Oakland doesn’t have a good rep, and at least some of it can be attributed to rap music. I mean, first there was Tupac’s video, and then recently, ASAP Rocky claimed, “you raged, you hated like you live in Oooaaaklaaaaand.”
Presumably, some of you readers don’t really want to live in the place that doubles as a popular subject for rap lyrics. But Oakland, California, has far more to offer than drug abuse, assault and hate. It has many beautiful, fun and (relatively) safe neighborhoods, which have more space to stretch out than nearby San Francisco, as well as more warm sunshine to stretch out beneath.
Here are the best neighborhoods in Oakland to live in (as coming from a current Oaklander):
- Piedmont – Piedmont is really its own city. Its residents designed it that way so that they could run their own school district (at least, that’s the rumor). Running up into the Oakland Hills, Piedmont is shockingly beautiful and wealthy. An aside about the Oakland Hills – their views of the San Francisco Bay cannot be beaten, and just about every plant that ever existed seems to grow there. I mean, it is lush.
- Uptown – Uptown, which is downtown and runs from roughly 16th to 27th ave, is neither nice nor pretty. However, it has the best concentration of restaurants, venues and bars in the city, and its collection of great spots might be growing faster than anywhere in the US, helped in part by the Pop Up Hood and the local Art Murmur. Every single place (except a Starbucks and a couple fast food joints) is a unique, locally-owned spot. Enjoy.
- Grand Lake / Adam’s Point – Located at the northern tip of Lake Merritt and at the foot of the hills, these neighborhoods bridge the grit and fun of downtown with the beauty of the Oakland Hills. Grand Ave and Piedmont Ave are great for walking with a cup of coffee on a sunny day. Also, the farmers’ market comes to life every Saturday near the iconic Grand Lake Theater, and families like to take their young children to nearby Fairyland.
- Jack London Square – Located at the southwestern edge of downtown, JLS, as it’s abbreviated, is home to many expensive lofts and a waterfront dotted with upscale restaurants and bars. Like Uptown, JLS is thriving. New places are popping up all the time. JLS is just doing it in a fancier way, and with a view of the bay. Another aside – there’s nothing better than sitting in the sun at JLS and watching the fog blanket downtown SF, which can be seen just across the bay.
- Rockridge – Rockridge divides Piedmont and Grand Lake from Berkeley (home to the UC Berkeley campus). It’s removed from the downtown area, but it has its own avenue of great restaurants and shopping. Its general safety and affordable-yet-nice housing are good for families.
- Temescal – Located just north of downtown/uptown on Telegraph Ave, Temescal has become a hotbed for young people looking for fairly cheap rents and great amenities, like a local farmers’ market, good restaurants, and yards (a relative rarity in the north bay). It still has a bit of downtown’s grit, but it’s nicer-looking all around.
BART – BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit train) is a big deal for Oaklanders, because it’s only a 10-15 minute ride to downtown SF from downtown Oakland. BART is a far better option than driving, especially for those who work in downtown SF. Of the above-mentioned neighborhoods, Temescal, Uptown, JLS and Rockridge all have BART stops within a 5-15 minute walk.
Read more about the pros and cons of Oakland, then check out some Oakland moving companies.