Whether you’re an Oakland native or a guest here to explore the city, there are just some things you might not know about Oakland. Today, we are going to talk about 10 fun facts about the beautiful, diverse, and buzzing city by the Bay.

1. Diversity

If you take a walk around the large sprawling city, we are talking about 54 square miles, you will notice that Oakland is diverse and we are proud of it. Did you know that it is the most diverse city in the US when measured by social, ethno-racial, economic, and household factors? This is pretty amazing right?

2. Hip Hop‍

Hip Hop has a deep history here in Oakland. It was here that Tupac Shakur worked with some of the biggest names in the area: Mac Dre, E-40, Too $hort and Richie Rich to help develop Bay Area’s music scene. You can even learn more about it right now at the Oakland Museum of California’s current exhibit “Respect: Hip-Hop Style and Wisdom”.

3. Gnomes

​Oakland is a Gnome Home. There are over 2,300 little painted gnomes throughout the city. They are painted on small blocks of wood usually at the bottoms of trees or utility poles. How many can you spot on your Oakland adventure?

4. Parks

‍Love picnics in parks? Oakland has 80 to choose from!

5. Oak-ness Monster

‍There is such a thing as the Oak-ness Monster, which makes its home in the only natural salt-water lake in a city, Lake Merritt! It’s been spotted in the lake as early as the 1940s. According to reports from people who have seen it, look for a slow, rolling bubble on the surface of the water, then a dragon’s head attached to an eel’s body.  Have a drink on the docs at Lake Chalet. It’s the best place to spot it!

6. Lake Merritt‍

While we are on the topic of Lake Merritt, did you know that the distance around the whole lake is 3.1 miles! It takes about 45 minutes to an hour to walk the entire perimeter. Now that you know, when are you going to set aside an hour to enjoy the beautiful stroll around Oakland’s most popular lake?

7. Bonsai Garden‍

Oakland has its own Bonsai Garden. It’s located near Lake Merritt’s Lakeside Park. It opened back in 1999. In need of a peaceful walk to clear your head and learn about the history of bonsai trees? This place is the ticket.

8. Religious Diversity

‍There are over 600 churches and temples representing almost all faiths!

9. Sports

‍Oakland is home to the Golden State Warriors, The Oakland Athletics, and the Oakland Raiders! Don’t miss catching at least one game on your visit!

10. ​Disney's Inspiration‍

And last but definitely not least, some popular artists got their inspiration from Oakland’s interesting sights and places. Walt Disney was inspired by our very own Children’s Fairyland and built Disneyland in which millions of people visit each year! Take your kiddos and see if you can spot any similarities! Also hear about Star Wars? George Lucas got his inspiration for AT-ATs in “Empire Strikes Back” from the cranes at docks of Oakland. Visit Jack London Square for the best views of them and let your imagination run wild!