Oakland Walks

For longtime residents and visitors alike, twenty self-guided walking tours celebrate Oakland's awe-inspiring architecture, history, and natural beauty.

Bold, beautiful, and endlessly surprising, Oakland is a city rich with history, art, and activism, where every neighborhood has a story to tell. Oakland Walks invites you to experience the remarkable character of this place—known affectionately to locals as the Town—one step at a time.

Created by the authors of the much-admired Berkeley Walks, this engaging guide draws on decades of research and local expertise leading walking tours and studying Oakland's history. Twenty self-guided walks—plus special sections for destination spots such as Lake Merritt—lead you through grand civic landmarks, hidden stairways, lively commercial districts, and historic neighborhoods. Fall in love with Julia Morgan's iconic architecture, trace the legacy of the Black Panther Party in West Oakland, step back in time to the Peralta family's nineteenth-century hacienda in Fruitvale, and wander the leafy paths and secret lanes of Rockridge and Montclair.

Along the way, you'll encounter Oakland's extraordinary architectural heritage, from downtown Beaux-Arts and Art Deco masterpieces to the Victorian homes, Tudor revivals, and Craftsman bungalows that stretch from the flatlands to the hills. Each walk includes a detailed map, historical insights, and archival photographs that bring the Town's stories to life. A treasure trove for curious longtime residents, and a perfect introduction for visitors, Oakland Walks is an indispensable companion for exploring the people, places, and stories that have shaped this dynamic and deeply loved city.