Christel Clear

It's a race to the finish line at the International Dragon Boat Festival. Come watch spectacular boats adorned with colorful dragon heads and tails manned with 20 or more paddlers as they reenact a Chinese tradition to appease the river dragons. Today it's one of the fastest growing watersports in the world.

Kids go wild at the Oakland Zoo! Especially when nose to nose with a giraffe, paw to paw with a tiger, singing with the birds, and hanging with the monkeys. Enjoy a fun day exploring the attractions at a wild kingdom that sprawls across more than one hundred wild acres of natural habitat, home to over 440 native and exotic animals.

Birds of a feather flock together at the Lake Merritt. The unique fresh and salt water lake is home to the oldest wildlife and bird sanctuary in North America. Spend time at Oakland's treasured waterfront traveling across 155 acres of land, ideal for nature lovers and fans of bayfront views.