From picnicking during the sunset in a cemetery where the Black Dahlia is buried to touring an up and coming urban wine trail, Oakland has a little something for every taste. We’ve got the 9 best attractions for you on the the sunny side of the Bay, so read on and find out what to see in Oakland.
The East Bay Regional Park District
Mountain View Cemetery, Tilden Regional Park, Redwood Regional Park, Angel Island State Park, and Joaquin Miller Park are just a handful of the best parks in Oakland. Although Mountain View Cemetery is full of dead people, its incredible Bay Area views make it far from morbid.
You can pack a picnic, explore for a couple hours, and maybe even contemplate how nice it is to be on the outside of the earth instead of six feet underground. Nestled on top of Piedmont Ave, this serene enclave was designed by the same man responsible for New York’s Central Park, much of UC Berkeley, and Stanford University–landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. Founders of Oakland, Civil War veterans, labor leaders, duelists, architects, poets, and railroad barons are among the important Californian historical figures buried there, as well as Domingo Ghirardelli of chocolate fame, coffee pioneer James A. Folger, and the Black Dahlia–aka Elizabeth Short, one of LA’s most notorious unsolved murder victims.
Lake Merritt, Lake Anza, and Lake Chabot
In the center of Oakland, just east of Downtown, lies a large tidal lagoon called Lake Merritt, surrounded by parks and neighborhoods. BYOB and take a “romantic” gondola cruise, or just stroll around the lake at dusk, surrounded by the twinkling Necklace of Lights that ring the lake on old-school lantern posts. Just watch out for the geese! They have no fear and are just itching to goose you.
Jack London Square
Named after the author Jack London, this hub of new architecture and public spaces on Oakland’s waterfront is full of businesses, restaurants, and entertainment, making it a great place to stop, stay, or play. Besides shopping, there’s a marina (which includes the S.F. Bay Ferry dock), the cabin where Jack London lived in the Klondike, and the former presidential yacht, USS Potomac.
Shop the farmer’s market on Sunday mornings, then toast to the past at the historic Heinold’s First and Last Chance Saloon, opened in 1883. Made from the bones of a whaling ship, this sailor’s bar sports a crooked floor and tilted ceiling, courtesy of the 1906 earthquake. Grab some grub at the newly opened beer-garden/bocce/bowling waterfront concept Plank. Jack London Square is also the site of many city events, including Art + Soul Oakland (Aug) and the popular Eat Real Fest (Sept).
Oakland Art Murmur
Like a lot of cities, Oakland has an arts night on the first Friday of every month from 5-9pm, on Telegraph Ave. from W. Grand to 27th St. The monthly art gallery open house and street festival features artists, food, performers, musicians, dancers, poets, and DJs. You’ll probably want to head out after 9pm, though— KONO (Koreatown Northgate) district isn’t the best place to be at night.
Oakland Urban Wine Trail
There’s an urban winery boom happening in Oaktown right now. It’s (kind of?) like Napa, but you don’t have to make the drive up to wine country. A lot of the vino venues like Rosenblum Cellars, Urban Legend Cellars, and Dashe Cellars are located near Jack London Square. Dashe is Oakland’s largest winery and one of the oldest. It’s both dog and family friendly and is known for its zins. The best way to experience Oakland wines (while getting some exercise) is to take an East Bay Winery Bike Tour. The best way minus exercise is to take public transit, like BART or the ferry.
Oakland Coliseum
The Raiders are headed to Vegas in 2019, and the Golden State Warriors are moving to the newly built Chase Center in San Francisco’s Mission Bay, but at least there’s still the Oakland A’s! Grab a seat in The Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum’s (aka Oakland Coliseum, aka O.co) Section 149 in right field to experience a game like a superfan. They really get into it with anthems for certain players, waving flags, kazoos, out-specific claps, and choreographed dances.
Children’s Fairyland
Storybooks come to life at this kitschy amusement park on the shores of Lake Merritt. One of the earliest “themed” amusement parks in the US, Oakland’s storybook theme park was built in 1950 and includes 10 acres of play sets, small rides, and animals. The park is also home to the Open Storybook Puppet Theater, the oldest continuously operating puppet theater in the country. At $12/ticket, it’s a lot cheaper than Disney, but you do have to have a child to get in. Those without children are welcome to get tickets for Fairyland for Grownups, an after-dark boozy bash for big kids, held annually in August.
University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley
Floral fans need to check out the 34-acre botanical garden on the UC Berkeley campus in the Berkeley Hills. The garden boasts over 10,000 types of plants, including many rare and endangered species, and is organized geographically, with nine regions of naturalistic plantings from Italy to South Africa, in addition to a major collection of California native plants. If your mom drags you along, at least you can enjoy the breathtaking views overlooking the San Francisco Bay!
Telegraph Avenue
Beginning in historic downtown, one of the trendiest neighborhoods in Oakland, and ending at UC Berkeley, Telegraph Avenue’s 4.5 miles are home to many restaurants, bookstores, clothing shops, and street vendors. It’s a great place to people watch–you’ll see college students, tourists, artists, street punks, and eccentrics. It’s also home to The Fox Oakland Theater, which hosts world-class rock, blues, R&B, and hip hop concerts by various recognizable artists. The building boasts an Art Deco interior, gilded in ornate glamour and an impressive facade that harkens back to when the 2,800-seat concert hall originally opened as a movie theater in the roaring ‘20s. Splurge for VIP and impress your date by taking them through the secret entrance in Rudy’s Can’t Fail Cafe.
Oakland is a city that certainly has a lot going for it. When you’ve decided you’re ready to take on the East Bay, be sure to check out our apartments for rent and find your perfect place. Welcome to the Bay!
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