About The city of Oakland, CA
Oakland was named Number 5 by The New York Times among the Top 45 Places to Go in 2012, Oakland is truly a destination city.
Oakland is a major center of culture and commerce. It is an important container shipping port and the terminus of three transcontinental railroads. Oakland’s industries include food processing, transportation, software, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, and electrical and high technology manufacturing. The city is the headquarters of many national and international corporations.
Oakland's lifestyle and economy is booming!
Many Things to Do in Oakland:
1. Reach for the stars at the Chabot Space and Science Center
2. Hug a really big tree at Redwood Regional Park
3. Catch the America's Cup spirit by honing your sailing skills at J World Performance Sailing at Jack London Square
4. Sample some great wines and get some exercise by joining a cycling trip with East Bay Winery Bicycle Tours
5. Rediscover the glamour of Hollywood with a classic movie at the Paramount Theatre
6. Bite into a ripe peach at one of Oakland's Farmers Markets
7. Sip tasty teas at the Tea Garden at Numi Tea
8. Pay a visit to the Remember Them bronze statue in Uptown, honoring our champions of humanity
9. Stretch your neck with the giraffes at the Oakland Zoo
10. Captain a kayak on the Oakland Estuary
11. Toast to Jack London with a beer at Heinold's First & Last Chance Saloon
12. Enjoy the sounds of music at Woodminster Amphitheatre
13. Cheer for the home team at an Oakland A's game
14. Relive a moment from the movie UP! with a cone at Fenton's Creamery
15. Gaze at the amazing architecture at The Cathedral of Christ the Light by Lake Merritt.
16. Groove with the jazz at Yoshi's Oakland
17. Shop 'til you drop along Piedmont Avenue
18. Board a yacht at Strictly Sail boat show in Jack London Square
19. Become a kid again at Children's Fairyland
20. Rock your socks off during a concert at the ORACLE Arena
21. Travel presidential style with a cruise on the USS Potomac
22. Retrace Amelia Earhart's flight route at the Oakland Aviation Museum
23. See the sun set over San Francisco with a cocktail on the top deck of the Alameda/Oakland ferry
24. Catch the latest sounds at the Fox Oakland
25. Dance with the sugarplum fairies at the Nutcracker
26. Serenade your sweetheart in an authentic Italian gondola at Lake Merritt
27. Join the Raider Nation at the O.Co Coliseum
28. Let the kids' creativity loose at the Museum of Children's Art
29. Track down your ancestors at the Mormon Temple
30. Lace up your running shoes for the annual Oakland Running Festival in March
31. Ogle the ceiling at the Rotunda Building
32. Stroll through the streets of Old Oakland, enjoying the shops and architecture
33. Trace your family history at the California Genealogical Society
34. Tickle your taste buds at the Eat Real Festival
35. Whoop it up with the Black Cowboys in the annual Black Cowboys Parade
36. Bask in the sun or take a swim at Lake Temescal
37. Relax with a massage at the Claremont Hotel and Spa
38. Mingle at the mansion in Dunsmuir-Hellman Historic Estate
39. Celebrate all things Californian at the Oakland Museum of California
40. Write your own future with custom fortunes at a cookie factory tour in Chinatown
41. Find your form at one of Oakland's many art galleries and open studios
42. Let your soul soar to the sounds of the Art and Soul Festival
43. Savor some souvlaki at the annual Festival of Greece
44. Honor black history at the African American Museum and Library of Oakland
45. Say hi to Santa at the Oakland Holiday Parade
46. Pull strings or just buy a ticket to see the puppet show at Children's Fairyland
47. Lace your skates at the Oakland Ice Center
48. Fly through the sky at the Trapeze Arts circus school
49. Stop and smell the roses at the Morcom Amphitheatre of Roses
50. Root for the Golden State Warriors
51. Remember the Victorian age at the Camron-Stanford House on Lake Merritt
52. Master the making of mosaics at the Institute of Mosaic Art
53. Ace some shots at the Davie Tennis Stadium
54. Soothe your soul with a concert by the Oakland East Bay Symphony
55. Hook a fish dish at a waterfront restaurant at Jack London Square
56. Bask in the blues with your barbecue at Everett & Jones
57. Trot along the top of the Bay Area Ridge Trail on horseback
58. Swim laps at Roberts Pool
59. Wonder at the Wurlitzer before a movie at the Grand Lake Theater
60. Identify birds at Lake Merritt's Rotary Nature Center, the country's oldest wildlife refuge
61. Catch an art or history exhibit before your flight at Oakland International Airport
62. See what 'There' is at City Center. It's a sculpture!
63. Listen to a Mariachi band at a Fruitvale district restaurant
64. Sing along at a seasonal concert at City Center
65. Visit the past and future on an Oakland walking tour
66. Marvel at the architectural beauty of Oakland's buildings
67. Celebrate the exotic at Oakland's Chinatown Streetfest
68. Board the floating lighthouse Lightship Relief at Jack London Square
69. Voice your opinion at a City Council meeting
70. Smell a rose on the Kaiser Center's roof garden
71. Soar like a bird at the Rotary Nature Center
72. Submit your own Picasso into a public arts program
73. Ring in the New Year at the Lunar New Year Bazaar
74. Sing a sea chanty and chug a beer at Quinn's Lighthouse and Pub
75. Visit Oakland's architectural past at Preservation Park
76. Take a tofu tour at Hodo Soy
77. Find the latest looks at the unique boutiques in Rockridge
78. Feel crafty at Rock Paper Scissors arts collective
79. Enjoy the drama at a Theatre First theatrical performance
80. Watch some ruffled feathers at a burlesque night at Cafe Van Kleef
81. Take a cake decorating class at Miette at Jack London Square
82. Taste a Michelin-starred meal at Commis on Piedmont Avenue
83. Channel your inner pyromaniac with a class at The Crucible
84. Review restaurants A-Z at visitoakland.org
85. Keep up with the latest restaurant specials by following Visit Oakland's Twitter feed
86. Savor the flavors of the Rockridge Market Hall
87. Stroll city galleries at First Friday Art Nights
88. Get lost in the beauty of the Cascades, a waterfall amidst the redwoods in Joaquin Miller Park
89. Learn about the race to space at Chabot Space and Science Center
90. Paddle a canoe or use your feet in a pedal boat at Lake Merritt Boating Center
91. Search the Web with free wifi at an Oakland Public Library
92. Park your bike inside as you sip your latte at The Actual Cafe
93. Honor the history of our local ancestors at Peralta Hacienda Historical Park
94. Participate in a pig roast on the third Sunday of each month at Chop Bar
95. Paint a digital self portrait to add to the collection at the Oakland Museum of California
96. Nibble on a pan dulce and other Mexican specialties at Pena's Bakery
97. Sip a cocktail in the sun on the deck overlooking Lake Merritt at the Lake Chalet
98. Skip a drive to Napa and go wine tasting in Oakland, including sips at Urban Legend, Dasche Cellars and Irish Monkey Cellars
99. Learn to make cheese at the Institute for Urban Homesteading
100. Feel like a celebrity at Dancing Under the Stars at Jack London Square
101. Take a class or enjoy a concert at Piedmont Piano
102. Workout with a local oakland personal trainer at the family owned gym B.A.R.
Oakland is a major center of culture and commerce. It is an important container shipping port and the terminus of three transcontinental railroads. Oakland’s industries include food processing, transportation, software, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, and electrical and high technology manufacturing. The city is the headquarters of many national and international corporations.
Oakland's lifestyle and economy is booming!
Many Things to Do in Oakland:
1. Reach for the stars at the Chabot Space and Science Center
2. Hug a really big tree at Redwood Regional Park
3. Catch the America's Cup spirit by honing your sailing skills at J World Performance Sailing at Jack London Square
4. Sample some great wines and get some exercise by joining a cycling trip with East Bay Winery Bicycle Tours
5. Rediscover the glamour of Hollywood with a classic movie at the Paramount Theatre
6. Bite into a ripe peach at one of Oakland's Farmers Markets
7. Sip tasty teas at the Tea Garden at Numi Tea
8. Pay a visit to the Remember Them bronze statue in Uptown, honoring our champions of humanity
9. Stretch your neck with the giraffes at the Oakland Zoo
10. Captain a kayak on the Oakland Estuary
11. Toast to Jack London with a beer at Heinold's First & Last Chance Saloon
12. Enjoy the sounds of music at Woodminster Amphitheatre
13. Cheer for the home team at an Oakland A's game
14. Relive a moment from the movie UP! with a cone at Fenton's Creamery
15. Gaze at the amazing architecture at The Cathedral of Christ the Light by Lake Merritt.
16. Groove with the jazz at Yoshi's Oakland
17. Shop 'til you drop along Piedmont Avenue
18. Board a yacht at Strictly Sail boat show in Jack London Square
19. Become a kid again at Children's Fairyland
20. Rock your socks off during a concert at the ORACLE Arena
21. Travel presidential style with a cruise on the USS Potomac
22. Retrace Amelia Earhart's flight route at the Oakland Aviation Museum
23. See the sun set over San Francisco with a cocktail on the top deck of the Alameda/Oakland ferry
24. Catch the latest sounds at the Fox Oakland
25. Dance with the sugarplum fairies at the Nutcracker
26. Serenade your sweetheart in an authentic Italian gondola at Lake Merritt
27. Join the Raider Nation at the O.Co Coliseum
28. Let the kids' creativity loose at the Museum of Children's Art
29. Track down your ancestors at the Mormon Temple
30. Lace up your running shoes for the annual Oakland Running Festival in March
31. Ogle the ceiling at the Rotunda Building
32. Stroll through the streets of Old Oakland, enjoying the shops and architecture
33. Trace your family history at the California Genealogical Society
34. Tickle your taste buds at the Eat Real Festival
35. Whoop it up with the Black Cowboys in the annual Black Cowboys Parade
36. Bask in the sun or take a swim at Lake Temescal
37. Relax with a massage at the Claremont Hotel and Spa
38. Mingle at the mansion in Dunsmuir-Hellman Historic Estate
39. Celebrate all things Californian at the Oakland Museum of California
40. Write your own future with custom fortunes at a cookie factory tour in Chinatown
41. Find your form at one of Oakland's many art galleries and open studios
42. Let your soul soar to the sounds of the Art and Soul Festival
43. Savor some souvlaki at the annual Festival of Greece
44. Honor black history at the African American Museum and Library of Oakland
45. Say hi to Santa at the Oakland Holiday Parade
46. Pull strings or just buy a ticket to see the puppet show at Children's Fairyland
47. Lace your skates at the Oakland Ice Center
48. Fly through the sky at the Trapeze Arts circus school
49. Stop and smell the roses at the Morcom Amphitheatre of Roses
50. Root for the Golden State Warriors
51. Remember the Victorian age at the Camron-Stanford House on Lake Merritt
52. Master the making of mosaics at the Institute of Mosaic Art
53. Ace some shots at the Davie Tennis Stadium
54. Soothe your soul with a concert by the Oakland East Bay Symphony
55. Hook a fish dish at a waterfront restaurant at Jack London Square
56. Bask in the blues with your barbecue at Everett & Jones
57. Trot along the top of the Bay Area Ridge Trail on horseback
58. Swim laps at Roberts Pool
59. Wonder at the Wurlitzer before a movie at the Grand Lake Theater
60. Identify birds at Lake Merritt's Rotary Nature Center, the country's oldest wildlife refuge
61. Catch an art or history exhibit before your flight at Oakland International Airport
62. See what 'There' is at City Center. It's a sculpture!
63. Listen to a Mariachi band at a Fruitvale district restaurant
64. Sing along at a seasonal concert at City Center
65. Visit the past and future on an Oakland walking tour
66. Marvel at the architectural beauty of Oakland's buildings
67. Celebrate the exotic at Oakland's Chinatown Streetfest
68. Board the floating lighthouse Lightship Relief at Jack London Square
69. Voice your opinion at a City Council meeting
70. Smell a rose on the Kaiser Center's roof garden
71. Soar like a bird at the Rotary Nature Center
72. Submit your own Picasso into a public arts program
73. Ring in the New Year at the Lunar New Year Bazaar
74. Sing a sea chanty and chug a beer at Quinn's Lighthouse and Pub
75. Visit Oakland's architectural past at Preservation Park
76. Take a tofu tour at Hodo Soy
77. Find the latest looks at the unique boutiques in Rockridge
78. Feel crafty at Rock Paper Scissors arts collective
79. Enjoy the drama at a Theatre First theatrical performance
80. Watch some ruffled feathers at a burlesque night at Cafe Van Kleef
81. Take a cake decorating class at Miette at Jack London Square
82. Taste a Michelin-starred meal at Commis on Piedmont Avenue
83. Channel your inner pyromaniac with a class at The Crucible
84. Review restaurants A-Z at visitoakland.org
85. Keep up with the latest restaurant specials by following Visit Oakland's Twitter feed
86. Savor the flavors of the Rockridge Market Hall
87. Stroll city galleries at First Friday Art Nights
88. Get lost in the beauty of the Cascades, a waterfall amidst the redwoods in Joaquin Miller Park
89. Learn about the race to space at Chabot Space and Science Center
90. Paddle a canoe or use your feet in a pedal boat at Lake Merritt Boating Center
91. Search the Web with free wifi at an Oakland Public Library
92. Park your bike inside as you sip your latte at The Actual Cafe
93. Honor the history of our local ancestors at Peralta Hacienda Historical Park
94. Participate in a pig roast on the third Sunday of each month at Chop Bar
95. Paint a digital self portrait to add to the collection at the Oakland Museum of California
96. Nibble on a pan dulce and other Mexican specialties at Pena's Bakery
97. Sip a cocktail in the sun on the deck overlooking Lake Merritt at the Lake Chalet
98. Skip a drive to Napa and go wine tasting in Oakland, including sips at Urban Legend, Dasche Cellars and Irish Monkey Cellars
99. Learn to make cheese at the Institute for Urban Homesteading
100. Feel like a celebrity at Dancing Under the Stars at Jack London Square
101. Take a class or enjoy a concert at Piedmont Piano
102. Workout with a local oakland personal trainer at the family owned gym B.A.R.