The eastern section of San Francisco Bay is known as the East Bay and includes the vibrant cities of Oakland, Berkeley, Concord, Fremont, and Hayward. Oakland is the Bay Area’s third-largest city, with a vibrant arts scene, an exciting downtown neighborhood with a mix of live music, pubs, shops, and bookstores. The marinas at Jack London Square are the perfect location for an afternoon stroll. The square features a farmer’s market, kayaks to paddle around the harbor, a variety of restaurants, bars, and a replica of Jack London’s Yukon cabin.
Museums
The Oakland Museum of California features rotating exhibits on California’s arts and sciences. Permanent exhibits are focused on the diverse history and ecology of California. Friday evenings are a perfect family night out at the museum with food trucks, DJs, and arts workshops for kids. Stargazers of all ages love the family-oriented Chabot Space & Science Center in Oakland. The fascinating museum features exhibits on travel into space and demonstrations, hands-on activities, night hikes, and movies. On clear Friday and Saturday nights, take advantage of the free viewings with a powerful refractor telescope.
For the Kids
There are a wide variety of family friendly activities in the city. Kids of all ages are fascinated by Children’s Fairyland, a 10-acre kids’ attraction constructed in the 1950s. The themed attractions feature the Brothers Grimm, Aesop, an Alice in Wonderland labyrinth, and Peter Rabbit Gardens. The charming children’s park is located on Lake Merritt. Another attraction that reflects bygone days is the Pacific Pinball Museum, with more than 90 pinball machines dating back as far as the 1930s, and vintage-style jukeboxes that play all your favorite oldies. For the video game enthusiasts, there’s the Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment with video game consoles including Ataris and Playstations, dating back to version 4.
The Lindsey Wildlife Experience in East Bay’s Walnut Creek features opportunities to interact with amazing wildlife ambassadors. The Zoology Museum offers opportunities to learn about the animals that inhabit California. The museum offers private animal experiences, rentals for special occasions, and opportunities for visitors to “adopt” an animal, which provides funding for care and feeding. The facility features a wildlife hospital to nurse wild animals back to health. Another family attraction is Boomers Livermore with arcade games for all ages, bumper boats, laser tag, go-karts, and mini golf.
Night Life
The East Bay has a variety of dance clubs and bars with signature cocktails. &th West is an event space, a mixed-genre floor for dancing, a revolving art gallery, and a stage for up-and-coming musicians. The Birdland Jazzista Social Club features salsa, jazz, blues, and everything in between. Whatever you’re planning, Oakland and the East Bay are an exciting choice for singles, couples, and families.
Getting Around
Renting a car is always an option when exploring a new city. But with many options for public transportation, biking, and rideshares, it may be easier to leave the driving to someone else. Depending on where you stay, many areas of Oakland are very walkable. In fact, it is considered one of the most walkable cities in California. Even with its walkability score, there were 52 reported pedestrian accidents in the city in 2022. So if you choose to explore on foot, always take caution.