Rosalind Washington - Home Away From Home

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.

"Eeny, meeny, miny, moe" East Bay Regional Parks operates 65 parks, spanning over 100,000 acres that run across two Oakland districts. There are more than 1,150 miles of trails throughout the park for outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy hiking, bicycling, and or just relaxing in beautiful natural surroundings.

Trace the Pardee family tree at the Pardee Home Museum. The museum tells the story of three generations of the Pardee family who lived at the residence for more than one hundred years and had their hands in everything from gold to politics. Stroll through the impressive home and gardens, sip tea on the veranda and shop at the gift shop.

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.