OtterKnow Kids Encyclopedia

Lake Merritt is a large saltwater lake right in the middle of the city. You can walk around it, feed the ducks and geese, or visit a little island called Children’s Fairyland, which is a storybook theme park made just for kids! The Oakland Zoo has over 850 animals, including elephants, giraffes, and a big California Trail section with bears and mountain lions. Jack London Square is a waterfront area near the bay with restaurants and fun things to do.

The Ohlone people lived in the Oakland area for thousands of years before European settlers arrived. They fished in the bay and gathered acorns from the oak trees. Oakland became an official city in 1852, during the California Gold Rush. The city grew quickly because it was the western end of the Transcontinental Railroad, the first train line that connected the east and west coasts of America.

• Lake Merritt was the first official wildlife refuge in the United States, created way back in 1870!
• Children’s Fairyland in Oakland inspired Walt Disney to create Disneyland.
• The Bay Bridge that connects Oakland to San Francisco is about 4.5 miles long.
• Oakland has over 100 neighborhoods, each with its own personality.
• BART trains travel through the longest underwater transit tunnel in North America to get from Oakland to San Francisco.