There’s truly no place like Oakland, California.
San Francisco’s got nothing on this mighty little city across the Bay, which was the founding place of the Black Panther Party, the former home of Tupac Shakur and the beating heart of many social movements and activism which continue on to this day. Oakland’s got soul like no other city in the U.S. because of its active community which has always honored the city’s wide-ranging diversity.
Community is woven into the many activities that Oakland has to offer. Community is what you feel when you go to the city’s numerous local events, spaces and venues. So, it’s time to hop on the Bart and cross the Bay Bridge over to Oakland, where you can experience the most beautiful community in America.
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THINGS TO DO
African American Museum and Library at Oakland
The African American Museum and Library is a must for anyone living in or passing through Oakland. Housed in the gorgeous historic building which was formerly Carnegie Library, the library features an extensive collection of archives documenting important figures and movements throughout African American history. Visitors can learn about the railroads and migrations from Chicago, the Black Panthers and the Civil Rights Movement. The African American Museum and Library at Oakland is without a doubt one of the best places to learn all about the spirit and history of the city and understand its present identity.
Lake Merritt
There’s no overstating how pretty Lake Merritt is. This pretty lagoon located in the center of the city also covers quite a bit of ground, stretching from the edge of Downtown to the foot of Lakeshore. That’s to share, there’s plenty of spots along the lake to jog, bike, picnic and chill. There also a few attractions around the lake itself, including Children’s Fairyland, which is a small amusement park with rides for children, as well as the Bonsai Garden next to it.
Whenever the sun is out, you can bet that everyone will be headed to the lake. Which is why sunny days at Lake Merritt are the best, as there will be lots of people picnicking, selling homemade treats, playing music, dancing and vibing as a community.
New Parkway Theater
The New Parkway Theater is an Oakland institution as well as one of the coolest cinemas you’ll have the pleasure of watching flicks at. The space itself is extremely cool; from the colorful murals and neon signs at the entrance, to the welcoming industrial screening room filled with vintage chairs, bean bags and more murals. Plus, the pub at the theater offers tasty snacks and entrees, with options for vegans, vegetarians and gluten-free patrons, along with a hefty selection of local beers, wines and cider.
What makes the New Parkway Theater so unique is that it prioritizes being a community-serving space that’s accessible to everyone, where people can come together. The theater has awesome initiatives like Karma Cinema on Wednesdays, when patrons can pay whatever they’d like for their tickets. Plus, the theater hosts fun screenings and events like watching adult cartoons with all-you-can-eat cereal and Drink and Draw.
Take a Hike
The East Bay is bursting with gorgeous nature and Oakland has no shortage of awesome hiking trails in the hills for you to explore. Joaquin Miller Park is beloved by locals for its serene patch of sequoia trees, dramatic oaks and sweeping panoramic views of Downtown Oakland. Anthony Chabot Regional Park is a tremendous 3,000+ acre park surrounding Lake Chabot, the former primary water source for the East Bay. With so much nature comes a plethora of activities you can do at Chabot Regional Park including camping, fishing, golfing, biking, horse riding and hiking at up to 17 different trails. Redwood Regional Park is a breathtaking forest of coastal redwood trees. Redwood Regional Park offers you the chance to surround yourself in an otherworldly oasis of majestic redwood trees, which is also inhabited by deer, racoons, rabbits and even golden eagles to add to the magic.
WHERE TO EAT
Temescal
Temescal is no doubt one of the coolest areas in all of Oakland. It’s a trendy little area that’s packed with hip bars, restaurants, antique shops and boutiques. Many of Oakland´s greatest restaurant hits are all located along this one strip of Telegraph Avenue between 40th and 51st Street.
Such hits include Cholita Linda, a crowd-favorite Mexican restaurant which never seems to go out of style. You absolutely must try their Papito Sandwich with tofu, which slaps and their crispy Baja Fish tacos with crema and all the fixings. Burma Superstar is another one that will always stay popular as one of the few Burmese restaurants that’s cool and trendy without losing cultural authenticity. Everyone’s favorite natural wine bar and fermentation-forward eatery, Daytrip, also happens to be located in Temescal. Pop in for some funky experimental bites and delicious natural wines in a chill trippy ambience. There are also tons of yummy Korean restaurants nearby, as this part of Telegraph also stands in as Oakland’s unofficial Koreatown.
Whenever you’re unsure of what to eat, just take a stroll down the hip streets of Temescal, where you’ll be met with nothing but seriously good dining options and some difficult choices to make among them!
Oakland Chinatown
Oakland’s Chinatown isn’t the sprawling outdoor tourist bazaar which its counterpart in San Francisco is. Oakland Chinatown is a calm stretch of a few blocks from 6th to 12th street, where you can tell the community elders who are walking around have been doing so forever.
As expected, there’s tons of noms to be had in the area. Peony is the go-to spot dim sum spot for Oakland locals, located on the 2nd floor of Pacific Renaissance Plaza. It’s a dependable dim sum joint with banquet tables that brings out baskets of dim sum in carts. Whenever you feel like noshing on greasy Chinese food to go, Tao Yuen Pastry not only has pork buns and Chinese pastries, but they also have a full spread of hot dishes like chow mein, garlic eggplant, fried chicken and dumplings that you can order over the counter. Vien Huong is the hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese noodle shop that you can always count on for bomb soup noods, dry noods and stir-friend noods all day every day.
Be sure to walk around Oakland Chinatown to eat, hang out and even walk to Lake Merritt, as it’s the chillest, yummiest way to spend an afternoon.
Palmetto
If there were a popular pretty girl in the Oakland restaurant scene, Palmetto would be the current Queen B. With an unbeatable location across from the Fox Theater and the most adorable tropical pink interior to boot, Palmetto is perfect for date night, girls’ night, family night and everything in between.
The eclectic menu reflects Oakland’s effortless melding of flavors and cultures, with bold colors, flavors and textures. Think escargot with cheesy avocado crema and miso refried pinto beans. Plus, the cocktails are also to die for with an excellent lineup of enticing signature drinks and classy classics. Whenever you want a snazzy but fun restaurant that can also impress, you can never go wrong with Palmetto!
WHERE TO DRINK
Feelmore Social
Feelmore Adult is the most fabulous feminist sex shop in Downtown Oakland which offers sex-positive guidance, toys and resources for people of all genders looking to spice up their sex life. Which is why we were obviously living when the sex shop opened its own bar, Feelmore Social, across the street on Broadway.
Feelmore Social is a perfect bar. The entire space is effortlessly sexy and vibey. The dim, intimate bar is decorated in tones of blue velvet with sensual floral notes emanating from Feelmore’s homemade candles. Not only did they nail the ambience, but the drink menu is also perfect, particularly for seasoned cocktail drinkers. Each cocktail on the menu is unbelievably simple and stripped down, mixing only a few elements that perfectly balance and meld together. Our favorite is the Power Bottom (smade with vodka and just the slightest sweet hint of citrus) Whenever you wish to go to a sexy, intimate and vibey bar, look no further than Feelmore Social and we promise it won’t lead you astray!
