High in the Oakland hills, the Mormon temple has beautifully landscaped grounds and a view of the entire San Francisco Bay and skyline. Although the temple itself is accessible only to members of the Mormon faith, a visitors center is open to all and staffed with friendly volunteers. This is a serene place – a little bit of heaven on earth.

between Malden Lane and Perkins Road

This human-made lake sits on 195-acres of land, and provides a beautiful recreational area for the surrounding neighborhood. Enjoy a 3-mile walk around the lake, with a small petting zoo area along the path. Rent pedal boats, enjoy a bike ride, or have a picnic. Definitely a fun, chill, place to visit in Oakland.

Come check out how fortune cookies are made with those (hopefully) splendid good fortunes inside. Definitely a lot of fun for the whole family.

Oakland Chinatown is a central hub for the East Bay Asian community. There are tons of great restaurants, markets and unique shopping stores. Perfect place for visitors to see what a more local, less-touristy, Chinatown looks like. Families could plan to spend a few hours here including lunch.

Rent some bikes, or just strap on your walking shoes and walk for miles along the East Bay coastline. Simply breath taking views of San Francisco and the Golden Gate. Smell the fresh Bay Area air, and have a walk for the ages. Stop off at the Berkeley Pier, which stretches far out into the Bay so you can get a closer view of the Golden Gate. If you go at dusk, you are likely to be rewarded with picture perfect views of the sun setting between the arches of the Golden Gate. The walk can go for miles, so decide a proper distance before to turning back. Admission: $6 for adults; $4 for senior citizens/ children over 6

Jack London Square is where Oakland began! It is simply a must see for Oakland visitors. Located right along the dock of the bay, this shopping, restaurant, and site-seeing area is full of fun and good times. Jack London is a renowned author and Oakland native, having written many books including The Sea Wolf, The Call of the Wild, and Martin Eden. On Sunday it’s definitely worth checking out the Farmer’s Market.

Located at the foot of Broadway at Embarcadero. Its easy to get to the Square by Ferry Boat, Train, Bus, BART or by car. There is plenty of street and covered garage parking available throughout the district.

United Artist Theatres, Jack London Square. Large theatres, fully disabled person accessible. Free validated parking across the street from the movie theatre.

there can be a lot of teenagers here during Friday and Saturday evenings.

This hands-on space, astronomy and technology museum is located high up in the Oakland hills, with great views of San Francisco. Visitors can enjoy the innovative exhibits such as “Moon Mystery,” “Our Place in the Universe” and “Planetary Landscapes.” Great for families of all ages. Admission: $13 extra for Mega-Dome Theater and more.

The Oakland Zoo is a perfect sized place to spend a good 3-5 hours, depending on how long you spend looking at the over 300 different animals and wildlife. The zoo has attractions like a carousel, petting zoo, elephant exhibition, gondola ride, a miniature train and much more. Definitely a lot of fun for the whole family, or just a date. Tours are available. Admission: Adults (15-60) $7.50; Children (2-14) $4.50; Children (under 2) free; Seniors (60+) $4.50; cash only.

580E Highway, Golf Links Road Exit, go on Golf Links Road and follow the signs to the Oakland Zoo. The cross street is Calafia Avenue.

This sitely neighborhood is one of those rare treats that few know about. 16 neatly restored Victorian style 19th century (originally built between 1870-1911) are all lined up, along with an authentic fountain that suits the area. Great place to walk around and see the architectural footprint of Oakland’s past.

between 12th and 13th streets

Located at Jack London Square every Sunday, this is a local attraction for people of all ages. California farmer’s bring their fresh stock of fruits and vegetables to be sold without paying supermarket premiums. Get great deals on the freshest, all natural, organic products that California is known for. Eat fresh fruit picked straight from the tree and brought to you, not market refrigerated or dormant out in the open items, that may have been sitting there for hours or even days. These vegies and fruits are top-notch, you won’t be dissapointed.

A truly fun experience is to check out the USS Hornet Museum, a retired aircraft carrier that can now be explored by visitors. There are multiple levels to the ship, and you can even watch a plane get lifted up to the flight deck. The tour guides are extremely informative, probably because they are former navy personnel. This ship was used to pick up the Apollo 11 astronauts after returning from the moon.

Rent some bikes, or just strap on your walking shoes and walk for miles along the East Bay coastline. Simply breath taking views of San Francisco and the Golden Gate. Smell the fresh Bay Area air, and have a walk for the ages. Stop off at the Berkeley Pier, which stretches far out into the Bay so you can get a closer view of the Golden Gate. If you go at dusk, you are likely to be rewarded with picture perfect views of the sun setting between the arches of the Golden Gate. The walk can go for miles, so decide a proper distance before to turning back.

Starts at the Emeryville Holiday Inn