Hotels in Antioch

Antioch sits in eastern Contra Costa County, a working-class Bay Area suburb on the San Joaquin River rather than a destination in its own right. It grew up as a coal and shipping town and still carries that blue-collar, unglamorous character, with a downtown waterfront that's been slowly reworked around the marina and the historic Rivertown district rather than fully revived.

Most visitors end up here for family ties, regional job sites, or as a cheaper base than San Francisco or even Walnut Creek, with BART access at the edge of town making the commute workable. Be honest: there's little in the way of sightseeing or nightlife, and the city's reputation has been dogged by higher crime rates than its Bay Area neighbors.