Frommer's San Francisco 2012 - Matthew Poole [194]
Jack London Square is at Broadway and Embarcadero. Take I-880 to Broadway, turn south, and drive to the end. Or you can ride BART to 12th Street station and then walk south along Broadway (about half a mile). Or take bus no. 72R or 72M to the foot of Broadway.
Oakland Museum of California ★ Two blocks south of Lake Merritt, the Oakland Museum of California incorporates just about everything you’d want to know about the state and its people, history, culture, geology, art, environment, and ecology. Inside a low, modern building set among sweeping gardens and terraces, it’s actually three museums in one: exhibitions of works by California artists from Bierstadt to Diebenkorn; collections of historic artifacts, from Pomo Indian basketry to Country Joe McDonald’s guitar; and re-creations of California habitats from the coast to the Sierra Mountains. The museum holds major shows of California artists as well as exhibitions dedicated to California’s rich nature and history. Two new exhibit halls—the Gallery of California Art and the Gallery of California History—opened in spring of 2010, showcasing thousands of artworks and artifacts.
Forty-five-minute guided tours leave from the gallery information desks on request or by appointment. There’s a fine cafe, a Collector’s Gallery ( 510/834-2296) that sells works by California artists, and a museum shop. The cafe is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10:30am to 4pm, Sunday from 1:30 to 4pm.
1000 Oak St. (at 10th St.). 510/238-2200. www.museumca.org. Admission $8 adults, $5 students and seniors, free for children 5 and under. 2nd Sun of the month is free (special exhibitions excepted). Wed–Sat 10am–5pm (until 9pm 1st Fri of the month); Sun noon–5pm. Closed Jan 1, July 4, Thanksgiving, and Dec 25. BART: Lake Merritt station; follow the signs posted in the station. From I-880 N., take the Oak St. exit; the museum is 5 blocks east. Or take I-580 to I-980 and exit at the Jackson St. ramp.
THE USS POTOMAC: FDR’s floating white house
It took the Potomac Association’s hundreds of volunteers more than 12 years—at a cost of $5 million—to restore the 165-foot presidential yacht Potomac, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s beloved “Floating White House.” Now a proud and permanent memorial berthed at the Port of Oakland’s FDR Pier at Jack London Square, the revitalized Potomac is open to the public for dockside tours, as well as 2-hour History Cruises along the San Francisco waterfront and around Treasure and Alcatraz islands. Prior to departure, a 15-minute video, shown at the nearby Potomac Visitor Center, provides background on FDR’s presidency and FDR’s legacy concerning the Bay Area.
The dockside tours are available year-round on Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am to 2:30pm, and on Sundays from noon to 3pm. Admission is $10 for ages 13 to 59, $8 for seniors age 60 and over, and free for children age 12 and under. The History Cruise runs on Thursdays and Saturdays from early May to mid-November; the departure time is 11am. History Cruise fares are $45 for ages 13 to 59, $40 for seniors 60 and older, $25 for children 6 to 12, and free for kids 5 and under. Due to the popularity of the cruises, advance purchase is strongly recommended.
Hours and cruise schedules are subject to change, so be sure to call the Potomac Visitor Center before arriving. Tickets for the Dockside Tour can be purchased at the Visitor Center upon arrival; tickets for the History Cruise can be purchased in advance via Ticketweb ( 866/468-3399; www.ticketweb.com) or by calling the Potomac Visitor Center ( 510/627-1215; www.usspotomac.org). The Visitor Center is located at 540 Water St., at the corner of Clay and Water streets adjacent to the FDR pier at the north end of Jack London Square.
Where to Stay
Two fine midrange hotel options in Oakland are the Waterfront Hotel, 10 Washington St., Jack London Square (www.jdvhotels.com/hotels/waterfront; 888/842-5333 or 510/836-3800), and the Oakland Marriott City Center, 1001 Broadway (www.marriott.com; 800/228-9290 or 510/451-4000; fax 510/835-3466). Most major motel