Things to Do Near Jack London Square
Sure, walking the calm, waterfront atmosphere of Jack London Square is nice, but you don’t want to leave your experience there totally up to chance. There are plenty of interesting cultural sights to see and fun things to do, but you have to know where to look. Check out these interesting attractions, and you’ll be sure to maximize your time in Oakland’s historic port district.
Fun Activities & Cultural Attractions
Jack London’s Cabin: Okay, it’s really only half of London’s original Yukon cabin, but who’s keeping track? When London’s actual cabin was found from his trip to the Yukon gold rush, the city of Oakland and Canada both wanted it. The logical solution? Cut it in half. You can tour the re-created version that was constructed with half the original materials at Webster and Water St., next to Heinold’s Saloon.
U.S.S. Potomac: If you’re in the square in the summer, you can see the docked U.S.S. Potomac, Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s floating getaway of choice. In the winter months and during some holidays, the yacht cruises around, and it’ll take you along too, but for a pretty penny. Tours, however, are much more cost effective. The yacht was refurbished for $5 million and opened to the public as an homage to WWII, the Great Depression, and FDR in 1995.
California Canoe and Kayaking: You can depart the square in a much smaller vessel than the Potomac if you’re feeling adventurous. A private Oakland estuary tour in a canoe or kayak will run you $59, or you can take a class in the estuary for the same amount if you’d rather work on your skills first.
Museum of Children’s Art: Touring the square with little ones in tow? You should definitely consider stopping by this amazing children’s art museum. This hands-on museum lets kids paint, glue, cut, sculpt, and generally have a great time. The museum is closed Mondays, open 10-3 on weekdays, and 12-4 on weekends. Admission is $8 for kids if they want to make art, but viewing the gallery is free.
Oakland Metro Opera House: In desperate need of some culture? The Oakland Metro Opera House is home to Oakland Opera Theater, which puts on interesting and unusual shows. Their most recent production was Dark River, an opera about Fannie Lou Hamer, a civil rights activist.
Bay Area Bikes: There’s nothing like a beautiful day in the San Francisco Bay Area, and in Oakland, you don’t have to worry about those hourly rolls of fog that they get across the bay. Consider renting a bike and taking a cruise around the San Francisco Bay Trail, or try a more strenuous ride into the hills behind Oakland. You can rent form Bay Area Bikes right in Jack London Square, with hourly rates around $10 and daily rates at $25-30.
Sources:
Play/Enjoy. (2011) JackLondonSquare.com
East Bay: Jack London Square. (2002) SFGate.
