1. Start your day with an epic breakfast at Mama’s Royal Cafe

Source: Flickr user George Kelly

2. Soak up local flavor with a mosey through the Rockridge, Temescal, and Dimond districts

Source: Flickr user Frank Farm

3. Hunt for all the telephone pole gnomes

Source: fairyroom.com

4. Eat a bear claw the size of your face at Colonial Donuts

Source: Flickr user Umamimart

5. Try one of the dozen-plus kinds of mac and cheese at Homeroom

Source: homeroom510.com

6. Hop on the Sky Tram at the Oakland Zoo and soar above the giraffes

7. Pop over to Alameda and play retro arcade games at High Scores

Source: High Scores

8. Tour the historic Dunsmuir House and its gardens

Source: Wikipedia

9. Visit the grave of the Black Dahlia at Mountain View Cemetery

10. Devour the tea leaf salad from Burma Superstar

Source: Flickr user Kennejima

11. Watch a cult classic while sipping a beer at the new Parkway Theater

12. Drink like it’s 1883 at Heinholds’ First and Last Chance Saloon

Source: Wikipedia

13. Hoot and holler at The Uptown’s classy burlesque revues

Source: Wikipedia

14. Canoe or kayak along the Oakland Estuary

Source: Flickr user Daniel Ramirez

15. Consume far too much caffeine during a Blue Bottle factory tour

Source: Flickr user star5112

16. Spend a day as a circus performer at Trapeze Arts

Source: Flickr user Sha Sha Chu

17. Sample any one of the dozens of brews at The Trappist

Source: Flickr user Klara Kim

18. Pedal boat around Lake Merritt, taking in the recently renovated shoreline

Source: Flickr user John Martinez Pavliga

19. Go urban hiking in the city, or take to the hills and discover countless hidden staircases

Source: oaklandurbanpaths.org

20. Hit the ice (but try not to fall) at the Oakland Ice Center

Source: ouroakland.net

21. Admire the skill of the bonsai gardeners at the Lake Merritt Botanical Garden

Source: gsbf-bonsai.org

22. Treat yourself to a spa day at the ultra-ritzy Claremont Hotel

Source: claremontresort.com

23. Learn about the history of indigenous cultures at the Peralta Hacienda in Fruitvale

Source: Flickr user Jo Guldi

24. Go on a dive bar crawl headlined by the likes of Kingfish, and the Heart and Dagger Saloon

Source: Flickr user George Kelly

25. Get out into nature with a stroll through the Redwood Regional Park

Source: Flickr user sfbaywalk

26. Grab some incredible dim sum at Tao Yuen Pastry after a stroll through Oakland’s Chinatown

Source: oaktownlife.com

27. Grow your brain at the Oakland Museum of California

Source: mack5.com

28. Take your sweetie for a romantic nighttime gondola cruise on the lake

Source: Flickr user Hitchster

29. Have some pizza with your cocktail at the Boot and Shoe Service

Source: raccoonstar.com

30. Marvel at the Mormon Temple’s architecture up close (and at night)

Source: Wikipedia

31. Revel in snootiness with a wine pairing at Commis

Source: Flickr user Arnold Gatilao

32. Take in the amazing view of the Bay from the Chabot Space and Science Center

Source: Chabot Space and Science Center


Have a favorite thing to do in Oakland we didn’t include? Let us hear about it in the comments. Also, be sure to check out our previous list of 35 reasons you need to move to Oakland!

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