Oakland Juxtapositions

Middle Harbor Shoreline Park in West Oakland is incredible. To reach it, you wind through a neighborhood made of shipping containers stacked 15 high and giant shipping cranes. Upon reaching the park, you are greeted with a huge expanse of manicured green lawn bisected with geometric walking paths. Beyond the expansive lawn, sit bbqs and picnic tables, beyond which lies a beach (!?). From this mini West Oakland beach, complete with sand, kelp, and water (and a heartbreaking amount of litter washed up from the bay) is a view of the Bay Bridge and San Francisco across the bay. The Bay Bridge looks and sounds peaceful from this angle.

To either side of the park are active boat shipping yards, with giant cranes and shipping containers. Its a surprisingly quiet place. We saw only a few other groups of people there, mostly families. The park is huge! We walked along the water for so long that my feet were sore by the end of our visit. While walking, be sure to look at where you step, since the massive flock of Canada Geese that thrive there leave droppings every few feet, or more. Along the waterfront paths, habitat has been restored to its long forgotten natural state, with native grasses and other plants. We saw many beautiful and distinctive birds.

Middle Harbor Shoreline Park is an oasis in Oakland. It feels a million miles away. The quiet, and the expanse of the park make it peaceful, while the proximity to the shipping yards makes it exciting, as if its a place you're not supposed to be. Yet, clearly, the city of Oakland wants you to be there. There are parking lots, well-maintained paths, bbqs and bathrooms. I highly recommend a visit to this park as a step away from your everyday existence in the bay area. The unique view of the bay bridge and the city make you feel special, while the shipping yards remind you of the economic heft and international importance of the port of Oakland.