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Photo: Wordworking, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Mixed seasonal hours, almost always open on weekends. Amazing, dynamic playground and destination for children, right on Lake Merritt. Fairyland was one of the earliest themed amusement parks, and was an inspiration for everything from Disneyland to the Jejune Institute. Please note that only adults with children can enter. Make sure you get a Magic Key to activate audio stories on the various displays.
Children's Fairyland, U.S.A. is an amusement park, located in Oakland, California, on the shores of Lake Merritt. It was one of the earliest "themed" amusement parks in the United States. Fairyland includes 10 acres (4.0 ha) of play sets, small rides, and animals. The park is also home to the Open Storybook Puppet Theater, the oldest continuously operating puppet theater in the United States.
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Locally famous for its boldly yonic design.
A large tidal lagoon that is surrounded by parkland and city neighborhoods. A popular 3.1-mile (5-km) walking and jogging path runs along its perimeter and gives you a warts-and-all picture of Oakland: nature, art, culture, and diversity; gleaming skyscrapers and historic rowhouses; but also occasional run-down sections and visible homeless encampments. The lake was the United States' first official wildlife refuge, designated in 1870. In the winter it's a good place for birdwatching, as birds migrating south from Canada and Alaska use it as a rest stop or a winter home. Look for grebes, pelicans, cormorants, hawks, and various types of ducks.
An improv theater that offers acting classes as well as live comedy performances.
This gorgeous Depression-era theater, completed in 1931, has been completely restored and is maintained in almost mint condition. It's worth just looking at the sculpture, the paintings, even the carpets. Shows include classic movies, concerts, and other live performances.
A former movie theatre, the Fox was built in 1928. It closed its doors in 1970 and stood empty until 2009, when it reopened as a 1,500-2,800 seat music venue, following a two-year, $75-million renovation. One block from the 19th St BART stop, it is in the heart of Oakland's Uptown neighborhood, which is also being re-named the Arts and Entertainment district.
A second-run movie theater, the Parkway does not have screens in the traditional sense. Movies are projected at the flat white concrete walls, with large comfy couches to sit on. Best of all, they serve pizza, salads, and beer that you can eat and drink while you watch a movie.