Oakland is one of the most diverse cities in the United States, and the different parts of Oakland are as diverse as its residents. From quaint, hill villages to the thriving, urban downtown, Oakland is quite the melting pot of people, cuisine, and neighborhoods.

Downtown/City Center

Downtown Oakland has undergone a sort of revitalization in past years, and is now a thriving business and cultural center for not only the city, but the whole Bay Area. Oakland's downtown encompasses a good amount of historical interest too, with Old Oakland (between Broadway, Clay, Seventh and 10th streets), which features Victorian buildings dating back to the 19th Century, Preservation Park, and the historic Paramount Theater.

Jack London Square

One of the most popular attractions in Oakland, Jack London Square is located along the waterfront, at the end of Broadway. Named after the famed Call of the Wild author Jack London, the waterfront promenade is home to the cabin in which the author lived during his time in Alaska (now, relocated, of course), which sightseers can now visit and toss a coin in for luck. A beautiful shopping district now with views of the bay and Alameda Island, Jack London square offers a host of entertainment, shopping and dining opportunities, most notably, the well-known Yoshi's restaurant and jazz club. Jack London Square is also the home to several new loft buildings as well as Oakland's Amtrak train station.

Chinatown

Oakland's Chinatown is one of the oldest and most authentic Chinatowns in the United States, dating back to the mid 19th Century. Located right next to downtown, the borders of Chinatown run from 12th Street in the north, to Oak Street to the east, I-880 in the south and the entrance to the Webster Tube (to Alameda). Chinatown includes a more residential section as well as a bustling commercial section, which centers mainly around the Pacific Renaissance Plaza, at 10th and Webster Streets, and includes almost every kind of shop imaginable, as well as some incredible food. Although called Chinatown, the area is actually and incredibly diverse Pan-Asian community, with residents hailing from everywhere from Japan and Korea to Vietnam and Cambodia.

Lake Merritt

Lake Merritt was originally the United States' first wildlife refuge, and today is an Oakland landmark, around which many smaller areas are centered. The Lake Merritt neighborhood includes Grand Avenue, best known for the historic Grand Lake Theater and its Mighty Wurlitzer Organ, as well as Lakeshore Avenue which is packed full of great restaurants and shopping, and Adams Point, a mostly residential area. The lake also serves as a popular walking or hiking route, totaling 3.5 miles around. The lake is also surrounded by various parks as well as Laney College, and the Oakland Museum of California. If you're with the young ones, check out Children's Fairyland, America's oldest fairy-tale theme park. And don't miss Lake Merritt at night, when you can see its necklace of lights reflecting on the water.

Piedmont Avenue

Named after the neighboring city of Piedmont, which is completely surrounded by Oakland, Piedmont Avenue is a charming, slightly upscale dining and shopping district. Also home to the Oakland branch of Kaiser Permanente Hospital, the neighborhood is generally accepted as being bordered by Broadway, Oakland Avenue, the City of Piedmont and the Mountain View Cemetery. Piedmont Avenue is where you will find the locally famous Fenton's Creamery, as well as the equally famous Bay Wolf restaurant. Aside from eating, there is also an abundance of small boutique shops, as well as the Piedmont Theatre.

Rockridge/College Avenue

Rockridge/College Avenue Shopping District has everything: cute shops, boutiques, markets and restaurants stretching for almost a mile from Alcatraz Street until College Avenue ends at The California College of Arts and Crafts campus; homes run west towards the freeway and east into the hills. Cute without being cloying, bustling Rockridge is a vital and racially diverse neighborhood with one of the most intriguing commercial districts in the East Bay.

Food is king in Rockridge: The European-influenced Rockridge Market Hall is a labyrinth of stalls selling exquisite stuffed pastas, olive oil, imported cheese, fresh-baked bread, teas, coffees, fish, wine, meat, beautiful produce, and flowers. Rockridge Market Hall and La Farine are nearby Rockridge bakeries with ardent followings. Oliveto Cafe & Restaurant, Garibaldi's and other Rockridge restaurants have made their mark on the Bay Area's culinary map as well. Domestic comfort is another Rockridge speciality. For comfy clothes for grown-ups and kids, visit Cotton Basics, Cotton and Company, the Birkenstock Connection, and the two Baby World stores. The Claremont Rug Company and Hazara Gallery both sell fine, collectible rugs, and Fenton MacLaren and Rockridge Antiques carry solidly crafted American wood furniture.

Temescal

What was not too long ago a rather run-down, unexciting area, has been transformed into the ever growing and developing Temescal district. Now known as Oakland's Gourmet Ghetto, up and coming chefs have been flocking to this area around Telegraph Avenue and 51st Street to set up shop. New, innovative restaurants like Pizzaiolo and Dona Tomas mingle with longstanding neighborhood favorites like Genova Delicatessan to create a vibrant neighborhood which is quickly becoming home to hipsters, yuppies, and punks alike.

Montclair

The Montclair District, which encompasses both residential areas as well as the central Montclair Business District also known as Montclair Village, is situated at the base of the Oakland Hills and up, and is bordered by Highways 24 and 13, Skyline Boulevard and Joaquin Miller Road. Besides being a nice, compact and walkable area to stroll or shop in, Montclair also features Montclair Park, complete with a large pond home to numerous ducks, as well as several more unique play structures for the kids. Situated right next to the park is the historic firehouse designed by famed Bay Area architect Julia Morgan, in the Hansel and Gretel style. In fact, Montclair is home to many fairy-tale inspired houses, which can be seen all over in the village, as well as farther up into the hills. Oakland Hills/Mills

Mostly residential, the hills of Oakland over to the area around Mills College (a historic all women's college which dates back to the founding of Oakland), boast incredible views of the San Francisco Bay and city at all hours of the day and night. However, despite its mostly residential status, the Hills are home to several not-to-miss attractions such as the Oakland Zoo, the Dunsmuir House & Gardens and the Chabot Space & Science Center, among others.

Airport

The flatlands around the Oakland International Airport are home to various travel-convenient hotels, as well as the Oracle Arena & McAfee Coliseum, home to the Oakland Athletics baseball team, Oakland Raiders NFL team, and the Golden State Warriors basketball team. And while this area is not as attraction packed as other areas of the city, it does contain a fairly large concentration of accommodations convenient to the airport, and catching an Oakland sporting event is an exciting experience you won't easily find elsewhere.