Super Bowl 50 Cities: Oakland

Super Bowl 50 fans really lucked out this year. With the Big Game going down in Santa Clara, there’s plenty of great cities nearby (San Jose, San Francisco) to explore before and after the gridiron action. This time, it’s Oakland’s turn. Read on for some recs on where to eat, shop and play in this city by the bay:

Brew it Yourself: Diving Dog Brewery not only has local brews on tap, but can provide you with recipes to brew your own! Send them a custom graphic in advance for your bottles, and get your batch sent to you several weeks later. Now that’s a Super Bowl 50 souvenir.

Shop Local, and Vintage: Looking for some new old school kicks, or a retro tail gate ensemble? Get your shop on at Pretty Penny, which boasts some sweet sunglasses, 80’s metal band t-shirts, and designer dresses.

Best of the Taco Trucks: The local Oakland tourism board has done the hard work for you by taste testing and painstakingly ranking the best of Oakland’s Fruitvale area taco trucks. Feast on flavorful tacos al pastor or a fresh torta adorned with a dollop of crema fresca to fuel your Oakland adventure.

Join the Circus: Let the inner circus performer in you fly as you take a trapeze class at Trapeze Arts Inc. They also have trampolines, unicycles, and juggling equipment if heights aren’t your thing.

Get Blinded With Science: A Pink Floyd laser star show? A live planetarium with the cosmos swirling overhead? Yes please! The Chabot Science Museum is sure to stun you with state-of-the-art science and a whole lot of fun.

Doughnut Delights and Just-Right Java: Sample this famous Oakland bakery’s gourmet fluffy doughnuts filled with chocolate or vanilla cream at Doughnut Dolly’s, then head over to Peerless Coffee & Tea for a wide variety of caffeinated refreshments!

You’re not gonna want to miss this California city filled with charm and personality. With service on the Capitol Corridor and Coast Starlight, you can get to Oakland and all it has to offer in style and comfort. Then jump on the Capitol Corridor to the Big Game.

Have you been to Oakland? Tell us about it in the comments below!