A plan for Oakland

While Oakland has neither the concentration of tourist amenities present in its western neighbor, San Francisco, nor the suburban sprawl of San Jose to the south, the visitor can easily spend a few pleasant days here. For decades popular media has stoked American racial and class biases to generate negative perceptions about Oakland.

Since the late 1990s, however, the actual basis for these often exaggerated portraits of Oakland life have receded, as the city is experiencing an economic and cultural revitalization, as well as the more controversial hyper-gentrification. Oakland is now the Bay Area's most diverse city. Although still an underrated cultural center, its heady arts and culinary scene and ongoing revitalization have generated enthusiastic coverage in the world media of record, including the New York Times, The Guardian (UK), The Independent (UK), NPR, and the Los Angeles Times. The city gets its name because it has an abundance of oak trees.

Since the 1960s, Oakland has been a hub of progressive politics and radical, sometimes outlaw organizations. For example, while Oakland gave rise to civil-rights-conscious labor movements in the mid-century, it was also the birthplace of the Black Panther Party and a crucial hub for the early era Hell's Angels, who still maintain a clubhouse in Fruitvale.

Oakland's history in the arts and entertainment arena is notable as well, as Oakland has nurtured or been a second home to novelists Gertrude Stein and Jack London; actors Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks; architect Julia Morgan; environmentalist Julia "Butterfly" Hill; classical conductor Calvin Simmons; rappers MC Hammer, 2Pac, Messy Marv, and notables in the liberal arts and sciences.

Oakland has many attractions to the eye and for the mind. Where some believe that it is a city of run-down Victorian houses or endless stretches of urban blight, this is very far from accurate. Oakland is a city with roots as far back as the earliest years of the admission of the State of California, and as such, it has architecture extant from many different eras. The Victorian architecture preserved and restored in Old Oakland, the Art Deco glory of Uptown, and the history of the Port of Oakland itself are among the many things to see. New York City has Manhattanhenge, towers of glass and steel; Oakland has the valleys of stone.

Neighborhoods

The first place many visitors are likely to visit is Downtown, especially if they are in town on business, or simply do not know where to start. The center of transportation by BART and by bus is there, if you want to branch out. Only a few streets away is Old Oakland, along 10th Street, just west of Broadway. Just east of Broadway and continuing north and south is Oakland's famous Chinatown, where many of the buildings and streets of Chinatown reflect the diverse nature of its history, in architecture and in the bilingual signs seen throughout the neighborhood.

The curious traveler can venture to take a bus southwards along Broadway, and come to Jack London Square. The unlikely mixture of warehouses and very expensive restaurants and posh atmosphere alongside some of the landmarks of the city's waterfront makes the Square an interesting place to visit and explore, even for locals. It's the home of the USS Potomac and the site of the namesake author's residence, still preserved and humbly standing not far from a saloon from the same era.

Oakland is a city of passionate interests - among the strongest of them are the love of the performing arts. Theater, live DJs, nightclubs, concerts, dance and even more unusual avant-garde activities are common sights and experiences in the city. Not just the obvious locations like the convention center or the Oracle Arena are home to the passion of performance. The Fox and Paramount Theaters host live concerts; the Paramount in particular is home to Oakland's East Bay Symphony, but that is by no means the end of the list. The nightlife of Oakland swings to the beat too, with popular spots like the Uptown and Yoshi's (Found in the Bar/Nightclub section under Drink) keep the music moving far into the evening hours. And that is only the beginning.

Performing arts

1 Fox Theater, 1807 Telegraph Ave (near Telegraph and 19th, Uptown), ☏ +1 510 302-2250, contact@anotherplanetent.com. A former movie theatre, the Fox was built in 1928. It closed its doors in 1970 and stood empty until 2009, when it reopened as a 1,500-2,800 seat music venue, following a two-year, $75-million renovation. One block from the 19th St BART stop, it is in the heart of Oakland's Uptown neighborhood, which is also being re-named the Arts and Entertainment district. (updated Feb 2020)

2 The New Parish, 1743 San Pablo Ave (at 18th St), ☏ +1 510 444-7474, info@thenewparish.com. Live performing artists, DJs and readings abound at this venue a stone's throw away from the Financial District. (updated Feb 2020)

3 The Oakland Symphony, 1440 Broadway, Suite 405 (12th St. BART; above Oaklandish), ☏ +1 510 444-0801, fax: +1 510 444-0863. Check website for performance dates, venues and tickets. (updated Feb 2020)

Oakland Gay Men's Chorus, toll-free: +1-800-706-2389, contactoebgmc@oebgmc.org. (updated Feb 2020)

The third great passion after art and music that is shared by residents and visitors to Oakland alike is food. Oakland is foodie country. No matter what your budget is - if you want to find something to eat from classic burgers to elaborate, innovative cuisine, you're going to find both and just about everything in between. Vegan and vegetarian options are widespread, and Oakland's exceptional ethnic diversity means you can find food from almost any corner of the globe.

Adams Point

Budget

1 Ahn's Quarter Pound Burger, 439 Grand Ave (corner of Bellevue and Grand), ☏ +1 510 763-4328. Daily 8AM-9PM. Very no-frills burger stop that has all the basics and its own parking lot. Under $10. (updated Sep 2024)

Mid-range

2 Enssaro, 357A Grand Ave (between Elita and Perkins), ☏ +1 510 238-9050, info@enssaro.com. Mon Wed Thu Sun 11:30AM-10PM, Fri Sat 11:30AM-11PM. Come for the Wot and Ye Tibs, stay for the honey wine. Try the combo platters. Vegetarian-friendly. Online ordering. Delivery available. $10-20. (updated Sep 2024)

3 Jong Ga House, 372 Grand Ave (north of junction with Elita Ave), ☏ +1 510 444-7658, fax: +1 510 444-5274, jonggahouse@gmail.com. Mon-Sat 11AM-11PM, Sun noon-11PM. A large menu of Korean delights and excellent service, good if you want noodles or marinated meat or want to do all you can eat. Online reservations. Local parking problematic. Cheaper lunch specials. $15-30. (updated Sep 2024)

Chinatown

Budget

4 Golden Lotus Vegan Restaurant, 1301 Franklin St (corner of 13th St. and Franklin St.), ☏ +1 510 893-0383, Goldenlotusvegan@gmail.com. Tue-Sun 11AM-8PM. A Vietnamese restaurant that does its best to serve 100% vegan and organically-grown dishes on a budget. Online ordering. Under $20. (updated Sep 2024)

5 New Gold Medal, 389 8th St (between Webster St & Franklin St), ☏ +1 510 465-1940. Daily 10AM-3AM. Decent to great Cantonese food with fast service, open late. A reasonable option after a late show or club night if you're already downtown. If you like duck, make sure to get some roast duck, and their BBQ pork is equally good. Excellent lobster, too. Seasonal pricing - check menu. (updated Sep 2024)

Pubs

1 Ben and Nick's Bar & Grill, 5612 College Ave (between Keith Ave & Ocean View Dr), ☏ +1 510 923-0327. Mon-Wed 11AM-10PM, Thu-Fri 11AM-midnight, Sat 10AM-midnight, Sun 10AM-10PM. Often-visited for their considerable beer list and well-stocked menu. $15-30. (updated Feb 2022)

2 Cato's Ale House, 3891 Piedmont Ave (near Montel St), ☏ +1 510 655-3349. Bar: Sun-Thu 11:30AM-9PM, Fri Sat 11:30AM-10PM; kitchen: Sun-Thu 11:30AM-11PM, Fri Sat 11:30AM-midnight. A local pub that would look at home in nearly any century, with a long list of both local brews and quality imports. Regular live music events. Online ordering for food pickup. $10-30. (updated Mar 2022)

3 The District, 827 Washington St (between 8th Street and 9th Street), ☏ +1 510 272-9110, info@districtoak.com. Mon-Fri 4PM-close, Sat 5PM-close; brunch: Sun 11AM-2:30PM. A friendly pub that serves brunch and dinner, in addition to cheese, wine and whiskey. $20-40. (updated Mar 2022)

4 McNally's Irish Pub, 5352 College Ave (between Bryant Ave & Manila Ave), ☏ +1 510 655-3929. Sun-Tue 2PM-2AM, Wed-Sat noon-2AM. A standard Irish Pub in Rockridge. Under $15. (updated Mar 2022)

Bars and nightclubs

Popular nightlife districts include Temescal/Telegraph (Telegraph Avenue between 40th St and 51st St) and Piedmont Avenue (north of MacArthur Blvd).

5 The Alley, 3325 Grand Ave (between Lake Park Ave & Santa Clara Ave), ☏ +1 510 444-8505. Daily 6PM-2AM (Check website for specific services). Sing along with pianist Rod Dibble as he plays the oldies. One of the last piano bars in town. Also has decent steaks. (updated Mar 2022)

6 Bar Three Fifty-Five, 355 19th St (between Franklin and Webster), ☏ +1 510 451-3355. Mon-Sat 4PM-2AM, Sun 8PM-2AM. Prohibition-era atmosphere bar with early-20s clientele, reasonable prices. (updated Jun 2022)

7 Cafe Van Kleef, 1621 Telegraph Ave (between 16th and 17th), ☏ +1 510 763-7711, cafevankleefinfo@gmail.com. Mon 4PM-2AM, Tue-Fri noon-2AM, Sat Sun 6PM-2AM. Artsy bar with live music. Greyhounds are the house drink--their margaritas are good too. Vodka Greyhounds are the default; if you want gin, you must specify. (updated Jun 2022)

Oakland is a good-sized city, with attractions more than a fair distance from the center of town. Car rentals tend to be more expensive than other locations in the country, and streets are frequently lined with meters, unless they're in completely residential zones. Some of the larger attractions have their own parking of course, and some of the more visitor-friendly neighborhoods have sizable parking lots - some paid and some not. Most residential areas allow parking for only a limited time for non-residents, so the wise traveler is best-advised to use public transit of some kind.

Transit payment

All transit agencies allow for payment by credit or debit card or by the local Clipper transit card. See Bay Area public transit for more details.

By bicycle

Oakland has a wide and increasing infrastructure of bicycle lanes. If you need a bike, rental shops are close to nonexistent (but try Sports Basement in Berkeley). Oakland enjoys a pumping bike culture, with lots of bike parking, and especially at some "parklets" at many of the city's coffee shops. If you like mixing bikes with your nightlife, you can join the 300+ people that cycle together monthly at East Bay Bike Party.

Bike sharing

Most of the bike sharing in Oakland is through Bay Wheels and their docking stations. Lime is known for its trademark lime green rental scooters. Both tend to be quite pricey.

By bus

6 AC Transit, 1600 Franklin St, ☏ +1 510 891-4777. Mon-Fri 7AM-7PM, Sat Sun 9AM-5PM. Bus service to most parts of Oakland and its neighboring cities and towns for $2.50 cash or $2.25 with Clipper (one-way, $.25 for single-use transfer), transbay service to San Francisco is $6 (one-way, single-use transfer for AC Transit only is free). A Local Day Pass, allowing unlimited transfers at no additional cost is $5, and lasts until 3 AM the following day. Service for most routes ends at or around midnight. There are several all-night routes, designated by "8xx" numbers, such as the 800, which runs from Richmond BART/Amtrak, through El Cerrito, Albany, Berkeley and Oakland to and from San Francisco. (From Bay Area phones, dial 511, then say "AC Transit" for the AC Transit menu, then say, "Customer Relations".). (updated Nov 2023)

Crime

Oakland has some problems with both property and violent crime. Smash-and-grab attacks on parked cars are common, so do not leave anything visible in your car, not even cell phone mounts or bags that might look like they could contain valuables. Lock your bicycle with a U-lock or a chain, not a flexible cable lock, and make sure you secure the front wheel.

The parts of the city with the most serious crime problems are unlikely to be interesting to tourists, but be careful when you venture into areas where there are not many people on the streets, keep your wits about yourself, and be aware of where you are at all times. The hills of Oakland are safe when it comes to violent crime but there is still property crime there. Think twice about going to West Oakland (south of 580 and west of 980) or East Oakland (southeast of Lake Merritt), especially at night.

Traffic

The number of reckless drivers in Oakland seems to be higher than in the average US city. As a pedestrian, pay attention when crossing the street, even if you have the right of way; as a driver, drive defensively; and as a cyclist, stay alert and don't rely on cars to accommodate you. International Boulevard in particular is notorious for traffic fatalities and speeding.

The quality of Oakland's roads is relatively poor. Residents complain bitterly about persistent potholes, and if you're driving or biking, you should take that as a warning.