Oakland
Head across the Bay Bridge to Oakland, largest city in the East Bay.
There's nothing dazzling about downtown Oakland, but amid
the slightly decrepit old buildings there are a few
treasures, such as the mosaic-fronted 1931
Paramount
Theater, home of Oakland's ballet and symphony, and the
abandoned 1928
Fox Oakland Theater, an Art Deco
beauty. Oakland's untouristy
Chinatown is focused on
Franklin and Webster Sts. Jack London Square is a converted
industrial zone on the waterfront now stuffed with
restaurants; in the neighboring Jack London Village, the
Jack London Museum has exhibits about the native author.
Downtown Oakland's visual centerpiece is
Lake Merritt,
a saltwater lake that was the nation's first wildlife
refuge. The nearby
Oakland Museum's terrific
collection focuses on California art and history.
