San Francisco’s Best Kept Secret
A bit of background for you before you begin: we here at cityseekr are based in San Francisco. Not surprisingly this means a large majority of our staff in the office all live here and, of course, they love it. And don’t get me wrong, I think it’s a pretty cool city too. However, we also have a small but ever-present constituency of residents and natives of right across the water in the East Bay (myself included), and sometimes our spot gets a bad rap and is thoroughly under-appreciated here in the office.
It has become clear to me that many, if not the majority of San Francisco residents look down on their easterly counterpart and often express these superior opinions much to the chagrin of us proud East Bay folk. I mean, sometimes trying to get San Franciscans to cross the Bay Bridge (or BART under it) can be like pulling teeth! So I, being a proud Oakland native and resident, have decided to step up to the plate in defense of the East Bay. Hopefully I will prove that while SF may always be the big boy on the block as far as Northern California is concerned, the East Bay is most definitely nothing to be scoffed at… and in fact if they believe the stereotypes they use as excuses not to go there, they should probably be scared to do so.
Lake Merritt
Okay. So we all know what San Francisco is famous for and why people visit. You got your Golden Gate Bridge, you got your Coit Tower, and you got your Fisherman’s Wharf. But what you also have is this: PEOPLE. Lots and lots of people. Everywhere you go. Wanna cross that bridge? Be prepared to cross it at a snail’s pace due to the hundreds of other tourists with the exact same idea. Wanna go to the Wharf? Be prepared for overwhelmingly giant crowds and overwhelmingly jacked up prices. The city is, essentially, one big tourist trap. Now many of you may be thinking, so what? All those people are there because it’s worth seeing. True, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t many other things worth seeing and doing outside the city as well, off the beaten track – a method that has become very popular these days.
Look, this is what it essentially boils down to. Everyone knows San Francisco is known for all these famous landmarks and neighborhoods; the Golden Gate Bridge, Haight-Ashbury, Fisherman’s Wharf, Golden Gate Park, and the list goes on. But the East Bay has plenty of just-as-interesting things to do and see, with the added benefit of realness. And it’s cheaper! Take for example Fisherman’s Wharf, one of San Francisco’s most famous “neighborhoods.” Look around really closely, and the only San Franciscans you will find are either working there or begrudgingly taking visitors sightseeing. It’s not a real neighborhood at all. Now in the East Bay, you can cruise into almost any neighborhood and be actually surrounded by the actual people who live their actual lives there and actually soak up the local feel in the atmosphere. We even have some of those “theme” neighborhoods everyone is so excited about, but instead of the Mission (which hardly qualifies as a real Latino neighborhood anymore since mostly all you’ll find there is a lot of hipsters, their beards and their fixed gear bikes) we have Fruitvale, an ACTUAL vibrant, functioning Latino community; Fruitvale, not coincidentally, is also home to some of the most amazing taco trucks you will find anywhere in the United States, something San Francisco is definitely lacking in. Hell, Anthony Bourdain even took a trip to Fruitvale just for the taco trucks.
Oakland also has one of the oldest Chinatowns in the United States, just like San Francisco and we have several generally regarded foodie areas both in Berkeley (the “Gourmet Ghetto,” home to the famed Chez Panisse) and Oakland. And let’s not forget the greatest and most badass football team ever, the Oakland Raiders.
Photo by Julie, Dave & Family, CC by 2.0
The East Bay is also clearly lacking in the overblown, even overrated popularity of San Francisco, and I mean that in a good way. In the East Bay, you can walk into a bar on a Friday or Saturday night and NOT spend half your night trying to get the bartender’s attention for a drink, or not wait two hours for a table at a delicious restaurant. Now of course “off the beaten track” isn’t for everyone; there are always those who are afraid to go out of their comfort zone, whatever that may be. And that’s fine, all I have to say is: you’re missing out, suckers.
More adventurous visitors who make the short trek will discover an incredible city with just as much to boast about as San Francisco. There are museums like the Oakland Museum of California which recently underwent a complete renovation and hosted an exclusive exhibit on Emeryville’s golden child Pixar; we have Lake Merritt on which you can paddle boat or be chauffeured around in your own private gondola; we have spacious parks that don’t overcrowd on nice days, historical sites (and bars!) like UC Berkeley, Michelin-starred restaurants as well as dives, bars, clubs, theaters and far superior parking and public transportation. It’s the lesser known side of the bay, a well-kept secret, and one that for the most part, San Franciscans seem happy to let us keep. I guess they just want to hog all those people for themselves. That much is obvious and just fine with us here on the sunny side of the Bay.
Don’t forget that the East Bay is more than just Oakland/Berkeley. One could also visit the Pacific Pinball Museum on the island of Alameda, or go for a swim in the 1920’s-era Richmond Municipal Natatorium pool in Point Richmond, then bike down along a scenic, off-street portion of the Bay Trail all the way to Emeryville. There is beautiful, secluded hiking to be found in the Oakland and Berkeley hills, or on Mount Diablo further east near Walnut Creek. At night catch a show at the immaculately restored art-deco Fox and Paramount theaters within blocks of each other in downtown Oakland, or at the outdoor Greek Theater on the UC Berkeley campus.