About the area:
Welcome to a city of transportation, a city of trade, a city of arts and culture. Welcome to Oakland. The first explorers to this region reported that it might be the most perfect place on earth. Today, residents, business people and visitors see that it's still one of the great cities of America. Located on the east side of San Francisco Bay, Oakland offers 19 miles of coastline to the west and magnificent rolling hills to the east that afford one of the most beautiful views of the world -- the crystal clear bay, the Golden Gate and Bay bridges and the majestic Pacific Ocean. Within its borders, Oakland features traditional, well kept neighborhoods, a progressive, dramatically growing downtown and superior cultural and recreational amenities. The area's lifestyle is also highly regarded. Money magazine ranked Oakland as one of the top places to live for two consecutive years. Known as "The sunny side of the bay," Oakland is proud of its outstanding weather. Temperatures range in the 50's and 60's during the winter months and 70's and low 80's during the summer. The warmest months are September and October. Even though Oakland and San Francisco are only separated by a bridge, Oakland's temperature is usually five degrees warmer year-round and varies little from month to month. Average rainfall per year is 18 inches at the airport and about 27 inches in the Montclair hills. Live or work in Oakland and the rest of California is at your feet. There is fun in every direction. Head north to the vineyards of Napa and Sonoma, go east to the grandeur of Yosemite and Lake Tahoe, head south to the picturesque beauty of Monterey and Carmel, or go west for the beauty that is San Francisco. The diverse terrain along the California coast also offers many enjoyable sites. The main road is state highway 1, better known as the Pacific Coast Highway, which runs just east of the Pacific Ocean and winds through canyons, forests and small seaside communities all the way into southern California.