connecting residents from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta all the way to the Sonoma and Nappa Valleys, bustles through the north end of Rio Vista. Off Baumann Road, also in Rio Vista’s north end, there’s the Rio Vista Municipal Airport. The little airport is used mostly for recreational flights for helicopters and single-engine aircraft, but small company jets have also been known to take off and land there, too. Getting around close to home is easy, too, with stops along the Rio Vista Delta Breeze bus line scattered at intervals along Main Street.
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Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
