1. The East Bay Isn’t A Specific Town
It’s actually an entire region of California, made up of several towns. A few of the larger cities include Berkeley, Fremont, and Oakland.
2. It’s On San Francisco Bay, But It’s Not San Francisco
This might be a little confusing to a first timer tourist to the Bay Area. While the East Bay lies on the same water as San Francisco, it’s a completely different area of the region.
3. Oakland Is The Big Dog Here
The largest city in the East Bay is Oakland. With around 400,000 people, several professional sports teams, and plenty of entertainment, this city has everything you’d need.
4. They Call This “Bear Territory” So Prepare To See Some Blue And Gold
The world-renowned UC- Berkeley is headquartered in the East Bay, bringing tons of intelligent students to the area. Expect people here to go crazy for Golden Bear athletics, as Berkeley Blue and California Gold, often floods the streets of the East Bay on game days.
Prepare to hear many-a-person cheer out “Go Bears!”
5. But You’re All In Raiders Country
Known for being rough, tough, and decked out in silver and black, Oakland Raiders fans are one-of-a-kind. While people might be rooting for the 49s across the bay, the East Bay is Raiders territory.
6. Watch Out For The Oak Ness Monster
Also known as Oakie and Merrittzilla, this mysterious creature is said to live in Lake Merritt. While it hasn’t been known to hurt anyone, it’s enough to scare away some locals.
However, when Lake Merritt isn’t being terrorized, it’s actually one of the best places to go in the East Bay for a shoreline walk (perfect date spot), dining by the water, and boating.
7. There’s This Thing Called The Solano Stroll
While it might sound like a new dance move, the Solano Stroll in Albany and Berkeley is actually the oldest and largest street-festival in the San Francisco Bay area, capable of attracting up to 300,000 people a day to its food fueled, music filled streets.
8. The East Bay Is A Musician’s Mecca
Tons of great artists come out of the the East Bay area on a regular basis, including Creedence Clearwater Revival, Counting Crows, Green Day, Tupac Shakur, and MC Hammer.
9. Thrash Metal Was Basically Invented Here
The East Bay has a longtime history with metal music, with bands like Exodus and Metallica having roots here. The area also gave birth to two bands considered the pioneers of death metal, Possessed and Death.
10. And You Can Thank Us For Hyphy Music
Oakland rapper Keak-da-sneak helped form the “hyphy” movement in the early 90’s and the world has been grateful ever since.
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11. East Bay Express Is No Train
If you’re looking to get from one place to another around the East Bay, don’t go looking for the East Bay Express. This is actually just the local newspaper (and a wonderful resource to find out what’s going on that weekend).
12. A’s Aren’t Just A Good Grade Here
The presence of the local Major League Baseball team, the Oakland Athletics, is apparent far and wide around the East Bay. Team loyalty is often symbolized by a familiar “A” on fan gear.
13. There’s No Excuse Not To Get Outside
The East Bay isn’t just city sprawl. There are actually tons of places to get outdoors and get moving. The area is home to over 50 parks, including Tilden Regional Park at around 2,000 acres.
14. Bikes Are A Big Deal Here
Not as many people use them to commute as in San Francisco, but bikes are used all the time for recreational purposes. One popular spot is Coyote Hills Regional Park, with over 3.5 miles of bike trails.
15. This Is Where The Warriors Are Headquartered
When the Golden State Warriors get brought up, most people know the “Golden State” is somewhere in California but are often surprised to hear that it’s in the East Bay area (at least for now).
Headquartered in Oakland, the Warriors have strong support from the local community, often filling the Oracle Arena during big games.
16. There’s Such A Thing As Tom Hanks Pride
Famous for movies like Forrest Gump and Saving Private Ryan, Tom Hanks is a favorite actor among most Americans. He’s even more popular in the East Bay, thanks to him being from Concord, California.
One time some Oakland-based artists even offered to build a 9-foot Tom Hanks Statue for every 10,000 dollars students could raise for their school (the first of which would be a replica of Mr. Hanks in his “Castaway” costume).
17. Don’t Expect A Real Winter
It might get a little chilly in the East Bay from time to time, but it’s still usually higher than 50° year round, hitting a perfect average of mid-70s during the summer. Welcome to California.
18. This Place Is Gay-Friendly And Proud Of It
While San Francisco is known worldwide for its large gay community, the East Bay isn’t talked about nearly as much. However, not only is fighting for gay rights just as important in this area, Hayward is also home to the longest running gay prom in the country.
19. Hipsters Aren’t Just In San Francisco
Out-of-towners should be prepared to encounter clear glasses, funny hats, and plenty of PBR when they visit the East Bay. This area was rated one of the most hipster places in America, taking the number 5 spot on a list put out by Thrillest.
20. Local Foods Are King Here
An area that’s been historically essential to the development of Californian cuisine, there’s a huge emphasis on fresh ingredients in this region, thanks to local farmers and urban agriculture.
One place that does it best is Chez Panisse, a restaurant that’s been famous since the 1970s for using local and organic ingredients.
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21. In-N-Out Really Is That Good
By now, every out-of-towner has heard that In-N-Out is awesome. It’s actually one thing that lives up to the hype.
Make sure visitors from out-of-state get a chance to try some fries animal-style during their time in the East Bay. And it couldn’t be easier. Besides the one in Pinole, our In-N-Out is right by the Oakland Airport.
22. “Cutty” Has Nothing To Do With Boats
A word often associated with “Cutty Sark” (a type of British ship), around these parts “cutty” means sketchy. If a place is called “cutty” by an the East Bay resident, it should probably be avoided.
23. Don’t Expect Much Humidity
While the rest of the country dreads going outside during the summer months in fear of instantly soaking their shirt with sweat, people in the the East Bay area don’t stress at all.
The area is typically home to 0% humidity, so get used to actually being able to enjoy peak temperatures in July.
24. the East Bay Has A More Serious Side
While the East Bay is often recognized as one of the “coolest” places to be in the country thanks to the nightlife and many entertainment opportunities, there’s also a more educational and sophisticated side to this area.
Home to places like the Oakland Museum of California, Lawrence Hall of Science, and the Chabot Space and Science Center, these Californians love learning hands-on.
25. You’ll Dread The Number 80
Roads in the East Bay can get a bit confusing here as every local interstate but one ends with “80.” There’s the 80, the 580, the 680, the 880, and the 980. If an out-of-towner is unfamiliar with the area, it’s best they just stick to their GPS.
…Oh, and stay away from 880 South. Also known as the Nimitz Freeway, it’s known to be one of the most frustrating drives in the Bay Area. It has narrow lanes flooded with traffic, large trucks and construction.
26. You’ll Become Good Friends With BART
The Bay Area Rapid Transit system, also known as “BART,” connects many of the people in the Bay Area. With tons of stops in the East Bay, it’s a quick and easy way to get across town and also to San Francisco.
27. You Can’t Go To Hella
A slang word very common in the the East Bay area is “hella.” It basically is the equivalent of using the word “really.” For example, one might say “that was hella fun” or “I hella love Oakland.”
28. Expect To See Plenty Of Tourists
The East Bay is quickly growing as a tourist destination, thanks to Oakland and Berkeley frequently being recognized as fun places to visit. As tourism rises, so do the people walking around the area with no clue where they’re going.
29. It’s Cheaper Here
From rent, to food, to bars, it’s much cheaper to be in the East Bay than San Francisco (for now). As a result, tons of people choose to commute. This is rapidly changing, though. One bedroom apartments located near BART are getting more expensive by the day.
30. But There’s Still A Lot Less Traffic
Unless it’s rush hour, expect easy travels around the East Bay. There’s a lot less congestion than in San Francisco and parking is much easier. Just one more perk of living on the Eastern (AKA correct) side of the Bay Bridge.
31. It’s Easy To Get Your San Francisco Fix Though
With San Francisco only a few miles away across the bay, it can take as little as 15 minutes to get there via Bay Bridge depending on the hour of the day.
32. You’ll Fall In Love With the East Bay
With plenty of oceanfront property and little congestion, the East Bay is one of the most relaxed, stress-free places to watch the sun set on the water in the country.
It’s home to delicious Californian cuisine, tons of diverse cultures, and plenty of good weather. When it comes to awesome places to visit, it’s hard to beat the East Bay.
What have you had to explain to out-of-towners about the East Bay? Tell us in the comments below!
