While San Francisco has long dominated the tourism conversation for North Bay locals, there are incredible sites across the Bay Bridge that are truly worthy of discovery. If you are looking for a cultured day out, I highly recommend making your way to Oakland to explore its unique blend of world-class art and a food scene that is currently the talk of the country.
Discover a Local Treasure: The OMCA
If you have not been to the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA), you are missing a true California treasure. The museum’s staggering collection includes more than two million objects devoted to the art, history, and natural environment of our state. It is curated specifically to reflect California’s vast cultural, artistic, and biological diversity.
The collection’s scope is truly astonishing:
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California Art: Over 90,000 works by California artists ranging from the late 18th century to the present.
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History and People: Nearly two million artifacts and photographs documenting the state's history and peoples.
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Natural Sciences: More than 100,000 natural specimens, images, and sound recordings representing California's unique species and environments.
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Diverse Media: Among the collection, you’ll find everything from paintings, sculpture, and furniture to Indigenous items, machinery, geology, and digital time-based media.
At any given time, approximately 4,000 of these objects are on view within the three core galleries: California Art, History, and Natural Sciences. For those who want to explore even further, more than 300,000 additional items are available to browse online.
Oakland: The Best Food City in the U.S.
I bet you did not know this: Oakland is a renowned culinary powerhouse! In fact, Condé Nast Traveler has named Oakland the BEST FOOD CITY IN THE UNITED STATES—FOR TWO YEARS IN A ROW!
This year's ranking was decided by a massive reader turnout, with over 757,000 votes cast in the 38th annual Readers’ Choice Awards survey—a significant jump from the previous year’s 575,000 votes. According to the Condé Nast Traveler story, "there’s no wrong neighborhood from which to start exploring Oakland’s staggeringly diverse food scene".
Celebrating Local Winners
Oakland's dominance is backed by a wave of recent accolades for its local chefs and restaurants:
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Burdell: Named "Restaurant of the Year" by Food & Wine and further anointed this year as the "best U.S. restaurant".
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Joodooboo: Chef Steve Joo of this Korean spot was named one of Food & Wine's "best new chefs of 2025".
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Sun Moon Studio: This West Oakland fine-dining destination recently received its first Michelin star.
Outshining the Competition
To take the top spot, Oakland beat out legendary food meccas and major cities across the country. This year, San Francisco also made the list, landing at No. 5. Other celebrated food cities on the 2025 list include:
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New Orleans
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Chicago
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Nashville
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Charleston, South Carolina
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Milwaukee, New York City, and Seattle
Whether you are looking to immerse yourself in the material legacy of California at the OMCA or want to indulge in some of the country's most celebrated cooking, Oakland is the perfect destination to add a bit of culture and spice to your weekend.