The California Trail expansion is a transformational project that opened last year at the Oakland Zoo. Its design gives viewers an interpretation of one of the stories of change in California with an emphasis on human influence on the San Francisco Bay area ecology.
“Through live native animal and plant exhibits, the zoo highlights the delicate balance between plants, animals and humans—and the impact of change on all three,” says Visit Oakland’s Allie Neal.
Zoo-goers can also hop into the gondola and see camels, elephants and bison from above—along with a view of six counties in the Bay Area. The gondola is the first of its kind in California and can fit up to eight people at a time for a four-minute ride up.
Another option is Local Food Adventures’ all-new Jack London Food Tour, which starts in San Francisco with a taste of one of the Ferry Building’s many culinary offerings. Participants then will board the ferry and head over to Oakland, taking in views of Alcatraz Island and the Bay Bridge.
The next stops are the historical warehouse district and the newly founded Jack London Brewing District, where guests will experience the local food and spirits scene and the artist community against the East Bay backdrop.
And Visit Oakland’s latest launch is the “Oakland Style” shopping campaign, which aims to showcase the city’s fashion diversity through a digital guide. It promotes local designers and boutiques, and the guide is organized into five styles: Town Pride, Vintage and Consignment, A Night on The Town, Elevated Style and Lakeside Lounging.
For more information, contact Neal or go to visitoakland.org.
Top photo: The Oakland Zoo’s gondola ride offers visitors a view from above.
Photo by Visit Oakland
Support for Courier articles provided by:
Fairfield Conference & Visitors Bureau
The Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
Sensorio
UC Santa Barbara Conference and Hospitality Services
