The Atlas Obscura Guide To Oakland

30 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Oakland, California

Updated February 22, 2023

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Unusual Attractions in Oakland

Oakland, California

Chapel of the Chimes

Julia Morgan's Moorish-Gothic labyrinth of fountains, trees, natural light and Oakland's notable dead.

Lake Merritt Bonsai Garden Entry

Oakland, California

Lake Merritt's Bonsai Garden

Bonsai garden in Oakland is curated by the first non-Japanese female bonsai master in the United States.

Heinold’s First and Last Chance 2007. (Wikimedia Commons)

Oakland, California

Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon

Dive bar built out of the remains of a whaling ship.

Mazzariello Labyrinth

Oakland, California

Mazzariello Labyrinth

Spiral labyrinth hidden in the hills above Oakland, CA.

Oakland, California

Jonestown Memorial

The memorial to the victims of the Jonestown Massacre carries the names of 918 lost, including one name people wish wasn't there.

Toking atop a mushroom

Oakland, California

Children's Fairyland

This Oakland fairytale kingdom, fiercely devoted to childlike whimsy, was an early inspiration for Disneyland.

Oakland, California

Dunsmuir-Hellman Historic Estate

Neoclassical Revival mansion and set of horror cult classic Phantasm.

Oakland, California

Kaiser Quarry Ruins

An abandoned car and strange wooden debris are among the scattered remains of the old sand and gravel quarry.

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Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Oakland

Heinold’s First and Last Chance 2007. (Wikimedia Commons)

Oakland, California

Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon

Dive bar built out of the remains of a whaling ship.

Inside of the market. (Ratto’s Market & Deli)

Oakland, California

Ratto's Market & Deli

International delicatessen has been owned and operated by the same family for more than 110 years.

Oakland, California

Wahpepah's Kitchen

This restaurant features Native American foods from across the country.

Names and messages left on the rock by passersby.

Oakland, California

Watermelon Rock

A unique piece of graffiti offers a little slice of local history and mystery.

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Stories About Oakland

William Selig’s 1898 short film Something Good-Negro Kiss is considered one of the earliest black films depicting black intimacy on screen.

7 Unforgettable Stories for Black History Month

Meet some of the artists, archivists, students, and descendants rediscovering and preserving the past.

February 22, 2023

Cowboy Jordan Miller rides in the Black Cowboy Association’s 45th annual parade, held in 2019 in Oakland.

Inside America's Premier Black Rodeo, A Celebration of Cowboy Culture

A photographer captures perseverance and pride over a decade of the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo.

by Gemma Tarlach

Podcast: Women of the Black Panther Mural

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.

by The Podcast Team

Podcast: Women of the Black Panther Mural

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.

by The Podcast Team

Clara Loeper’s remains were buried at—and stolen from—Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland, California.

The Unfortunately Action-Packed Afterlife of a California Grave-Robbery Victim

Nearly 140 years after being snatched, almost dissected, and eventually reburied, Clara Loeper may finally get a headstone.

by Erika Mailman

Behold: a minty-fresh monster.

Oakland's Favorite Monster Is Back—and Greener Than Ever

A restoration project has given a once-iconic sculpture a new lease on life.

by Sabrina Imbler

A design for the rebooted Doggie Diner that Atchley hopes to build.

The Quest to Revive the Bay Area's Fabled Doggie Diners

One man is determined to get these giant dachshunds smiling down on customers once more.

by Matthew Taub

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