Oakland's downtown and waterfront are popular with out-of-town visitors, but
many of the city's commercial and residential neighborhoods offer terrific treats
for tourists.
Located between Broadway and Clay, from Seventh to 10th Streets, historic Old
Oakland is lined with elegantly restored Victorian buildings dating back
to the 1870s that now house shops, galleries, and restaurants. Fridays it hosts
a Friday farmer's market.
It's referred to as Chinatown, but the 25-block commercial and cultural
district is a much broader reflection of Oakland's diverse Asian community.
Specialty shops, restaurants, markets, bakeries and attractions, are year-round
favorites, and the Chinatown Streetfest attracts 100,000 visitors annually.
The Oakland Asian Cultural Center is one of the largest pan-Asian cultural centers
in the country.
Jack London Square offers world-class jazz, dining, lodging and shopping
along the water's edge. The U.S.S. Potomac, FDR's Floating White House, is docked
here, and locals and non-locals love raising a glass at Heinhold's First and
Last Chance Saloon.
Join the local joggers for the best view of Lake Merritt, one of America's
most beautiful urban saltwater lakes and its oldest national wildlife refuge.
The streets in the Lakeshore/Grand Avenue area nearby are lined with shops and
restaurants. Built in 1926, the Grand Lake Theater screens the latest movie
releases and even features music played on a vintage Wurlitzer on Friday and
Saturday evenings.
In north Oakland, Piedmont Avenue is lined with an eclectic blend of
antique and vintage shops, boutiques, jewelry stores, bookstores and a popular
local cinema. Outdoor cafes and coffee houses invite casual snacking, while
restaurants offer eclectic cuisine. At the top of Piedmont Avenue is Julia Morgan's
magnificent Chapel of the Chimes.
Rockridge combines big city sophistication with relaxed urban/suburban
environment. Extending more than two miles from Oakland to Berkeley, College
Avenue is a smorgasbord of specialty shops, restaurants, bars, gourmet foods,
chic clothing, rare books, and antiques. Market Hall houses a bakery as well
as produce, fish, flower, and wine markets.
Montclair Village lies at the base of the East Bay hills, making it
a great stop before or after a trip to Chabot Space & Science Center or
one of the nearby East Bay parks. The area features restaurants, cafes and coffee
houses, many with outdoor seating, and great shopping.
The Fruitvale District has emerged as a thriving multicultural commercial
area with a strong Latino identity recognized throughout the Bay Area. Cultural
events such as the annual Dia de los Muertos festival attract tens of thousands
of people. The new Fruitvale Village has added housing, retail and office space
surrounding a pedestrian plaza at the Fruitvale BART Station.
