36 minutes in Downtown Oakland

Photo of Fox Theatre courtesy of Michelle Robertson. 

With its towering high rises and bustling streets, rejuvenated Downtown Oakland has the feel of a big urban center set off from a small town – it even plays host to BART’s headquarters! But there’s much more to Downtown Oakland than office buildings and skyscrapers. Here, you can indulge in flavors from around the world, take in some of the city’s best street art, and even stroll through history by visiting one of the many 19th-century homes tucked into the neighborhood.

Grab your Clipper card and some walking shoes and let’s explore the sights.

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Photo courtesy of Yelp. 

Start the day with a steaming cup of freshly roasted coffee at Modern Coffee (411 13th Street) in the Tribune Tower. A work of art in and of itself, the patina-tinted Tribune Tower once housed the offices of the Oakland Tribune newspaper. The building has since become a symbol of Oakland and its history.

Photo courtesy of Michelle Robertson. 

After you’ve loaded up on caffeine – don’t forget to try Modern Coffee’s seasonal offerings – walk to the righthand edge of the tower to view “Our Movement,” a mural painted by local artist Rachel Wolfe-Goldsmith. The 20-foot-tall artwork “is meant to invoke joy, empowerment, and cultural celebration,” the artist writes on her website.

Photo courtesy of Michelle Robertson. 

If you're up for some shopping, walk three minutes down Broadway and land at Oaklandish, a storefront that specializes in all-things-Oakland. Here, you can pick up a t-shirt touting your 510 pride -- and you might even spot BART on a few of the products. 

Photo courtesy of Michelle Robertson. 

From Oaklandish, walk about seven minutes up 14th Street to the African American Museum and Library at Oakland (125 14th Street), an organization dedicated to “the discovery, preservation, interpretation, and sharing of historical and cultural experiences of African Americans in California and the West.” Don't miss out on the resource library, which contains about 12,000 materials created by or about African Americans. 

Photo courtesy of Michelle Robertson.

It’s just a short jaunt down the street to Preservation Park (Preservation Park Way), a unique Victorian neighborhood that occupies two blocks of Downtown Oakland and features some of the city’s most beautiful architecture. Here, 16 historic houses – 11 of which were painstakingly moved to the neighborhood – sit side-by-side. A popular venue for events and weddings, Preservation Park is also ideal for a stroll or picnic (stop by Rio Café, located in the park, for Brazilian-inspired dishes). 

Photo courtesy of Michelle Robertson. 

Speaking of historic homes, a lesser-known gem in Downtown Oakland is the Pardee Home Museum (672 11th Street), located just a two-minute walk from the park. The home was built between 1868 and 1869 by eye doctor and former Oakland mayor Enoch Pardee, who left the Midwest in search of a fortune during the Gold Rush. Pardee served as mayor during the Great Earthquake of 1906, acted as the founding commissioner of the Port of Oakland, and is considered one of the foremost early conservationists in the country.

You can tour the home – on the second and third Saturday of the month at 10:30am – by making a reservation online (tickets cost $10 a person). If you’d like a spot of tea with your tour, parties of six or more can reserve a place in the elegant dining room or gardens for high tea (starting at $30 a person).

Photo courtesy of Michelle Robertson. 

After all this walking, you’ll likely be thirsty. There’s arguably no better place to get a drink than Café Van Kleef (1621 Telegraph Avenue). You’ll get to the funkily decorated bar, which often hosts live bands on the weekend, by walking 12 minutes down Clay Street and turning left on Telegraph Ave. Inside, you’ll find outlandish décor, moody vibes, and the most refreshing Greyhound this writer’s ever had. The juice for the alcoholic beverage is squeezed fresh in-house, and each drink comes with a quarter slab of grapefruit. These drinks are strong so you’ll be glad you took BART.

When it’s time to head home, BART’s 19th Street/Oakland Station sits just a two-minute walk from Café Van Kleef. Safe travels!

Let's talk.

What's your favorite spot in Downtown Oakland? Have a suggestion for our next 36 minutes feature? Let us know via social media, @SFBARTable #SFBARTable! Keep up with us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to see all of the best BARTable (virtual) events, places to eat (grab take out from) and have fun (outside) around the Bay.