Amazing park -- huge and full of charm! There are plenty of picnic tables and spots to sit, and you…read morecan even BBQ here with a beach view. There's a tennis court and a nice fenced dog park, too. Perfect place for a relaxing stroll with your paw buddy. Lots of trees for shade make it super comfortable and plush grass. Washington Park is a hidden gem -- peaceful, relaxing, and one of my favorite spots. Love this place!

Washington Park has been a long time favorite of my family. You have the swings for both bigger…read morekids/adults and then another set for the little ones. You've got a pretty cool baseball field with more field area for some other activities like ultimate frisbee, etc. You've got 2 different play structures and there are bathrooms. There are tables with benches throughout the park and if you'd like to have a party there, you can do so through the parks and rec department. They even have some great basketball courts and I enjoy seeing the pick up games in action! Some sad things are that the bathrooms are never clean. I am not a fan of taking my little ones in there and try to avoid it. I often find drug paraphernalia or needles on the ground and/or tables near the benches, and there's no shade in the park area except for one bench. As much as I love coming here since it is located near businesses like restaurants and we get to run into some friends there, I try to avoid it.

Josie De La Park is also hosts the Carmen Flores Recreation Center. it's about a few storefronts…read morewide and an half block long. grass is the most prominent feature here. walkways, a possible soccer field where the grass is. the rec. center is way in the back. as is the children's playground. in front, there's a basketball court but the baskets have no "nets". no parking lot, little street parking. it's cool for people who live, work, or happen to be in the area.

This is a cute little community park and I've been through here on three occasions on my way to the…read moreCarment Flore Recreation Center. My husband knew both of them as an activist back in the day. It is a nice park and it's great seeing people walking around and enjoying the park, the kids are playing, and they can participate in the community center events. The second time I came through, I was checking in on my niece who was attending a weeklong camp for kids. She was holding court, as she does, in the play area. I reported back to her mom that she was fine. But the community feel was what got me. I loved it and the folks in the area are lucky to have it and be able to use it.

Soldiertown is one of the best basketball facilities in the SF Bay Area. It is exciting and in a…read morecentral location. It is home to the Oakland Soldiers team. I would have given it five stars but I deducted one star for 3 ongoing minor irritations! I will list suggestions on how to improve and make this facility even better: FIRST, NO parking despite having a parking lot which they charge 5.00 for. Not the greatest of areas, parking outside gets jammed packed too( no wonder it used to be called Jamtown...lol...just playing!). Note the restaurant supply store will tow if you are parked in their area. SECOND, they do not allow the great vendors outside to sell drinks!!! On a hot day, you are dying bc their vending drink machines are not working, but takes your money! They don't always have someone that can fix or help you either to get your money back! So Soldiertown, please allow the vendors to sell some drinks( maybe just different brands then the ones you have in the vending machines?) ! Otherwise, people are getting upset as I was working the entry table as a volunteer at this weekend's tournament and people were upset Saturday machines were broken and taking their money and they wanted their money back! I told them we have nothing to do with the machines. And some were asking if there was a snack bar so that would be good to have again, too! THIRD, wish they have more Soldier gear and an open shop esp during tournaments! They are always out of supplies- please order more! Have a website that is working( doesn't work!), so we can buy and think about how much you are losing by not having it available! So many times I want to buy at your store or website, but always not available! I give up! Please order more of the FAMILY sweatshirts, hoodies, short sleeve tees and long sleeved tees in ALL sizes for both men and women! I have 7 in the family and we want to represent, so can you imagine how much money you could have made when all of these families want to buy some, but these are not available? HINT: NOW I bring my ice chest and bring my own drinks since it never works there! Wish they bring back their snack bar in the back and sell the drinks there even! So TIP and be forewarned: Bring lots of water and soda in your cooler- you will thank me! Otherwise I love Soldiertown! One more thing, I noticed people asking me at the entry table. YES, they DO have an ATM machine available in the gym! Just be aware to make sure to push EXiT on the ATM machine bc when I was working security there many people left it open and you can see their transactions and luckily I saw it and I am an honest person so exited out for them or else someone can get money out of their accounts or something!? So while I was there I would remind them to make sure they pushed the exit button and go to the beginning screen! Edited to add: Met the Soldier's owner, Mark, working at the vending machine in fact lol! Idk if he read the yelp beforehand, but they were working fine that Sunday and filled! It shows good management if he did read it and implement the suggestions! All the Soldier staff from the guy who kept the place clean and constantly filling the soap dispensers ( always with a smile whatever we asked him to do- bring chairs, clean bathroom, fill soap, picked up trash constantly, etc- he was great and I personally thanked him even bc he was working so hard!) to the manager and even to the owner! They were in full force on Sunday making sure everything ran smoothly and were very friendly and great staff! Love this facility even more now and if they implement my suggestions to help their place be even better than the best they are now! The ultimate place to hold a tournament and represent! I just wish it was closer to me so my son could go there to practice everyday! Excellent business!

You know that Jamtown is no longer the name anymore but it is Soldiertown. It is the bomb . The…read moreplace looks so brand new and improved and an impressive new floor, and new lights, and new equipments. I am so proud of the new owner and other guys doing their work. I would give them double A++. Parents take your kids to go play at their gym and learn to play basketball, it is a safe environment!

Pickleball has exploded at Bushrod. The courts are fantastic - shared pickleball/tennis courts…read more Open plays with skill level(s) are a ton of fun (beginner / intermediate / advanced). There are well-organized open plays with loaner paddles available. There's a solid system to rotate which players go on when a court opens up (paddle racks). It's $2-5 donation for open play only to cover costs of renting courts for the lead volunteer hosts. There are also clinics, drills, round robins and other pickleball events. You can see what's happening and when at DailyPB.com And for tennis people -- during pickleball play, there's virtually always one or more tennis courts available.

Since the renovation, this is one of the best gyms in Oakland. My only complaint is there are not…read moremore open gym hours so I can shoot around here with my son. The outdoor basketball courts were renovated as well! Thanks Under Armour and Steph Curry!

This organization cares about the kids, their development & well being…read more They take the time to teach the kids not only the sport but how to grow & love it! My boys truly love their Just Hoop family!

Just Hoop is an exceptional AAU program that provides practices and skills training crucial for…read moregrowth. For private skills training, Coach Q and Coach K are among the best. My son and daughter are not only mastering fundamental skills but also developing game-situational, high-IQ skills. Their training has significantly improved both their skills and confidence on the court, enabling them to play at a high level. Their attention to detail is unparalleled.

Walked in Mother and have been wanting to join. Greeted very warmly by Daffany. She loves…read morebutterflies! I said your short and office space is so lovely. Decorated with butterflies. She said she loves butterflies. I said my Mother here is called Mother Butterfly at her church. She gave my Mother a beautiful butterfly you put in your yard. That was kind of her. Her energy, being so warm and friendly. This is perfect job for her. She had me sold on joining. She was the best. We walked around so the center. She explained everything in great details. I can't wait to experience the fun. Thank You ever so much Daffany.

A hidden gem in East Oakland with plenty of open-space parking. Near a library, senior center,…read moreyouth recreation building with indoor pool and gym, and outdoor tennis courts beside the no-dog park. One of the newest, most pristine Oakland Parks & Rec center. Classrooms have a separator that can facilitate mid-size group break-out activities. Indoor basketball courts can facilitate little junior bball games with plenty of spectators. The library(?) room serves well as an executive lounge. A small kitchen with working kitchen equipments perfect for serving hot meals. There are flushing toilets in each male and female bathrooms. Overall, it is a great venue to hold community forums, mid- to large-size group trainings and festivities.

Small neighborhood Park. I believe it used to be part of a school - that is next door and now…read moreconverted to residential living. Two very old palm trees and some green grass and play area. Not all that much to see and very dark at night with horrible lighting. Don't be mistaken there is no parking lot - what you see next to the park is for the residents that live in the old school building next door. Not wheelchair accessible. There are a bunch of stairs leading up - so I suppose that could be on a list of things Oakland could put some money toward. Wheel chair ramps are so expensive and the excavation here would be intense. Living in Oakland sometimes you think that the people in office are from the moon. I'd like to see the mayor come here with a baby stroller or elderly family member in a walker. Seems like they only care about street sweeping tickets - I'd rather see them ticket people blocking fire hydrants - call it the ghost ship ticket. I suppose daylighting crosswalks is the latest money grab from gossip on the internet.