Oakland

 

Oakland is a chic and trendy city on the east side of the San Francisco Bay. This eclectic city is packed with fun attractions, including many museums, theaters, and concert venues, and offers a diverse and dynamic dining scene as well as a thriving economy with many tech start-ups and the fifth busiest port in the United States.

 

Oakland consists of more than 50 neighborhoods offering a wide variety of housing options. Homes within Oakland run the gamut from elegant Victorian properties to upscale apartments in contemporary high-rise towers. Some of Oakland’s most desirable properties include grand waterfront residences close to Lake Merritt and the SF Bay, as well as spectacular homes rising into the hillsides at the city’s eastern edge. For more living options, check out nearby Berkeley real estate or vintage homes in Walnut Creek.

 

Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region and the third-largest in the whole San Francisco Bay Area. The city’s urban amenities run the gamut from trendy shopping and dining areas to live music and cultural attractions. Oakland also offers scenic outdoor recreations such as Lake Merritt to enjoy the glorious Californian weather.

 

Oakland is packed with a near-endless variety of places to shop, dine, and party. The stylish entertainment district of Jack London Square fronts the Oakland Estuary across the water from the island of Alameda. Heinold’s: First and Last Chance Saloon is a historic landmark where sailors used to grab their first and last drinks before departing Oakland’s bustling port in the 1880s. Famed Oakland author Jack London was known to write inside the saloon. 

 

More recent additions to this buzzing district include Belcampo Restaurant & Butcher Shop for mouthwatering farm-to-table meats, Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine for flavorful South-East Asian dishes, and the hip bowling alley and craft beer garden Plank. 

 

The easygoing neighborhood of Rockridge offers a hip mix of boutiques, indie bookstores, and highly-rated restaurants. Rockridge Market Hall features a curated selection of gourmet food stalls. Michelin Guide recommended eateries along Rockridge’s College Avenue include rustic, Italian- influenced Wood Tavern, inventive vegetarian restaurant Millennium, and Italian pasta paradise Bellotti Ristorante e Bottega. 

 

Piedmont Avenue is lined with an eclectic assortment of restaurants and retailers. Commis has been two awarded two Michelin stars for its bold open kitchen experiments and unforgettable prix fixe dinners. Other Piedmont Avenue highlights include historic 1890s ice cream parlor Fentons Creamery and lively craft beer and sports pub Cato’s Ale House. 

 

Other Oakland neighborhoods offer the chance to sample authentic cuisine from around the world. Oakland’s Chinatown district is one of the oldest in the United States, and its many restaurants serve delicious meals from all around East Asia. The traditional Hispanic neighborhood of Fruitvale has a similarly extensive array of fine choices for chowing down on tasty Mexican street food.

 

Oakland’s extensive entertainment options include many theaters and concert venues. The Uptown district’s vintage 1920s Fox Theater stages a diverse lineup of top touring acts in a beautifully restored space with a state-of-the-art sound system. The nearby Paramount Theater is a similarly stunning example of 1930s Art Deco architecture, hosting classic movie screenings, stand-up comedy, plays, ballet, and all kinds of live music. The Oakland Ballet Company, Oakland Symphony, and Oakland Speaker Series all regularly schedule at the Paramount. The former Golden State Warriors home of Oracle Arena is Oakland’s main destination for large-scale concerts from music’s biggest contemporary acts. The New Parish offers a more intimate experience with a labyrinth of rooms and stages showcasing reggae, roots, and world music. 

 

The sprawling tidal lagoon of Lake Merritt is one of Oakland’s most unique attractions. With three miles of scenic shoreline, this is the perfect place to relax and unwind on a sunny afternoon. A boating center offers rental of canoes, rowboats, and sailboats for use on the lake. The Gardens at Lake Merritt is an enchanting collection of seven themes extending over seven acres along the lakeshore. Other lakeside attractions include the 10-acre Children’s Fairyland amusement park. An Oakland landmark since 1950, this whimsical and family-friendly destination was a major inspiration behind Walt Disney’s creation of Disneyland.

 

Oakland is served by the Oakland Unified School District.

 

 

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