Made up of hillside neighborhoods and a vibrant waterfront, Oakland claims 19 miles of shoreline along the San Francisco Bay and more parks and open space per capital than any other city in the Bay Area. It's a California meeting destination with strong culture, beautiful landscape- and a terrific business climate. There are many venues in Oakland to welcome groups.
The gateway to San Francisco and the East Bay, Oakland International Airport is located less than 7 miles away from the Oakland Convention Center. The airport serves more than nine million passengers per year on its 12 airlines. Once in Oakland, visitors can easily travel the city via bus, train, car and ferry.
The largest of Oakland meeting venues, the Oakland Convention Center, is downtown- within blocks of the waterfront, Jack London Square and near shopping and dining destinations. The Oakland Convention Center features 64,000 square feet of exhibition and meeting space. The center adjoins the 483-room Oakland Marriott City Center, which offers an additional 25,000 square feet of meeting space. Guests can gather in the center's 12 meeting rooms and the adjoining 10 boardroom and hospitality suites, as well as three ballrooms, including a rooftop ballroom with fantastic views of the San Francisco Bay.
Oakland event venues range from museums to historic estates. Guests can get even closer to the Bay by gathering at such Oakland event venues as the USS Potomac. Deemed the "floating White House," the USS Potomac served as Franklin Delano Roosevelt's presidential yacht until 1945. The 165-foot-long vessel has been carefully restored to celebrate Roosevelt's legacy and serve as a floating venue for both public and private cruises. Another fantastic Oakland event venue, the beautiful Art Deco Paramount Theater, is one of the Bay Area's premier entertainment venues, hosting symphony, ballet and film productions, as well as private events for up to 3,000 guests.
Additional Oakland event meeting venues include the East Bay's Dunsmuir-Hellman Historic Estate, which sits on 50 acres of ground that include a duck pond, gazebo, carriage house and garden pavilion. Meeting participants may also gather at such Oakland cultural venues as the beautiful Oakland Museum of California and exciting Chabot Space and Science Center.
Oakland restaurants with private dining space include Levende East, which focuses on New American cuisine infused with flavors from Latin America, the Mediterranean and Asia. The waterfront Miss Pearl's Jam House features live music and comedy, while serving up Southern fare with a modern touch. Nestled in the Oakland Hills neighborhood, Montclair Bistro boasts French provincial architecture, while Pican pairs Southern tradition with Californian cosmopolitan, serving up the most comprehensive bourbon selection in the Bay Area.
