Ode to Lake Merritt (San Diego, Oakland: 2014, city hall, crime rate)

[California Vagabond]

Take a walk around Lake Merritt. That's one of the things I've intended to do since I moved back up north, and yesterday I had both time and inclination. Off to the BART I went, and arrived at the Lake Merritt station mid-afternoon. I hadn't seen the lake or set foot anywhere around it in close to two decades. I was ready to turn around and head back to the subway, if I didn't like what I saw.

Well, my goodness: What a pleasant surprise! A couple of poorly kept-up patches, true, but mostly lovely views strolling side by side with Oaklanders of all races, colors and creeds. I wound up walking the whole three plus mile circumference, and plan to return with friends in the future.

I haven't done any recent exploring of the rest of Oakland, and don't have anything good or bad to say about it. But if you live in the Bay Area and are looking for a new spot to explore, please consider a BART ride here. Much, much nicer than expected.

[jade408]

Originally Posted by California Vagabond

Take a walk around Lake Merritt. That's one of the things I've intended to do since I moved back up north, and yesterday I had both time and inclination. Off to the BART I went, and arrived at the Lake Merritt station mid-afternoon. I hadn't seen the lake or set foot anywhere around it in close to two decades. I was ready to turn around and head back to the subway, if I didn't like what I saw.

Well, my goodness: What a pleasant surprise! A couple of poorly kept-up patches, true, but mostly lovely views strolling side by side with Oaklanders of all races, colors and creeds. I wound up walking the whole three plus mile circumference, and plan to return with friends in the future.

I haven't done any recent exploring of the rest of Oakland, and don't have anything good or bad to say about it. But if you live in the Bay Area and are looking for a new spot to explore, please consider a BART ride here. Much, much nicer than expected.

There is a lot of construction going on: a beautification project/tree planting/pedestrian and bikeways around 14th street. It should be done I think in 2014.

[Natural510]

Yeah, the Lake is great, but you often have to walk/run with your head down to avoid the landmines left by the geese.

[jade408]

Originally Posted by Natural510

Yeah, the Lake is great, but you often have to walk/run with your head down to avoid the landmines left by the geese.

And ill-behaved off leash dogs

[bigdumbgod]

But at least the OWS folks aren't still floating around out there. People don't go for a walk in the park to get political.

[Gentoo]

The lake is the true jewel of Oakland; A historic landmark. Home to the oldest government run wildlife refuge in the Americas and possibly the world.

Love Lake Merritt!

[ZhugeLiang]

Originally Posted by jade408

There is a lot of construction going on: a beautification project/tree planting/pedestrian and bikeways around 14th street. It should be done I think in 2014.

I can't wait until it's done. I'm glad that part of the lake is getting some love. I always chuckle about all the Oakland haters who hype up the crime rate every time I walk around the lake at night.

Originally Posted by Gentoo

The lake is the true jewel of Oakland; A historic landmark. Home to the oldest government run wildlife refuge in the Americas and possibly the world.

Love Lake Merritt!

Truly.

[California Vagabond]

For skeptical visitors to this thread (and I might have been among you, if I hadn't visited the lake for myself): plug "2250 Lakeshore Avenue" into Google Maps, invoke Street View and wiggle your mouse a bit to get a view of the lake. You *must* admit: that's some nice scenery, by any standard. The brick Bellevue-Staten building is especially striking.

[Bayarea4]

Lake Merritt has a very personal meaning for me. My parents eloped to Oakland City Hall in 1935, and I used to have a souvenir photo of them that was taken at Lake Merritt.

[Gentoo]

Lake Merritt was where I got my first hands on experience working with animals as a volunteer at the nature center. That experience would help me land a job later on at Sea World San Diego's Penguin Encounter. Now I am back in Oakland and if I'm not doing some birding of my own or actively participating in the Audubon walks, I am just taking a stroll or run around the lake purely for the joy and beauty of it.