DESTINATION

Founded in 1852, Oakland, California has history that goes back much further than its 150 years. Native Americans lived in the region for over 5,000 years. The Spanish visited the area in the 1770s and came to settle about 50 years later. Asians, African Americans, and those of Northern European extraction came with the Gold Rush, and put down their own roots. 

Initially, Oakland grew from having its hillside oak and redwood timber resources logged to build San Francisco, and Oakland's fertile flatland soils helped it become a prolific agricultural region. In the late 1860s, Oakland was selected as the western terminus of the Transcontinental Railroad.  It continued to grow into the 20th century with its port, shipyards, and a thriving automobile industry. Following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, many San Franciscans left that city's destruction, and a great number of Oakland's homes were built during the 1910s and 1920s. An extensive streetcar network connected most of Oakland's neighborhoods to inter-city rail lines and to ferry lines.

During the 1940s, thousands of war-industry workers moved to Oakland from the Deep South, and the late 20th century saw a steady influx of immigrants from around the globe. According to the 2000 U.S. census, Oakland is the second most ethnically diverse city in Alameda County, with many languages spoken.

Ruptures along the nearby San Andreas fault caused severe earth movement in 1906 and 1989. During the 1989Loma Prieta earthquake, Oakland suffered many deaths and injuries, as well as significant property damage. San Andreas quakes cause induced creep in the Hayward fault, which runs directly through Oakland.

Oakland is home to several major corporations including Kaiser Permanente and Clorox. The city serves as corporate headquarters for nationwide businesses such as Dreyer's and Cost Plus World Market, as well as tech companies such as Ask.com and Pandora Radio.

Oakland is also the home of Rocky Road ice cream and the Mai Tai cocktail. It has enjoyed a thriving West Coast blues scene and can claim numerous prominent homegrown musicians representing such genres as rhythm and blues, funk, punk, heavy metal, and hip hop.

Recreational attractions include the Fox Oakland Theatre, the Paramount Theatre, Lake Merritt, Jack London Square, the Oakland Estuary, the Oakland Zoo, the Oakland Museum of California, the Chabot Space and Science Center, the Oakland Aviation Museum, Oracle Arena/Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, the East Bay Regional Park District ridge line parks and preserves, and Chinatown.

If you have some extra time to spare, you might think about taking the ten minute journey over the Bay Bridge to San Francisco. San Francisco is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the Bay area. There are many exciting features of the area that you may want to consider checking out while on your trip.

Fisherman's Wharf is a must see for history buffs. You'll find a forgotten era that is still influencing the culture, events, sights, sounds, and food of San Francisco's waterfront community. From the authentic seafood, street performers, cable cars, and Alcatraz cruises-- Fisherman's Wharf has something for everyone.

For those outdoor enthusiasts-- there is a wide arrange of locations to tune into nature and experience the more quiet side of San Francisco. The Conservatory of Flowers is a unique museum that is populated by a plethora of rare, exotic plants from all parts of the world. Titled as one of the most visited city parks in all of America, the Golden Gate Park is a true symbol of natural beauty. If you are more interested in a quiet setting within the Park, visit the Japanese Tea Garden, which is the oldest public Japanese garden in the US. Popular for its beautiful monuments, bridges, and native Japanese plants and ponds, this garden is sure to calm you from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

San Francisco would not be San Francisco without the Golden Gate Bridge. Declared as one of the modern Wonders of the World, this suspension bridge opened April 19, 1937 as a way to eliminate the thirty minute long ferry ride across the bay. Many experts believed that the bridge couldn’t be built because of the strong currents, treacherous winds and depth of over 500 feet. After much determination and deliberation, Joseph Strauss and other engineers and architects built this spectacular bridge. Seventy- five years later, the Golden Gate Bridge is still thriving and considered one of the prime staples of the San Francisco area.