Friday: Dinner and a Movie
Arriving in Oakland on Friday, check in to your hotel! Oakland has a hotel for every taste and budget. Plan your stay using Visit Oakland’s hotel finder tool. Because the Oakland Pride Parade and Festival is Downtown, a hotel in the Downtown, Uptown or Jack London districts will be most convenient, and any hotel near BART will allow you to reach Downtown without driving or using rideshare.
Begin your Oakland Pride weekend with dinner and a movie! You can often find LGBTQ+-centric cinema at Oakland’s art-house movie theaters, including the Victorian-era Piedmont Theater, the extravagant Grand Lake Theater, or the unique New Parkway. The New Parkway sits close to the femme, queer and trans bar and eatery There/There, as well as the lively, vegan-friendly Beeryland.
Or head to Uptown for an only-in-Oakland meal at popular progressive Afghan restaurant Jaji. Inventive signature cocktails pair with aromatic dishes that combine the rich, fusion flavors of Afghan cuisine with modern techniques and concepts. The menu primarily offers smaller plates, which is perfect because you’ll want to try as many tasty courses as you can!
Saturday: Out on the Town
Start your Saturday with brunch at gay-owned Home of Chicken and Waffles in the Jack London District, a long walk or a short bus ride (#12 or #72) from Broadway. Enjoy their signature dish of fried chicken over waffles, and pair with a sweet-tea-inspired cocktail for the full Southern experience!
Stock up on everything you need for a picnic at Lake Merritt by visiting queer woman-owned Howden Market, a charming gourmet liquor and convenience store at 17th and Webster, just a few blocks from Lakeside Park.The large selection of wine, beer, bottled cocktails, gourmet sodas, snacks and cheeses will fill your picnic basket (or tote bag). Good picnic spots at Lake Merritt include near the intersection of Harrison and 20th Streets, and behind the Fairyland sign near Bay Place.
After - or during - your picnic, visit the Gardens at Lake Merritt, which have long enjoyed a relationship with Oakland’s LGBTQ+ community as volunteers and patrons. Stop for a photo at the colorful entrance to Children's Fairyland, where rainbow letters spelling "Fairy" make for a fun Instagram post.
Next, go to the Lakeshore Business District in the Grand Lake neighborhood, Oakland’s official LGBTQ cultural district. It’s home to Oakland’s LGBTQ Center, the forthcoming Lavender Lounge queer gathering space, the Queer Arts Center, and many restaurants, bars and shops. Consider going to mid-century jewel box Bardo Lounge & Supper Club for classic cocktails or a decadent dinner in an elegant setting. For a more casual outing, try Bay Area favorite Dumpling Hours for handmade dumplings and noodles.
While you’ll want to get plenty of sleep before the Pride festival, you could wind down your Saturday by visiting LGBTQ+-owned businesses throughout Oakland
