The Hidden Treasure Corner

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.

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.

Pick up tickets to the Oakland Ballet. From opening night to closing night, you'll be poised to experience classical ballet entertainment, including performances of favorites like The Nutcracker. The stunning shows are made even more dramatic by the accompaniment of the Oakland East Bay Symphony. Your trip to the ballet will be made even more memorable because the performances are at the historic Paramount Theater.

Feel zen at the Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt. The garden contains one of the most beautiful open-air bonsai collections in the nation, with more than 150 outstanding bonsai trees. Tour this and other rare spectacular garden wonders such as a Japanese Garden, Mediterranean Garden, and Rhododendron Garden.