Oakland is a city in the Bay Area of California in the United States of America. While it neither has the concentration of tourist amenities present in its glamorous neighbor San Francisco nor the suburban safety of sprawling San Jose to the south, the visitor can easily spend a few pleasant days here. The often negative opinions of those who have neither lived in nor even visited Oakland should not deter you from exploring what is the Bay Area's and probably America's most diverse city and undervalued cultural center. If nothing else, you can simply enjoy what Rand McNally rated as the best weather in the country.

Attractions

 • City of Oakland Walking Tours, (510) 238-3234 - 90-minute tours of downtown Oakland (including Chinatown) offered Wednesdays & Saturdays, May through October. Reservations are recommended but not required. Free.
 • African American Museum & Library at Oakland, (at 14th Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Way) - Check the AAMLO web site for information on special exhibits, programs and events, such as an African American walking tour of downtown Oakland.
 • Jack London Square, (west end of Broadway) - Open 24 hours. Oakland's principal tourist destination, Jack London Square has seen serious renovation over the years. Named after writer Jack London, the city's favorite son, the area was the original wharf district of Oakland and retains some of its maritime feel. The main attractions today are shopping and restaurants, though, and you may find yourself wondering how exactly JLS differs from a large waterfront mall.
 • Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak Street (at 10th; Lake Merritt BART station), (510) 238-2200 - W-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 12PM-5PM. A startlingly good museum dedicated to the art, history, and culture of California. The building itself is an admirable piece of architecture, and the exhibits are almost uniformly excellent and engaging. Well worth a visit. $8 ($5 for seniors and students; free second Su each month).
 • Joaquin Miller Park, Joaquin Miller Road (entrance about 1 mile from highway 13), (510) 238-3481 - A beautiful park in the Oakland hills, made up in part of "The Heights", the old estate of California poet Joaquin Miller. The park has some of the few remaining old-growth redwood groves in the East Bay. Lots of hiking and bike-riding opportunities. Free.

USS Potomac
 • USS Potomac, Water Street (adjacent to Jack London Square), (510) 627-1215 - Originally built as a Coast Guard Cutter, the Potomac was remodeled as Franklin Delano Roosevelt's presidential yacht in 1936 and served in that role until his death in 1945. In 1941, a fishing trip on the Potomac served as a cover story for Roosevelt's secret meeting with Churchill in Newfoundland waters; this meeting led to the allied partnership during World War II and eventually to the formation of the United Nations. The ship is available for dockside tours We 10:30am-3:30pm, F&Su noon-3:30pm. Historic cruises on the bay are available Apr-Oct Th&Sa; these must be booked with TicketWeb or by calling (866) 468-3399.

Shopping

The Hat Guys, 1764 Broadway, (510) 834-6868 - The type of classic men's hat store you can't find anymore -- except here. First-class service and a contagious passion for hats. The largest inventory of hats on the West Coast -- hats in all sizes and hats for women and children, too.

Dining

Downtown Oakland
Downtown Oakland contains some excellent Asian foods that are as authentic as anything else you'll find in the Bay Area.
 • Shanghai Restaurant, (on Webster between 9th and 10th). Serves Shanghai-style food that rivals the best you'll find in Shanghai. The decor is minimal but the staff is friendly. Xiao Long Bao (Steamed Dumplings) and Si-chuan style shredded pork are two highlights
 • Battambang, (on the corner of Broadway and 9th). Serves Cambodian cooking. The food is excellent but the portions are slightly smaller than might be expected.

Piedmont Avenue
The Piedmont Avenue neighborhood is a foodie's delight. From gourmet Bay Wolf and Jojo to Baja Taqueria great food abounds.
 • Bay Wolf Restaurant, 3853 Piedmont Ave., (510) 655-6004 - A Bay Area tradition for almost thirty years, Bay Wolf offers an elegant and relaxed setting in which to enjoy fine cuisine inspired by the regions of the Mediterranean.
 • Jojo Country French Cooking, 3859 Piedmont Ave., (510) 985-3003 - One of the true jewels of the San Francisco Bay Area's fine dining scene, Jojo Restaurant thrives as an elegant but comfortable home for exquisitely prepared, gourmet country French cuisine.

Old Oakland
 • Par Toutatis, 719 Washington Street. Lunch & dinner; brunch on weekends. A gem of a crepe restaurant -- still largely undiscovered. Exquisite Brittany-style crepes prepared lovingly by owner-proprietor and relished by local Francophiles in-the-know.
 • Le Cheval, 1007 Clay Street, (510) 763-8957. Dinner nightly, lunch on weekdays. Outstanding yet very affordable Vietnamese cuisine (in a Chinese-ified style) makes this currently one of Oakland's trendiest restaurants. VERY attractive hostess. Closes 9:30pm.
 • Cafe 817, 817 Washington Street (in the Ratto's building), (510) 271-7965. Mo-Sa breakfast & lunch. Stylish Italian cafe where patrons line up patiently for cappuccino, chorizo & eggs, polenta, fresh fruit granola, panini sandwiches & salads.
 • New World Vegetarian, 464 8th Street (off Broadway), (510) 444-2891. Lunch & dinner daily. Completely renovated in spring 2003, New World Vegetarian offers an eclectic and broad array of sumptuous and satisfying vegan dishes -- Vietnamese, Thai, Indian, Chinese, American, even Brazilian.
 • TJ's Gingerbread House, 741 5th Street (a few blocks from Old Oakland), (510) 444-7373 - Tu-Sat breakfast, lunch & dinner. TJ's calls itself "a fairytale come true" -- and chef/owner/diva TJ Robinson's Cajun/Creole specialty dishes will not disappoint. If you're headed for TJ's for dinner, call ahead for reservations and order your entree at least a day in advance if you're going to have the cherry duck, sautéed quail, pheasant bon temps, squab cassoulet, rabbit piquante, or Dungeness stuffed crab in seashell. Be sure to try TJ's world-famous sassy cornbread and leave room for dessert!

North Oakland
 • Supreme Vegan, 906 Stanford (at Market), (510) 655-0132. Lunch, weekend brunch & dinner; Cooked and Raw foods, soul food, sandwiches, smoothies, juices (try their own brand of ginger drinks), soups and salads, and lunch and dinner specials. Friendly and relaxed neighborhood hangout serving a variety of innovative foods made to order. Southern-influenced cooking, but there's a variety on order.

Rockridge
 • A Cote, 75478 College Avenue, (510) 655-6469. Lunch & dinner; Charming small portion French meals in great ambiance.

Drink

 • Pacific Coast Brewing Company, 906 Washington St. (at 10th St. in Old Oakland), (510) 836-2739 - A popular brewpub.
 • Radio Bar, (13th Street between Webster and Franklin). A small hipster bar with a cool DJ.
 • Ruby Room, (14th Street Between Madison & Jefferson, across from the Central Library). A larger bar with a similar ambience to the Radio Bar.
 • Lucky Lounge, 3332 Grand Avenue. A more upscale bar with a mixed crowd of people.
 • Pat's, (on Franklin near the corner of 15th street). An ordinary after-work bar with a really cool Blues Open-mic night on Wednesday nights, hosted by the charismatic Bird Leg. If you like live music, this is a highlight of the Bay Area.
 • The Golden Bull, (on 14th Street between Franklin and Broadway). Great bar, laid back, but not too dingy. The bartenders and the owner-operator are always fun and usually remember your drink by the second visit. Great punk shows as well as Hip Hop or R&B DJ's depending on the night.

Lodging

 • Best Western Airport Inn and Suites, 170 Hegenberger Loop, (510) 633-0500, Fax: (510) 633-1040
 • Best Western Inn at the Square, 233 Broadway, (510) 452-4565, Fax: (510) 452-4634
 • Courtyard Oakland Airport, 350 Hegenberger Road, (510) 568-7600, Fax: (510) 568-7695
 • Courtyard Oakland Downtown, 988 Broadway, (510) 625-8282, Fax: (510) 625-8882
 • Fairfield Inn Oakland Airport, 8452 Edes Avenue, (510) 568-1500, Fax: (510) 430-8360
 • Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, 66 Airport Access Road, (510) 569-4400
 • Motel 6 Oakland - Embarcadero, 1801 Embarcadero, (510) 436-0103, Fax: (510) 436-7428
 • Motel 6 Oakland Airport, 8480 Edes Avenue, (510) 638-1180, Fax: (510) 568-7501
 • Oakland Marriott City Center, 1001 Broadway, (510) 451-4000, Fax: (510) 835-3466-

Get out

 • San Francisco. Oakland's neighbor across the Bay.
 • Berkeley. Eclectic, political and always interesting neighbor to the north.