Oakland Travel Guide
Oakland (IPA: [oʊklɛnd]), founded in 1852, is the eighth-largest city in the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Alameda County. Oakland is located in Northern California in the San Francisco Bay Area, the sixth most populated metropolitan area in the United States.
Oakland is a major West Coast port, and is home to several Fortune 500 companies including Kaiser Permanente and Clorox, as well as corporate headquarters for national retailers like Dreyer's and Cost Plus World Markets.
Rand McNally named Oakland as having the best weather in the United States, as Oakland averages sunshine 73% of all daylight hours. For this reason, Oakland has earned the nickname "The Bright Side of the Bay". According to the U.S. 2000 census, Oakland (along with Long Beach, California) are the most ethnically diverse cities in America, with over 125 languages spoken in Oakland. Attractions include Jack London Square, the Oakland Museum of California, Lake Merritt and Chinatown.
