Location: Oakland
Top Things to do in Oakland
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10 Things to Do in Oakland That You Shouldn't Miss
Oakland, in the hub of the Bay Area, is both historic and modern. Visitors will find a little bit of everything in this diverse metropolis, from the picturesque waterfront to expansive hills. Explore Oakland's growing arts, entertainment and food scene or enjoy recreational opportunities like hiking, sailing and biking. Root for one of the three professional sports teams or take a tour of a historic landmark. The city is easily accessible through Oakland International Airport, train, automobile, BART, bus and ferry.
Restaurants in Oakland
1. St. George Spirits
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 101 reviews
Reviewed By Dennis C
An interesting and entertaining tour. Our guide Rose was extremely knowledgeable and had a winning personality. The company appears to take a lot of pride in their being a small local enterprise, not only in their history but also in their sourcing of ingredients. Their Terroir Gin, meant to conjure Mt. Tamalpais, is the most explicit expression of this. The tasting bar has been remodeled since my last visit, and it is now spacious and comfortable.
Getting there demands a bit of forethought. A fun way to travel from San Francisco is by ferry. Once docked, you can wait for a city bus, but I'd recommend arranging a ride--with a taxi or Lyft, for instance. Same thing if you take BART to Lake Merritt (not West Oakland.) I once walked from the dock to the distillery, but I don't recommend it. It takes only 20 minutes, but you're in the middle of nowhere, walking on the shoulder of roads and through the rubble of the abandoned naval base.
2. Redwood Regional Park
Overall Ratings
5 based on 315 reviews
Reviewed By STLL7 - Oakland, California
For anyone who lives in the East Bay the Redwood Regional Park provides an amazing escape to nature. Beautiful redwoods, views, variety of vegetation and lots of opportunities for a picnic. Be mindful of racing bikes on some of the trails that allow bikes, it can be a bit much on the weekends!
3. Oakland Museum of California
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 611 reviews
The Oakland Museum of California provides unique collections, exhibitions and educational opportunities designed to generate a broader and deeper understanding of and interest in California's environment, history, art and people. Museum programs are responsive, accessible and meaningful to the public, including school children, teachers, scholars, the immediate Oakland community, and an increasingly diverse California population.
Reviewed By KitaTravels - Atlanta, Georgia
I thoroughly enjoyed my first visit to Oakland Museum on 10/30 during a birthday trip to the Bay area. We checked out the Black Panther exhibit, which was informative and insightful. I particularly enjoyed the fact that the exhibit was curated in a way that was inclusive and demonstrated a bit of Oakland pride.
The exhibit was interactive and thought provoking -- featuring multi-media pieces that gave you a in-depth, behind-the-scenes view into the Black Panther movement. There were several opportunities throughout the exhibit for the view to express their feelings and interact with the artwork and environment.
The staff were very friendly and helpful. I would visit this museum again for other exhibits whenever I'm in the area.
4. San Francisco Bay Ferry
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 196 reviews
Reviewed By Jerry O - Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Tickets are about 7. Of the 5 times using it it was never on time, once almost!
Takes about 30 to 40 minutes depending on where youre going.
Snacks and drinks available on board.
Wifi can be slow but free.
Discounts available when commuting.
Offers some good views of the city.
5. Mountain View Cemetery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 144 reviews
Reviewed By Shamiracle D
Generally well kept. It was nice to drive and walk through this 200+ acre cemetery to see the creativity in the structures, the inscriptions, historical relevance (like the plots with babies that died from polio). This was a first where I consciously toured a cemetery, but clearly lots of folks do it or they do here. A couple instances I felt were a little disrespectful to the dead or their living family. For instance, I saw a family w/ a 10-12yr old that climbed on top of a mausoleum to take a selfie. WTH!!! Another were young men that were up there smoking and playing cards on the steps of another mausoleum. Lots of Bay Area contributors. Who knew the guy (Frederick Olmsted) that designed this cemetery was the one that designed NYC's Central Park, among other park systems!!!! Breathtaking views just outside Oakland's city limits. Go see it.
P.S. They have porto-pots too if a bathroom emergency comes upon you :)
6. Oracle Arena
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 445 reviews
Reviewed By TipperNC - Charlotte, NC
I’ve been to quite a few basketball arenas and most of them are pretty much the same, especially since they tore down the old Boston Garden. The Forum in L.A. and maybe Madison Square Garden are the only two interesting places that come to my mind. Oracle Arena is nothing special and is a pain in the neck to get to. We took BART from SF which turned out to be a test of endurance due to the crowds and temps in the car. The surrounding area is not especially appealing.
I thought maybe with the defending champion Warriors as the home team there might be a good energy in the building, but not really. The Nets kept it close most of the night before the “Dubs” ran away with it. They play the usual mix of hip hop and high energy music but the place was not really rocking like I expected. There were the usual T-shirt giveaways and what not but nothing too exciting between periods or at halftime.
Concessions are priced expectedly: unbelievably high. I paid like $50 for nachos, chicken fingers and two beers. Ouch. Not a lot of variety of food nor was there anything particularly special or unique to the Bay Area, from what I saw. It was cool that if you pay for concessions with an AMEX you got a gift at certain stands - it was a pretty sweet external battery recharger the night I was there, very useful for recharging your phone. We got a few of them.
Overall, I’d say don’t go out of your way to go to Oracle. It’s very much nothing special, even with the best team in the NBA playing.
7. Lake Merritt
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 779 reviews
Saltwater lake in the middle of the city.
Reviewed By June I - San Francisco, California
A beautiful Fall day around the Premier tourist spot, The Lake.
Worth a visit and 3.5 mile walk around it. Bird and people watch. Ride the gondola at the Lake Chalet and go to the large Cathedral at Grand and Harrison.
Within walking distance to Oakland Museum and Chinatown.
8. East Bay Regional Park District
Overall Ratings
5 based on 96 reviews
The official designation given to the numerous parks found in Contra Costa and Alameda counties.
Reviewed By cvalentino - oakland, CA USA
The EBRPD is a gem of exceptional parks studded throughout the East Bay. It maintains and operates a system of regional parks which is the largest urban regional park district in the United States! That is quite an accomplishment! As of 2015, EBRPD spans 120,000 acres (49,000 hectares) with 65 parks and over 1,200 miles (1,900 km) of trails. Go exploring!
9. The Cathedral of Christ the Light
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 158 reviews
Anchored by the world's newest Catholic cathedral - The Cathedral of Christ the Light - the entire Cathedral Center is a beautiful and welcoming gathering place to experience liturgy, arts and cultural events reflecting the diversity of Oakland and the Bay Area.
Reviewed By PamplonaBound - Chicago, Illinois
From the outside, this modern cathedral does not appear to be a religious building. The cathedral opened in 2008, nearly 20 years after the 1989 earthquake destroyed Oakland's cathedral at the time.
Once you enter the church, the building is awe-inspiring. The surrounding walls are made of thousands of wooden slats that let in light, and the entire front of the sanctuary is dominated by a projection of Christ from ceiling to about the level of the altar.
There are small chapels on both sides of the church that are tucked away from the main sanctuary. The quality of sound for choral singing and organ music is terrific.
Not to be missed, and even better during a religious service to get a sense of the spectacular sound quality.
10. Children's Fairyland
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 216 reviews
Children's books come to life at this ten-acre outdoor park that displays 30 colorful sets depicting make-believe lands of Alice in Wonderland, Captain Hook and others.
Reviewed By daggertravel - Paradise Valley, Arizona
Many interesting attractions for young children. Also, a children's theater. Attractions include small ferris wheel, petting animals, lots of fairtytale parts, a train, slides, etc. Parents will wear out before the kids! A fun outing. Not Disneyland, but nice for the Bay AreaThanks for the review! We hope you come back to Fairyland soon.
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