Where is the closest mountain drive from SF East Bay?

Don't judge the entire East Bay based on Antioch. It's hard to notice anything other than the strip malls, traffic, and nearby factories. Take a drive up highway 4. (Better to take the Antioch Bridge to hwy 12, and reconnect with 4 in Angels Camp.) It can be done as a day trip, and there are beautiful mountain pes above Angels Camp and Sonora. Keep in mind that California mountains are compared to sea level unlike the Colorado mountains which begin at a higher base. Personally, I think California mountains are just as pretty as those in Colorado.