It’s difficult to run out of things to do in Oakland, CA. Arguably the most vibrant city in the Bay Area, Oakland is rich in culture and diverse attractions. It’s a city with plenty of activities that all members of the family can enjoy. What’s more, the city’s mild Mediterranean-type weather makes it easy to take advantage of all the city has to offer.
So if you’re stopping by Oak Town, whether as a tourist or a potential new resident, make some time for some of these must-do activities.
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Nightlife in Oakland
For night owls and those who come alive when the sun starts to set, Oakland has plenty of haunts and watering holes. Don’t know where to start? Below are a few recommendations.
- Explore one of Oakland’s oldest bars
- Get your jazz on at Yoshi’s
- Visit a local beer garden
- Dress up and bask in a mid-century modern bar and restaurant
One of the many favorite spots in Jack London Square, Heinold’s First & Last Chance Saloon has occupied a special place in the hearts of locals and visitors alike since 1884. The Saloon’s vintage interior and diverse memorabilia will take you back in time to America’s not-so-distant past — the Prohibition era, the two world wars, Vietnam, and other pivotal events in history are all on display.
Enjoy draft beer, cider, and a limited selection of wines indoors or outside by the patio. Dogs and pets are welcome in the outdoor seating area.
Not all establishments can rightfully claim they offer some of the best sushi and live music in Oakland. Yet, that’s exactly what Yoshi’s does. Located along Embarcadero West, this prominent hangout initially began as a restaurant in the 90s. After moving to a much bigger space, owner Yoshie Akiba transformed it into a jazz club that serves authentic Japanese food.
Some of the menu favorites include kobe beef carpaccio, lightly battered and deep fried tempura, cedar plank grilled salmon, and spicy miso chicken. Several famous acts have performed at Yoshi’s, including Kenny Washington, Joshua Redman, and Spyro Gyra.
Beer connoisseurs (and quite possibly garden lovers as well) will love the variety of brews to be had at Drake’s Dealerships. With over 30 beers on tap, this open-air brewery and full-service restaurant has been serving customers since 1989. Some of the food on offer include wood-fired pizza, fish and chips, and poutine.
Drake’s is located in a well-known brick building in Oakland’s historic Broadway Auto Row. With a charming open space, coupled with fire pits and comfortable adirondack seats, it’s a perfect setting to enjoy a glass of beer, good food, and great conversation.
Bardo Lounge & Supper Club is an upscale establishment known for its old school and elegant approach to dinner parties and get-togethers. Here you’ll enjoy classic cocktails and savory food while soaking in the distinct ambiance of mid-century America.
Each dish is cooked to perfection, from the lamb & pork meatballs (served with baguette and grilled summer vegetables) to the chicken and grits (crispy skin chicken breast with Anson Mills grits, among others). Food is served family style, but you do have the option to request otherwise if you and your companions prefer.
Food Paradise
Oakland’s food scene is replete with top local restaurants. Although they can’t all fit in this one blog post, consider trying out our suggestions below if you’re looking for a bite to eat in town.
- Wahpepah’s Kitchen
- Horn Barbecue
- Lucky Three Seven
- CocoBreeze Caribbean Restaurant and Bakery
- Taqueria El Paisa
- Swan’s Market
While we rightly laud great cuisine from around the world, we often overlook what’s great right here at home. Wahpepah, an indigenous chef is on a quest to change that. With the opening of Wehpapah’s Kitchen, Wehpapah is bringing Native American cuisine to a wider audience. The demand is there, with Wehpapah having catered for over 10 years before deciding to open up her own restaurant. The food is at once familiar but startlingly new, it’s beautifully prepared and cooked, but most important of all, it’s delicious.
There’s really no substitute for perfectly cooked backyard BBQ. Drawing from its roots in Texas and the Black South, Horn Barbecue replicates that timeless BBQ magic day in and day out. From half-pound briskets and pulled pork sandwiches to fresh servings of collard greens, coleslaw and more, each dish is just delicious. Make sure to come early though as the lines usually get long!
If you enjoy Filipino cuisine or are looking to try it out for the first time , you’ll love this Cafeteria-style restaurant in Oakland’s Fruitvale neighborhood. Lucky Three Seven serves up generous portions of quintessential Filipino dishes like sinigang, fresh lumpia rolls, as well as chicken and pork adobo. Despite the passing of co-owner Jun Anabo, this popular local resto is still going strong, spurred on by its avid fans and highly involved community members.
East Bay foodies love this local restaurant for the classic Caribbean favorites: curry goat roti, oxtail, Jamaican patties and more. CocoBreeze takes pride in using only fresh and healthy ingredients for all of its dishes. In addition, there are also options for vegan customers looking for an authentic way to enjoy Caribbean cuisine without meat.
In a bit of rush? Grab some top-tier burritos, quesadillas, and avocado salsas from this no-frills Mexican restaurant. Don’t be fooled by the plain facade. Inside, you’ll be treated to authentic Mexican cooking and culture for a great price, with great customer service to match. You can choose to dine-in or have your food delivered. We’d suggest going out and making a trip here part of your day.
A collection of restaurants and services, Swan’s Market, a building over a hundred years old, gives you an easy and relaxed venue for great food. Treat yourself to some oysters at The Cook and Her Farmer, they’re always fresh with the establishment working with local organic farmers. Before you head home, make your way to Cupcakin’ Bake Shop and bring back some of their delectable cakes for the kids. If you don’t have any children, don’t feel guilty about getting them anyway.
For a great morning or afternoon out, visit Swan’s Market every Friday from 8 am to 2 pm and enjoy the Farmers Market.
Cultural Attractions and Events
Oakland is the place to be if you’re in search of a city that’s brimming with new ideas and frequent cultural exchanges. There’s never a dull moment in town when there’s a plethora of cultural attractions and events that are definitely worth your time. These are some we highly recommend:
- Watch movies in style at Grand Lake Theater
- Book tickets to the Paramount Theatre of the Arts
- Express yourself at the Oakland Pride Festival
- Experience the Día de los Muertos Festival (Day of the Dead)
- Go architectural sight-seeing along the streets of Cordova and Castello
- Explore the historic Dunsmuir-Hellman Estate
- See captivating musicals and plays in Woodminster Amphitheater
In the early days of cinema, going to a movie theater was much more of an event than it is today. The venue itself should match the sense of occasion and movie houses were as much a joy to visit for their style as watching the movie itself. The Grand Lake Theater, built in the early 20th century was restored to its former glory in the 80s. Although now fully digital, it can still present classic movies from a reel, on special showings.
Rekindle those golden years and experience a movie theater the way that it would have been a hundred years ago. It’s a very pleasant surprise to find that, instead of being quaint, it’s a rich and thrilling experience.
Showcasing the finest of Art Deco design, Paramount Theatre of the Arts is the premier venue for all things performative arts. A wide array of shows are scheduled all year round; be it orchestras, non-traditional and indigenous music, ballet, comedy shows, as well as showings of classic movies.
In 1931, this iconic theater opened its doors to the public with the film The False Madonna. Several cast members of the old Hollywood classic attended the gala premiere, including Kay Francis Conway Tearle, and William Boyd (also known as Hopalong Cassidy).
Running strong for over a decade now, the Oakland Pride Festival highlights the energy and initiative of the fantastic LGTBQ+ community. Organized by Oakland Pride, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, this annual pride festival is an expression of the hopes and dreams of the people who have long played an essential role in developing Oakland’s unique character.
From 1997 to 2004, East Bay Pride was celebrated throughout the city. Pride would not be celebrated again for a few years until a renewed fervor in 2008 jolted the community back into action.
Far from being a somber event, Day of the Dead is a celebration and honoring of loved ones who have passed on. In Fruitvale, this annual tradition from October 31 to November 2 has been attended by tens of thousands of residents and visitors for over 25 years.
It’s not just one thing that draws people in. There’s live music, indigenous dance showcases, family-friendly games, local artisan craft stands, and amazing food.
According to the 3,000+ year old tradition, the entrance to heaven opens at midnight on October 31 to allow spirits to be with their living families once again for one day.
People with an interest in architecture and design will enjoy passing by Cordova and Castello Streets in Fruitvale to admire the area’s Spanish architecture. Those rounded arches and red-tile adobe roofs are hard to miss. Designed by J.C. Scammell, many of these beautiful homes were built in the 1930s. If you’re in the market to own a new home in this part of Oakland, get solid real estate advice from a local agent specializing in the Bay Area.
Another attraction for those with an eye for architecture and design is the Dunsmuir-Hellman Estate — often called the Dunsmuir House. Within this 50-acre estate is a Neoclassical Revival mansion built in 1899, featuring an astounding 37 rooms.
Since its designation as a National Historic Site, the nonprofit organization overseeing the home (in collaboration with the City of Oakland) rents out portions of the estate for weddings, corporate gatherings, auctions, and other events.
What sets this amphitheater apart from the rest is that it’s surrounded by the awe-inspiring redwoods of Joaquin Miller Park. Since the late 1960s, the Woodminster Amphitheater has delighted audiences with productions set in the atmospheric natural surroundings, open to the starry night sky. Famous productions include Les Misérables, Chicago, Mary Poppins, Mamma Mia!, and Peter Pan — among plenty of other shows throughout the theater’s 50+ years.
Family-friendly Fun
If you’re looking for more things to do in Oakland with the family, you won’t go wrong with any of these exhilarating activities and eye-catching attractions.
- Go cruising on the USS Potomac
- Admire the various animal species at the Oakland Zoo
- Joaquin Miller Park
- Hike or spend the night in Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park
- Admire unique plants in the Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve
Also known as The Floating White House, the USS Potomac Cruise is a popular tourist attraction in Oakland. It’s one of the best ways to see the wonderful sights in and around San Francisco Bay.
Designated as a historical landmark, the restored vessel is a US Coast Guard Cutter Electra which was officially commissioned in 1934. It served as Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidential yacht from 1936-1945. Ship capacity can stretch to a maximum of 120 passengers, but the ship often sails with just 80-90 people onboard, so it rarely feels crowded.
Home to over 850 native and exotic species (mammals, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and arthropods), Oakland Zoo is a must-visit for conservationists and animal lovers in general. The Zoo’s location in the 525-acre Knowland Park in the Oakland Hills allows visitors to fully immerse themselves in wildlife observation.
A scenic gondola ride will bring you to one of the highest points along the California Trail, where you can see striking views of the Bay Area. There are also various exhibits in the education center and kid-friendly rides in the butterfly garden.
Joaquin Miller Park is an integral part of life for those who live in the area. It serves by providing a place to get away from the rush of the city. This is not to say it’s just a place to rest, which of course, you can do. It’s also where joggers find the best areas to jog, families have picnics and barbecues here, children run riot with the only danger being them colliding with each other. Beautiful and spacious, this park is used and loved by the people of Oakland.
While many gravitate towards the seaside areas of Oakland, the forested and hilly terrain to the east shouldn’t be overlooked. Dr. Aurelia Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park is where you can enjoy several outdoor activities like hiking, camping, and horseback riding. This sprawling 1,833-acre park is kid-friendly, making it a great place to help your kids explore and develop an interest for the natural world.
The Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve in the East Bay holds types of flora only found in this area. These include the Goldback Fern, Western Sword Fern, and California Polypody. Bikes, horses, and pets are not permitted in the 241-acre preserve due to the delicate and fragile nature of the protected plants. Jogging is also not allowed, but you can take a self-guided walking tour along a 1.7-mile loop.
Esoteric Experiences
When it comes to more unconventional things to do in Oakland, CA, there are a couple of places that you might want to add to your list.
- Check out the Bay Area Thelemic Temple
- See the Mazzariello Labyrinth
Although the so-called Ordo Templi Orientis (translates to “Order of the Temple of the East”) is highly secretive, the keepers of the Bay Area Thelemic Temple are quite welcoming to visitors and onlookers who are curious enough to take a peek inside. You’ll find its location in plain sight along 77 8th Street. Those interested or doing research in astrology and tarot reading may find this visit instructive.
The Mazzariello Labyrinth is an outcropping of volcanic rocks that are positioned in spiral fashion. Located in the Sibley Volcanic Regional Reserve, between Oakland and Orinda, this unusual attraction was illegally added to the public landscape by Helena Mazzariello, an artist, psychic, and shamanic practitioner.
Though she didn’t secure permission from the authorities, the East Bay Regional Park District kept this odd attraction intact. Mazzariello believes there’s a special energy permeating the area, which is close to the caldera of a long-extinct volcano from about 10 million years ago.
Get to know Oakland better with JC & Heather Gonzalez
Want to know what other things there are to do in Oakland? Or perhaps you’re looking for a guide to help you navigate the Bay Area real estate market? Feel free to get in touch with JC & Heather Gonzalez.
We are passionate and client-driven real estate agents who love helping newcomers and returnees get settled in the wonderful communities in and around San Francisco. Our 18-year track record showcases our commitment to honesty, attention to detail, and long-lasting relationships.
Working with this dynamic husband and wife team gives you the best support through every step of your real estate journey. You can call either JC or Heather or alternatively send an email to get started.