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About Oakland
Oakland is a major West Coast port and manufacturing center that stretches along the mainland side of San Francisco Bay and varies in elevation from sea level to 1,500 feet. The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, commonly referred to as the Bay Bridge, links the city with San Francisco; a westbound toll of $3 is charged.
The city's rich cultural heritage is demonstrated through ethnic festivals and varied events. Rolling hills and forested areas offer hiking and riding trails, and lakes and parks dot the countryside.
Nine regional parks adjoin Oakland: Anthony Chabot, Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve, Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve, Martin Luther King Jr. Shoreline, Miller/Knox, Redwood, Temescal, Robert Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, and Tilden. Opportunities for hiking, picnicking, fishing and swimming are available. Facilities vary from park to park.
Woodminster Amphitheater, on Joaquin Miller Road in Joaquin Miller Park, is an open-air theater built by the federal WPA program during the mid-20th century. Presentations, mostly Broadway musicals, are scheduled early July to early September; phone (510) 531-9597.
Bret Harte Boardwalk on 5th Street between Jefferson and Clay streets adjoins the site of the author's boyhood home. A block of renovated Victorian houses and barns has been converted to shops and restaurants. Visitor centers are at 11th Street and Broadway and at Jack London Square, Broadway and Embarcadero. Daily round-trip ferries provide a transportation link between Jack London Square in Oakland and San Francisco. The Alameda-Oakland Ferry transports passengers to the Ferry Building, Pier 39 and AT&T Park in San Francisco, as well as to Angel Island in the summer; phone (510) 522-3300.
The McAfee Coliseum and the Oakland Arena, off I-880 at the 66th Avenue or Hegenberger Road exits, are where the city's three professional sports teams play. McAfee Coliseum is the home of two of the city's professional sports teams--the Oakland A's (baseball) and the Oakland Raiders (football). The Golden State Warriors (basketball) play at The Arena, adjacent to the stadium; the venue also is utilized for concerts, wrestling and the circus. Phone (510) 569-2121 for either facility.
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