The smallest of the three majors cities that make up the San Francisco Bay Area, Oakland has a population of a little over 400,000. It is almost twice as large as San Francisco in area yet, has only half as many people. The wide open spaces leave a lot more room for beautiful outdoor areas for hiking, biking, golf and more. Oakland was the previous home of the Golden State Warriors and the Oakland Raiders, which have moved to San Francisco and Las Vegas, respectively, but is still the home to Major League Baseball’s Oakland A’s. Oakland is a popular place to live in the Bay Area, being a lot more affordable than the surrounding areas.

Oakland is an amazing city with a rich, cultural history and is celebrated for its diversity in many aspects of its population, businesses and more. The city is filled with cutting-edge restaurants, historic music venues, fun bars & nightclubs, amazing museums and streets of cool, boutique shops celebrating local culture.

While you could spend days walking through the streets of Oakland and trying out the local flavor, there is a huge variety of fun and exciting attractions. Head out to any of the attractions or, even better, rent a party bus and see a bunch of cool attractions all in one day. The Great Party Bus Team can help you put together an itinerary, get tickets and make reservations to the top picks on your list and send one of our sweet party buses to take you from destination to destination in style.

The Oakland Zoo

With over 600 animals residing at the massive zoo, you will find a large variety of amphibians, reptiles, mammals, birds and invertebrates. One of the most popular exhibits is the African Savanna habitat, which features unique creatures like the African Lion and the African Elephant among others. You can also find Chimpanzees, Lemurs, Tree Frogs, Alligators, Pythons, Lizards, Bald Eagles, Scorpions and more is the vast attraction. The Oakland Zoo is a great place to spend a day checking out the animals, taking a picnic with your family and and attending classes to learn more about the animals.

Oakland Zoo
9777 Golf Links Rd.
Oakland, CA 94605

510-632-9525

The Oakland California Temple

The unique architecture of the Mormon Temple is hard to miss and is one of the best of its kind outside of Salt Lake City. With spires reaching over 170 feet, it can be seen for miles from its Oakland hills location. The perfectly manicured lawns, gardens and beautiful water feature in front of the building all add to the beauty of the architecture. Almost as stunning as the Temple itself, you will be able to see vast, panoramic views of Oakland and the Bay, even as far as San Francisco if you visit on a clear day.

The Oakland California Temple
4770 Lincoln Ave.
Oakland, CA 94602

510-531-3200

The U.S.S. Hornet Sea, Air and Space Museum

The cool museum is actually housed on a decommissioned aircraft carrier located a few miles west of Oakland in the city of Alameda. This is your chance to check out the aircraft carrier, see the vintage fighter jets on the deck of the ship and even try out the flight simulator to get a chance to understand what it takes to fly one of the awesome planes. The tour of the ship allows you to see all of the inner workings of the ship including the flight deck, sickbay, boiler room and more. Over 10,000 historical artifacts are available to see including space travel items like the Apollo test capsule CM-011, the Mobile Quarantine Facility from Apollo 14 and more. You can also see lunar landing modules, the Women in the Military exhibit, rare photographs of pilots, planes and ships and the anti-submarine warfare exhibit which features a variety of sonobuoys used during World War II. There is a lot to see at this unique museum, so plan on spending a good amount of time exploring the ship and exhibits.

U.S.S. Hornet Sea, Air and Space Museum
707 W Hornet Ave
Alameda, CA 94501

510-521-8448

Blue Bottle Coffee 

If you love coffee and aren’t familiar with Blue Bottle Coffee, you are in for a treat. The Bay Area company features a unique blend with an intricate brewing process that looks a little more like a chemical lab than a coffee house. If you find yourself in Oakland’s Jack London Square, you can visit their flagship location and not only have one of the best cups of coffee that will ever hit your lips, but also take some time to take a behind-the-scenes tour to learn more about their beans and brewing process as you walk through their training lab.

Blue Bottle Coffee
300 Webster St.
Oakland, CA 94607

510-653-3394

African American Museum and Library

This wonderful Oakland museum is a unique resource dedicated to the preservation of African American history. The library features over 160 collections that contain historical documentation about African American pioneers, churches, prominent families and more including microfilm collections of Black Panther newspapers, The Liberator and Freedom’s Journal, among others. The second floor of the building houses the museum, which contains a variety of permanent and rotating exhibitions about the history and culture of African Americans.

African American Museum and Library
659 14th St.
Oakland, CA 94612

510-637-0200

Lake Merritt

This beautiful lake is located in central Oakland and contains 57 acres of water and shores perfect for hiking, biking, boating and more. It is surrounded by some great restaurants, shops and high-rises. When visiting Lake Merritt, make sure to check out Lake Chalet, where you can enjoy a delicious meal and a glass of wine right on the water. And, for a special treat, you can take a gondola ride around the lake from Gondola Servizio.

The Oakland Urban Wine Trail

While Napa Valley and Sonoma are still highly recommended for a party bus winery tasting tour in the Bay Area, Oakland actually has its own urban wineries that you can check out while you are in town. Known as the Oakland Urban Wine Trail, you can choose from more than 10 great wineries within the City of Oakland that will be a treat for any wine lover. Wineries like Rosenblum Cellars, Twomile, TinType Winery, Prima Materia and more provide a wide range of reds, whites, champagne and specialty wines to taste without ever leaving the city. If you have a group that wants to do some wine tasting, check out some of the famous walking tours or rent a party bus for a private tour of your own.

Jack London Square

Comparable to San Francisco’s Pier 39, Jack London Square is the “touristy” area in Oakland, but don’t let that deter you from visiting. It is a vibrant area filled with fun, boutique shops, wine bars, music venues and amazing restaurants and really does have a little something for everyone. It is a great place to spend the day. There are tons of activities like kayaking, paddleboarding and walking along the bay, where you can check out the U.S.S. Potomac docked just offshore. Make sure the check out the Blue Bottle Coffee Tour, Yoshi’s and Oakland’s oldest bar, Heinold’s First & Last Chance Saloon, which opened in 1883.

Jack London Square
Broadway and Embarcadero
Oakland, CA 94607

510-645-9292