Oakland, CA
oaklandnet.com

Children's Fairyland
699 Bellevue Avenue
Oakland, CA 94610.

Oakland, CA Parks, Lake Merritt

Oakland, Calif. --Lake Merritt is a unique fresh and salt-water lake crowned with lights. The largest such lake located within an urban area consists of 3.4 miles around the circumference of the lake, covering 155 acres of land.

Named after Dr. Samuel Merritt, once the mayor of Oakland who owned property at the shore's edge, this tidal lagoon was deemed historically significant as the United States' first official wildlife refuge in 1870. Dr. Merritt proposed to turn the lake into a wildlife refuge in 1869 so that no hunting would be allowed.

The Italianate Victorian Camron-Stanford House built in 1876 near the lake's western shore still stands as a timepiece to the era in which the lake was named.

Now known for its "Necklace of Lights" that surround and light up the lake at night, be sure to catch a sunset and see the beautiful display. The "necklace of lights" encircles Lake Merritt with 126 lampposts and 3,400 pearly bulbs, that were lit in 1925 but eventually faded during WWII. The lights were illuminated again in 1985.

An attraction near the lake is the Children's Fairyland -- a 10 acre park open to the public. It was built in 1950 in Lakeside Park and may have inspired Walt Disney's Disneyland empire.

Nearby parks and amenities include Snow Park with golf, walk or jog up and down the Cleveland Cascades, play a set of tennis at the Athol Tennis Courts, rent a kayak at the Lake Merritt Boating Center, read a book from the Main or Lakeview Library, and Children's Fairyland. oaklandnet.com

See more California City Parks

Oakland California Parks

25th St. Mini Park
25th St.
Oakland, CA

Facilities:
acres . 28

85th Ave. Mini Park
1712 85th Ave.
Oakland, CA 94621

Facilities:
acres . 33

88th Ave. Mini Park
1722 88th Ave.
Oakland, CA 94621

Facilities:
acres . 31

Allendale Park
3711 Suter St.
Oakland, CA 94619

Facilities:
acres 3.24

Arroyo Viejo Park
7701 Krause Ave.
Oakland, CA 94605

Facilities:
acres 18.75

Ave. Terrance Park
4369 Bennett Place
Oakland, CA 94602

Facilities:
acres . 93

Beaumont Park
Beaumont Ave. & East 38th St.
Oakland, CA

Bella Vista Park
1025 East 28th St.
Oakland, CA

Facilities:
acres 1.74

Brookdale Park
2535 High St.
Oakland, CA 94601

Facilities:
acres 4.66

Burckhalter Park
4062 Edwards Ave.
Oakland, CA 94605

Facilities:
acres 4.46

Bushrod Park
560 59th St.
Oakland, CA 94609

Facilities:
acres 10.12

Carney Park
10501 Acalanes Drive
Oakland, CA 94603

Facilities:
acres . 44

Central Reservoir Park
2506 East 29th St.
Oakland, CA 94602

Facilities:
acres 3.78

Cesar Chavez Park
Foothill Blvd.
Oakland, CA

Chabot Park
6850 Chabot Road
Oakland, CA 94618

Facilities:
acres 3.39

Channel Park
1 10th St. & 21 7th St.
Oakland, CA 94607

Facilities:
acres 4.49

Chinese Garden Park
7th St. & Harrison St.
Oakland, CA

Facilities:
acres 1.4

Clinton Square Park
1230 6th Ave.
Oakland, CA 94606

Facilities:
acres 1.85

Colby Park
61st & Colby St.
Oakland, CA

Facilities:
acres . 35

Coliseum Gardens Park
966 66th Ave.
Oakland, CA 94621

Facilities:
acres 4.85

Columbian Gardens Park
9920 Empire Road
Oakland, CA 94603

Facilities:
acres 2.33

Concordia Park
2901 64th Ave.
Oakland, CA

Facilities:
acres 3.51

Cresent Park
Chester St.
Oakland, CA

Facilities:
acres 2.03

Cypress Freeway Memorial Park
14th and Mandela Parkway
Oakland, CA 94607

DeFremery Park
1651 Adeline St.
Oakland, CA 94607

Facilities:
acres 9.4

Dimond Park
3860 Hanly Road
Oakland, CA 94602

Facilities:
acres 14.31

Hours of Operation
Monday 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Tuesday 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Wednesday 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Thursday 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Friday 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Saturday 9:30 am - 3:30 p.m.
Sunday Closed

Dunsmuir Estate Park
61 Covington St.
Oakland, CA 94605

Facilities:
acres 30.16

Durant Mini Park
29th St. & MLK Jr Way
Oakland, CA

Facilities:
acres . 32

Eastshore Park
550 El Embarcadero & Lakeshore Ave
Oakland, CA 94610

Facilities:
acres 4.47

Elmhurst Park
1800 98th Ave.
Oakland, CA 94603

Elmhurst Plaza Park

Facilities:
acres 2.01
9700 C St.
Oakland, CA 94603

Estuary Channel Park
5 Embarcadero
Oakland, CA 94606

Facilities:
acres 7.03

Fitzgerald Park
Fitzgerald St. & Peralta St.
Oakland, CA

FM Smith Park
1969 Park Blvd.
Oakland, CA 94606

Facilities:
acres 1.66

Hours of Operation
Monday 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Tuesday 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Wednesday 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Thursday 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Friday 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Saturday 1:00 - 5 p.m.
Sunday 1:00 - 3 p.m.

Foothill Meadows Extension
1600 38th Ave.
Oakland, CA 94601

Facilities:
acres . 19

Foothill Meadows Park
3705 Foothill Blvd.
Oakland, CA 94601

Facilities:
acres 1.62

Franklin Park
1010 East 15th St.
Oakland, CA 94606

Facilities:
acres 2.05

Fruitvale Bridge Park
3205 Alameda Ave.
Oakland, CA 94601

Facilities:
acres . 33

Garfield Park
2260 Foothill Blvd.
Oakland, CA 94606

Facilities:
acres 1.49

Glen Echo Park
Panama Court & Monte Vista Ave.
Oakland, CA

Facilities:
acres . 72

Grove Shafter Park
Martin Luther King Jr Way & 36th St.
Oakland, CA 94609

Facilities:
acres 5.55

Hardy Dog Park
491 Hardy St.
Oakland, CA 94618

Facilities:
acres 2.16

Helen McGregor Plaza Park
MLK Jr Way & 5210 West St.
Oakland, CA

Facilities:
acres . 3

Holly Mini Park
9830 Holly St.
Oakland, CA 94603

Facilities:
acres . 35

William Bill Patterson Park
Jefferson Square
618 Jefferson St.
Oakland, CA 94607

Facilities:
acres 1.42

Joaquin Miller Park
3590 Sanborn Drive
Oakland, CA 94602

Facilities:
acres 500

Kennedy Tract Park
26th Ave. & East 9th St.
Oakland, CA

Facilities:
acres 291

Lafayette Square Park
635 11th St.
Oakland, CA 94607

Facilities:
acres 1.42

Lakeside Park
666 Bellevue Ave.
Oakland, CA 94610

Facilities:
acres 75

Lazear Park
850 - 29th Ave.
Oakland, CA 94601

Facilities:
acres . 1

Lincoln Square Park
261 11th St.
Oakland, CA 94607

Facilities:
acres 1.38

Linden Park
998 42nd St.
Oakland, CA 94609

Facilities:
acres . 46

Lowell Park
1180 14th St.
Oakland, CA 94607

Facilities:
acres 8.74

Madison Square Park
810 Jackson St.
Oakland, CA 94607

Facilities:
acres 1.53

Mandana Plaza Park
600 Mandana Ave & Lakeshore Ave
Oakland, CA

Facilities:
acres . 53

Manzanita Park
2701 22nd Ave.
Oakland, CA 94606

Facilities:
acres 1

Marston Campbell Park
17th St. & West St.
Oakland, CA

Facilities:
acres 3.1

Maxwell Park
4618 Allendale Ave.
Oakland, CA 94619

Facilities:
acres 1.38

McClymonds Mini Park
2528 Linden St.
Oakland, CA 94607

Facilities:
acres . 24

McCrea Park
4460 Shepherd St.
Oakland, CA 94619

Facilities:
acres 4.82

Montclair Park
6300 Moraga Ave.
Oakland, CA 94611

Facilities:
acres 7.3

Morcom Rose Garden
All-American Rose Selections #9
700 Jean St.
Oakland, CA 94610

Facilities:
acres 7.76

Morgan Plaza Park
21st Ave. between E 26th St. & E 27th St.
Oakland, CA 94606

Mosswood Park
3612 Webster St.
Oakland, CA 94609

Facilities:
acres 11

Nicol Park
Nicol Ave. & Collidge Ave.
Oakland, CA

Facilities:
acres . 23

Oak Glen Park
3390 Richmond Blvd.
Oakland, CA

Facilities:
acres 2.79

Oak Park
3239 Kempton Ave.
Oakland, CA

Facilities:
acres . 53

Ostrander Park
6151 Broadway Terrace
Oakland, CA 94618

Facilities:
acres 2.4

Park Blvd. Plaza Park
2100 Park Blvd.
Oakland, CA

Facilities:
acres . 76

Peralta Hacienda Park
2500 34th Ave.
Oakland, CA 94601

Facilities:
acres 4.47

Peralta Oaks Park

Facilities:
acres 3.8

Peralta Oaks & 106th Ave.
Oakland, CA

Peralta Park
94 East 10th St.
Oakland, CA

Facilities:
acres 4.08

Piedmont Plaza Park
4182 Piedmont Ave.
Oakland, CA 94611

Facilities:
acres . 03

Pine Knoll Park

Facilities:
acres 1.33
Lakeshore Ave & Hanover Ave
Oakland, CA

Pinto Park
5000 Redwood Road
Oakland, CA 94619

Facilities:
acres 3.57

Poplar Park
3131 Union St.
Oakland, CA 94607

Facilities:
acres 2.5

Rainbow Park
5800 International Blvd.
Oakland, CA 94621

Facilities:
acres 2.44

Rancho Peralta Park
34 East 10th St.
Oakland, CA

Redwood Heights Park
3883 Aliso Ave.
Oakland, CA 94619

Facilities:
acres 2.93

Rockridge Park
6090 Rockridge Blvd.
Oakland, CA 94618

Facilities:
acres . 28

Saint Andrews Park
32nd St. & San Pablo Ave.
Oakland, CA

Facilities:
acres . 17

San Antonio Park
1701 East 19th St.
Oakland, CA 94606

Facilities:
acres 11.62

Sanborn Park
1637 Fruitval Ave.
Oakland, CA 94601

Facilities:
acres 1.91

Sequoia Lodge Park
2666 Mountain Blvd.
Oakland, CA 94611

Facilities:
acres 11.67

Sheffield Village Park
247 Marlow Drive
Oakland, CA 94605

Facilities:
acres 1.34

Snow Park
19th St. & Harrison St.
Oakland, CA

Facilities:
acres 4.2

Sobrante Park
470 El Paseo Drive
Oakland, CA 94603

Facilities:
acres 4.69

South Prescott Park
3rd St. /Chester Ave.
Oakland, CA 94607

Splash Pad Park
Grand Ave. & Lakepark
Oakland, CA

Facilities:
acres . 62

Stonehurst Park
10315 E St.
Oakland, CA

Facilities:
acres 2.67

Tassafaronga Park
85th Ave. & E St.
Oakland, CA

Facilities:
acres 2.5

Temescal Creek Park
Cavour & Clifton St.
Oakland, CA

Union Plaza
3399 Peralta St.
Oakland, CA 94608

Facilities:
acres . 42

Union Point Park
2311 Embarcadero
Oakland, CA 94606

Vantage Point Park
1198 13th Ave.
Oakland, CA 94606

Facilities:
acres . 4

Verdese Carter Park
9600 Sunnyside St.
Oakland, CA 94603

Facilities:
acres 3.36

Wade Johnson Park
1250 Kirkham St.
Oakland, CA 94607

Facilities:
acres 2.52

William "Bill" Patterson Park
(formally Ira Jinkins)
9175 Edes Ave.
Oakland, CA 94601

Facilities:
acres 14


Willow Mini Park
14th St. & Willow St.
Oakland, CA

Facilities:
acres . 94

Wood Park
2920 McKillop Road
Oakland, CA 94602

Facilities:
acres 5.54

Hardy Dog Park
491 Hardy St. , Oakland, CA 94618

Hardy Dog Park is an enclosed, fenced, off-leash dog park that spans 2.16 acres along Hardy St. and Claremont Ave. in the Rockridge District. Underneath the freeway (Highway 24), it serves as an ideal location for dogs to play in a shaded area and to bark loudly without disturbing the peace. There is also green grass and open space outside of the enclosed dog park, but dogs are to remain on leash once outside of the fenced area of the park. There is off-site and St. parking available. The City of Oakland prohibits dogs in all wildlife, natural areas, ball fields, schools, playgrounds and parks with few exceptions.

Recreation Centers
The City of Oakland, Office of Parks and Recreation (OPR) operates 22 community-based Recreation Centers spanning the entire City. Free and low-cost programs for people of all ages and backgrounds are offered in recreation, sports, arts and culture, computers, general learning, after-school activities and more.

Allendale
3711 Suter St.
(510) 535-5635

Arroyo Viejo
7701 Krause Ave.
(510) 615-5755

Brookdale
2535 High St.
(510) 535-5632

Bushrod
560 - 59th St.
(510) 597-5031

Carmen Flores
1637 Fruitvale Ave.
(510) 535-5631

deFremery
1651 Adeline St.
(510) 238-7739

Dimond
3860 Hanly Road
(510)482-7831

Discovery Center
2521 High St.
(510) 535-5657

FM Smith
1969 Park Blvd.
(510) 238-7742

Franklin
1010 East 15th St.
(510) 238-7741

Golden Gate
1075 - 62nd St.
(510) 597-5032

Ira Jinkins
9175 Edes Ave.
(510) 615-5959

Lake Merritt
Boating Center
568 Bellevue Ave.
(510) 238-2196

Lincoln Square
250 - 10th St.
(510) 238-7738

Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts
1428 Alice St.
(510) 238-7219

Manzanita
2701 - 22nd Ave.
(510) 535-5625

Montclair
6300 Moraga Ave.
(510) 482-7812

Mosswood
3612 Webster St.
(510) 597-5038

Poplar
3131 Union St.
(510) 597-5042

Rainbow
5800 International Blvd
(510) 615-5751

Redwood Heights
3883 Aliso Ave.
(510) 482-7827

Rotary Nature Center
600 Bellevue Ave.
(510) 238-3739

San Antonio
1701 East 19th St.
(510) 535-5608

Sheffield Village
247 Marlow Drive
(510) 638-7190

Studio One
1428 Alice St.
(510) 597-5027

Tassafaronga
975 - 85th Ave.
(510) 615-5764

Verdese Carter
9600 Sunnyside St.
(510) 615-5758