Things to Do

•  The Presidential Yacht U.S.S. Potomac
  
  The USS Potomac has a lofty and well-earned nickname, the Floating White House. It is on this 165-foot sailboat that President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was often found during presidential summers. Today, visitors can tour the ship to marvel at its opulence and walk the same corridors and decks as this famous political figure. No less important was FDR's wife, Eleanor, who celebrated her 57th birthday aboard the ship in 1941 Tours Dockside Tour: The Potomac is open for 45-minute docent-led dockside tours mid-January through mid-December. History Tour: May through November, two-hour cruises around San Francisco Bay with docents are available. Emphasis is placed on the impact Franklin Delano Roosevelt's administration had upon the Bay Area and surrounding landmarks.
  
  540 Water Street
  Oakland, CA 94607  Map
  Phone: 510-627-1215
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•  Oakland Aviation Museum
  
  The last and doomed flight of Amelia Earhart left from the airfield now located at the Oakland Aviation Museum. In homage to the aviator's connection to the area, the museum displays an Electra airplane nearly identical to the one flown by Earhart. In addition, the museum houses a number of military, civil, and experimental aircraft used throughout the age of flight. A real treat is the Solent Mark III, an English-built flying boat.
  
  8252 Earhart Road, Building 621
  Oakland, CA 94621  Map
  Phone: 510-638-7100
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•  Preservation Park
  
  Tour perfectly tended gardens and lush lawns in Preservation Park, much as Victorian-era Californians did during the 1800s. Here, amongst the immaculate landscaping, stand 16 turn-of-the-century structures. Each of the magnificent buildings has been professionally restored and is now part of a meandering self-guided tour of Oakland's history.
  
  1233 Preservation Park Way
  Oakland, CA 94612  Map
  Phone: 510-874-7580
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•  Jack London Square
  
  Situated along 19 miles of waterfront property, Jack London Square provides a quintessential Oakland experience. Shopping, dining and various entertainment options are all found here. Look across the bay for expansive views of an industrial harbor. This area also holds historical significance, as it's the site of the original city established in 1852.
  
  The foot of Broadway at Embarcadero
  Oakland, CA 94607  Map
  Phone: 866-295-9853
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•  Oakland Zoo
  
  Founded in 1922 and established at its current site of Knowland Park in 1936, the Oakland Zoo is a Bay Area icon. The hundreds of animals range from Gila monsters to African elephants, and there's hardly a better way to enjoy a walk in Oakland than touring the zoo's expansive and educational grounds.
  
  9777 Golf Links Road
  Oakland, CA 94605  Map
  Phone: 510-632-9525
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•  Old Oakland Historic District
  
  The Old Oakland Historic District provides a window into what Oakland looked and felt like in the 1870s. Victorian homes line a manicured main street now home to shops and restaurants. During the summer months, visitors can join a free, guided walking tour of the district to learn more about the area's history and mark the shops they want to visit once the tour is over.
  
  815 Washington Street, Suite 77
  Oakland, CA 94607  Map
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