As the city grew, one of its mayors gave it a treasure. Samuel Merritt, mayor from 1867 to 1869, proposed and funded a dam across a tidal slough at the heart of downtown, turning brackish marsh into a clean saltwater lake. In 1870 the state legislature declared it a refuge for the migrating birds of the Pacific Flyway that crowded its shores — the first official wildlife refuge in the United States. Lake Merritt has been the jewel of Oakland ever since: 155 acres and three and a half miles around, ringed by parkland and five little bird islands, still alive with herons, pelicans, and the great autumn flights, and a National Historic Landmark since 1963. A wild lake in the middle of a working city is a very Oakland kind of idea.
The Necklace of Lights — 126 lampposts and 3,400 bulbs — was first lit in 1925, went dark for the 1941 blackout, was relit in 1987, and turned 100 in 2025.
Why People Visit Oakland
Visitors come to Oakland for a Bay Area city with its own strong character: a wild lake at its center, redwood groves in the hills, a historic waterfront, and one of the most celebrated food scenes in California. The museums and Jack London Square sit minutes from the lake, and San Francisco is a quick trip across the bay. Equal parts oak-grove heritage and creative energy, Oakland rewards anyone drawn to the heart of the East Bay.
