So. After spending a few days in San Francisco, I couldn’t leave northern California without going on a little adventure through Oakland too. Thus me and Jessica from Heygorjess.com made Oakland stop number two on our mini tour we were doing around the US. When we stepped off the ferry from San Francisco to Oakland- and yes, we took the ferry because we thought it was the cool thing to do, turns out no one else really does- but as I was saying, when we stepped off the Ferry, we instantly felt the cool, calm, collected, but still a lil cray cray vibe that Oakland, California radiates. We loved it.
ACCOMMODATION
Thanks to our partnership with Visit Oakland, the local tourism board for Oakland, California, we were connected with the lovely Marriott Hotel City Center where we stayed for all three nights of our trip. The hotel staff were incredibly welcoming even as we rushed our check-in, leaving alllll our bags at the front desk so we could make it to Pican Restaurant during our 10 minute window to place an order before their kitchen closed for the night.
When we returned to our hotel room after dinner, we had lovely personalized welcome packages waiting for us on the desk which, might I add, perfectly complimented the lovely view our 10th floor room gave us. We have ZERO complaints about our Oakland home away from home. We fit right in. We had breakfast and lunch in the hotel dining room, enjoyed the free cookies and popcorn offered to guests in the lobby, and even took advantage of their very simple but sufficient gym a couple of times. The gym was definitely not the highlight but it served its purpose.
The location was very close to the ferry dock, a metro line, and most of the restaurants we wanted to try so overall we were very happy girls indeed.
TRANSPORTATION
Oakland has its own international airport and a very well-developed public transportation system consisting of trains, metros, busses, and trams. We used the ferry service to get us from San Francisco to Oakland and then we used our Uber app to get us around once we had arrived. I think I have become too accustom to the Uber life as I really didn’t use public transportation very much while in California but just know, both Oakland and San Francisco have awesome transportation options available to you!
RESTAURANTS
Pican Restaurant– Brunch/ Lunch/ Dinner
Information:
2295 Broadway at 23rd
Oakland CA 94612
(510) 834.1000
Known for incredible soul food served in a classy, upscale venue. The service was wonderful! We had the fried green tomatoes and the artichoke, shrimp, and crab dip to start. The dip was AMAZING! My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Then we had the special of the evening which was a beautiful creamy truffle and cheese twice baked lobster, with brussels sprouts and caramelized maitake mushrooms. Honestly this was one of the best meals of my life and definitely a place I will visit again and again.
Brown Sugar Kitchen– Brunch, Breakfast, Lunch
Information:
2534 Mandela Parkway, Oakland, CA
510-839-SOUL (7685)
Known as the perfect place to spend your mornings; complete with heart warming breakfast bites like granola and yogurt or a bacon, egg, and cheese croissant with home fries. If it wasn’t for the fact that they don’t have wi-fi, I could have easily spent a few hours relaxing in this homey, inviting, vintage style cafe. Get a few friends together for breakfast one day and make yourselves at home at Brown Sugar Kitchen. You will leave happy and full, no doubt!
MUA- Dinner/Cocktails/ Happy Hour ( 4:30pm- 6:30pm)
Information:
2442a Webster Street, Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 238-1100
info@muaoakland.com
We were so engrossed in conversation at MUA that we didn’t grab a pic of our delicious cocktails! This place really is a fun spot to check out for drinks or dinner also if you have the time. The venue is adorable and has a hip, open vibe.
Burma Superstar– Lunch/ Dinner
Information:
309 Clement St.
San Francisco
(415) 387-2147
Burma Superstar was my first time trying Burmese food and I am now a fan for life! It’s a beautiful mix of south-east Asian and Indian cuisine, so much flavour in each and every bite. The prices are cheap and cheerful and the food is life changing good so you can’t go wrong with a dinner night at this spot!
THINGS TO DO
We didn’t get as much time as I would have liked to explore Oakland on this trip but for a quick weekend here are a few groovy suggestions of things to get into!
Check Out Jack London Square for Bowling, Drinks, Views
Visit The Oakland Museum of California
Bike Ride Around the City
Listen to Live Music at The New Parish
For more fun things to do in Oakland, check out VisitOakland!
“For more information on California, visit www.visitcalifornia.com”
Travel Love Bloom,
René Daniella xxo