Oakland

Paramount Theater

2025 broadway downtown, near 19th street, 510 465-6400, (http://www.paramounttheat...). this gorgeous depression-era theater, completed in 1931, has been completely restored and is maintained in almost mint condition. it's worth just looking at the sculpture, the paintings, even the carpets. shows include classic movies, concerts, and other live performances.

Oakland Athletics

mlb, oakland-alameda county coliseum, (http://oakland.athletics....). in their third home after philadelphia and kansas city, the a's have done what their cross-bay rivals have not: bring the world series trophy to the bay area. with nine trophies to their name, and four in oakland, they are one of the most successful franchises in baseball. while they are not currently considered a playoff contender, the al west is the smallest division, so a playoff appearance is always possible and the competition goes down to the wire. the a's also have the best deal in baseball: $2 tickets and $1 hot dogs for nearly every wednesday game. during the rest of the week, tickets are a great deal, too, ranging from $9 to $55. the cheap tickets sell out quick, so buy a day or two in advance. in the baseball configuration, mcafee coliseum has the odd distinction of having the most foul territory of any mlb field, and by a large margin.

Golden State Warriors

nba, oracle arena adjacent to oakland-alameda county coliseum, connected to coliseum bart, (http://www.warriors.com). after a sensational run to the playoffs and an historic victory in the first round in the 2006/2007 season, the warriors are the hottest ticket in the nba right now. they play a fast, loose, and fun type of basketball, a departure from the stereotypical nba team. after moving from philadelphia to san francisco, the warriors settled in the east bay and won their second championship in the 1970's. with their recent successes come a declining availability of tickets. prices are on the lower end for the nba $15 to over $250, though cheaper tickets sell out for most games and all tickets sell out for big games up to a week before.

Parkway Speakeasy Theater

1834 park boulevard near lake merritt, 510 814-2400, (http://www.picturepubpizza.com). oakland's parkway speakeasy closed its doors in may 2009. a second-run movie theater, the parkway had two huge screens with large comfy couches to sit on. best of all, they served pizza, salads, and beer that you could eat and drink while you watched the movie. there are community efforts to reopen the parkway at some point in the future.

Fox Theater

1807 telegraph avenue downtown, near 19th street, 510 548-3010, (http://www.thefoxoakland.com). a former movie theatre, the fox was built in 1928. it closed its doors in 1970 and stood empty until 2009, when it reopened as a 1,500 - 2,800 seat music venue, following a two-year, $75 million renovation. one block from the 19th st bart stop, the fox theatre is in the heart of oakland's uptown neighborhood, which is also being re-branded as the arts and entertainment district.

The Oakland Raiders

nfl, oakland-alameda county coliseum, 7000 coliseum way connected to coliseum bart 510 569-2121, (http://www.raiders.com). known as "the team of the decades," the nfl's oakland raiders have a long tradition of victory, commanding the fierce support of oaklanders and enjoying a large fan base across america. be sure to enjoy the famous pre-game tailgating scene in the coliseum parking lot, as well as the black hole of hard-core fans in the endzone section. most home games are not sold out, so it should be possible to buy tickets up until game time.

The mission of the Oakland Zoo is to inspire respect for and stewardship of the natural world, while providing a quality visitor experience. At the Oakland Zoo, you can explore together, learn together, and have fun together.

Grand Lake Theater

3200 grand ave, oakland near macarthur blvd and 580, (http://www.renaissanceria...). this beautiful art deco theater built in 1926 shows first-run movies. it has a spectacular neon sign that is lit on weekends, and is famous for the ultra-liberal and sometimes conspiracy-minded weekly sign proclamations from the theater owner. at friday and saturday evening shows, an organist plays standards in the main theater.

Children's Fairyland

699 bellevue avenue enter via grand ave near lake merritt, oakland, ca 94610, 510 452-2259, (http://www.fairyland.org). mixed seasonal hours, almost always open on weekends. amazing, dynamic playground and destination for children, right on lake merritt. please note that only adults with children can enter. make sure you get a magic key.

Chabot Space and Science Center

10000 skyline boulevard, 510 336-7300, (http://www.chabotspace.org/). opened in august 2000, the new chabot space and science center is a state-of-the-art science and technology education facility on a 13-acre site in the hills of oakland. visitors can watch planetarium shows and/or megadome movies, simulate space missions in the challenger learning center, explore a variety of changing hands-on exhibits, observe the sky through the center's telescopes, and much more. in addition, the science discovery lab for children 7 and under and their parent/guardian is fantastic.