A trip to... Oakland, California

Travel

Travel photos: A trip to... Oakland, California, August 2012.

It's not easy being Oakland, existing in the shadow of glamorous San Francisco. But this is no ugly stepsister of a city. Hey, it has its own pro sports teams, including the Athletics.

And some outlaws of another sort celebrated their 50th anniversary as Oakland denizens back in 2007.

But Oakland is much more than the A's, Raider Nation and the most noted home of the Hells Angels. The city enjoys its waterfront and you can, too, by GETTING INTO A GONDOLA: You can take a gondola -- yes, gondola -- ride from the Lake Chalet restaurant on Lake Merritt, which serves as a relaxing oasis near downtown.

SEE STARS: The city has a cultural scene all its own. If you're in town, why not catch a musical act at the renovated Fox Theater?

HIT THE (URBAN) WINE SCENE: Visit wine country, minus the country. Oakland is home to a number of urban wineries, many of them scattered along decidedly unromantic Fourth Street.

HAVE A WHALE OF A TIME: Traveling with kids? Take everyone to "Children's Fairyland" for some family fun.

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It's not easy being Oakland, existing in the shadow of glamorous San Francisco. But this is no ugly stepsister of a city. Hey, it has its own pro sports teams, including the Athletics.

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