East Bay (San Francisco Bay Area)

East Bay (San Francisco Bay Area)

Coordinates: 37°42′N 122°00′W / 37.7°N 122°W / 37.7; -122

The East Bay is a commonly used, informal term for the lands on the eastern side of the San Francisco Bay, in the San Francisco Bay Area, in California, United States. Originally referring only to cities along the immediate northeast shore of the San Francisco Bay and the southeast shore of San Pablo Bay, the region described as the "East Bay" has grown with the expansion of the Bay Area's population and infrastructure to include all of Alameda and Contra Costa counties, and even some farther outlying cities. Oakland, the busiest port in Northern California, is the largest city in the sub-region and the third largest in the Bay Area, in addition to being the major transportation hub for highways, trucking, and public transportation for the region and beyond.

East Bay institutions include California State University, East Bay, the weekly East Bay Express newspaper, the AC Transit (Alameda/Contra Costa Transit) bus system, the Oakland East Bay Symphony the East Bay Regional Parks District, Eastshore State Park, the East Bay Municipal Utility District, the East Bay Green Corridor coalition, the East Bay Athletic League, The East Bay Monthly and the East Bay Bicycle Coalition. Historic institutions include the East Bay Electric Lines and the Oakland Museum of California, which houses major collections and interpretation of development of the entire state.

The region is linked by highways and by the BART rail system. It is bounded to the south by the South Bay region, and to the north by San Pablo Bay.