Established as a dynamite factory in the 1800s and incorporated in 1900, the City of Hercules is located on the northeastern shore of San Pablo Bay, conveniently located along the I-80 corridor and within minutes of both San Francisco and Napa. The nearly 25,000 residents represent a diverse mix of many ethnic groups. Primarily a suburban, family-oriented community, the City has bold plans for a new town center, a lively new waterfront, and an exciting new train and ferry terminal.

Hercules offers residents an unusually high level of municipal services. The City provides a full range of recreational programs including youth/teen and adult activities, year-round child care, and several major community events which attract visitors from the regional area as well as local citizens. The City’s Senior Center provides daily senior programs and activities and sponsors special community events and trips.

Hercules maintains an abundance of open space areas and trails throughout the community, providing the opportunity for spotting various types of wildlife and offering dazzling views of the bay. Hercules also has two community and five neighborhood parks. Refugio Valley Park comprises 66 acres and includes the City’s Community Swim Center. The five neighborhood parks contain about 32 acres. The City also has approximately 950 acres of open space areas and trails distributed throughout the community. Together the open space areas and city parks account for approximately 1/3 of the total land area within the City. Future plans include redeveloping the historic Hercules Point as a public waterfront park.

Hercules residents place a high value on quality education. Hercules is served by two public school districts: John Swett Unified School District and West Contra Costa Unified School District. Private elementary and secondary schools are also available in adjacent communities. At the post-secondary level, both public schools and private schools in the East Bay provide a variety of high-quality educational opportunities. The City Child Care Program provides before-and-after school day care and pre-school programs.

Hercules is served by two major transportation routes (Interstate 80 and State Route 4) and a variety of transit options that help connect the City to the rest of the Bay Area and the state. San Pablo Avenue, which bisects the City, is part of the Historic Highway 40, the main artery into town prior to Interstate 80 being built. With recent new growth and regionally implemented growth management plans, future improvements to these transportation corridors are planned.