Spotlight: Oakland

Jack London Square, an inviting mixed-use waterfront area perched on the edge of San Francisco Bay in Oakland, offers outdoor fun with indoor diversions. Shopping and dining amidst the bobbing boats in the marina, taking advantage of some of the water activities that are offered, or just relaxing in the wide-open palm-studded plazas are excellent ways to while away the day.

When the sun’s up and shining, paddle a kayak around the adjacent Oakland Estuary, especially lively during the fall bird migration. You’ll also get great views of the oddly creature-like dock cranes used to load cargo ships. Urban legend says the cranes inspired local filmmaker George Lucas to create the ominous AT-AT Walkers in Star Wars; true or not, the cranes do resemble the movie’s creepy four-legged tanks.

Post paddle, stroll the square—their website has a good map—to visit shops, or tour two historic vessels: the Lightship Relief, a floating lighthouse which aided navigation along various U.S. coastlines from 1951 to 1974, and the USS Potomac, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s historic yacht (ask about bay cruises). Dine at inviting options like Baia for organic pasta, or have crab cake benedict for brunch at Oakland Grill. Overlooking the waterfront in the square is also Plank, a restaurant and sprawling beer garden where you can bowl and play bocce; Yoshi’s, a music venue and Japanese restaurant that has been a mainstay in the area almost half a century, continues to host top jazz acts and artists of other genres. A weekly Sunday farmers market and the Regal Cinemas Jack London Stadium 9 movie theater add to Jack London Square’s neighborhood-y appeal.

The square is named after the intrepid adventurer and author of Call of the Wild and The Sea Wolf, a book allegedly inspired by tall tales told by the crusty folk who frequented the legendary—and still open—Heinhold’s First and Last Chance Saloon. Near the sloped entrance to the historic watering hole, the wall hands on the wall clock haven’t budged since April 18, 1906—the moment a massive quake struck the Bay Area, and jolted the building so much the timepiece stopped ticking. Time may have stopped, but not service, and stepping down into this little wooden shack is about as about as close to jumping into a time warp as you can get: 19th-century gas lamps glow each evening, throwing a flickering light onto World War II photographs and memorabilia, and a small photo of a young London sitting at one of the saloon’s tables adorns a wall. Settle in and talk to your elbow-mate at the bar; you never know what tall tales you might hear.

Insider tips: Before heading to JLS, check out their calendar of events to see what’s coming up. If coming from San Francisco, it’s an option to take the San Francisco Bay Ferry straight to Jack London Square Terminal.

With vibrant galleries, hands-on activities, education programs, and community events that celebrate and illuminate California—past, present, and even future—this museum is an exciting cultural hub near Oakland’s Lake Merritt. Established in 1969 as a “museum for the people,” OMCA brings together collections of art, history, and natural science, all wrapped with beautiful terraced gardens.

Time your visit for a Friday and your experience gets even better. Friday Nights @ OMCA are family-friendly outdoor parties, with live music, spontaneous dancing, gourmet food trucks, and local craft beer and wine at the Blue Oak beer garden. Get creative at drop-in art workshops and learn from locals in the Makers & Tasters Series. 

The artistic spirit thrives in Oakland. One of the best—and most unique—ways to experience the city’s artsy side is to take part in the monthly Oakland Art Murmur event called First Friday. On the first Friday of each month, member galleries on Telegraph Avenue between Grand Avenue and 27th Street put on one heck of a street party. Pop-up and permanent galleries in industrial workshops let you browse and buy extraordinary art—and chat with the artists. Food trucks selling almost any kind of fare, super-excited little ones dancing to DJ music, beer gardens, street performers—First Fridays are a kaleidoscope of colors, cultures, and lifestyles.

For a calmer way to tap into the art scene, join a weekly Saturday Stroll, with galleries and mixed-use venues welcoming visitors from 1 pm to 5 pm. Many galleries also host free cultural programs such as receptions, artist talks, lectures, musical performances, and literary readings. Oakland Art Murmur also offers monthly, guided walking tours (third Saturday of each month), when a gallery director or other prominent member of the Oakland art community takes visitors to 3-5 galleries for presentations from curators or artists. If you really want to get hands on, visit The Crucible. Classes and workshops teach ceramics, stone cutting, jewelry making, and a host of other art forms.

In 1883, people in the East Bay got their first chance to see the sky in a whole new way. That’s when this facility, then called the Oakland Observatory, opened its doors, inviting the public to head up through the redwood forests cloaking the Oakland Hills to peer through a powerful telescope pointed at stars, planets, and distant galaxies. Today, Chabot Space & Science Center is the largest public telescope facility in the country, with three powerful telescopes, a digital planetarium, and a large screen theater. It’s not just about looking up here—there’s also hands-on science center (great for kids into science and exploring) with ways to learn about cutting-edge discoveries, including solar-powered cars and what it’s like to be on a mission to Mars.  

When it comes to cities, adding water can be a good thing—a visual break from the urban glass, steel, and stone. So it goes with this sparkling jewel. Fed by the adjacent Oakland Estuary, saltwater Lake Merritt is a popular spot, and the 3.5-mile/5.6-km path that circles the lake is always filled with locals jogging before work, stretching their legs at lunchtime, or watching the lakes “necklace of lights”—more than 4,000 lightbulbs on 126 lampposts—blink on at the end of the day.

Lake Merritt also holds the distinction of being designated, in 1870, as America’s very first National Wildlife Refuge, and it still provides important habitat, particularly for migratory birds in fall. Rent a canoe, kayak, or pedal boat at the Lake Merritt Boating Center, in the historic Lake Merritt Sail Boat House, and keep your own bird count—or check out what you think you saw at the lake’s Rotary Nature Center. Other diversions include the 1876 Camron-Stanford House, a stunning example of the regal Victorian homes that once lined the lake, and the bonsai collection at Lakeside Park Garden Center. After all that fresh air, head indoors for a first-run movie at the lavish 1926 Grand Lake Theater (Friday and Saturday shows in the main auditorium include a concert on the theater’s Wurlitzer organ).