Lakeside, Oakland, CA

Lakeside hugs the southwestern shore of Lake Merritt, running from 14th Street up to Harrison Street. Along Lakeside Drive a string of 1920s art-deco towers, mid-century high-rises, and newer glass condos stare directly onto the water. The interior grid—Jackson, Alice, and Madison Streets—flattens out with low-rise apartment courts and a few early Craftsman holdouts, while the broad lawns of Snow Park fill the north corner. Sidewalks are wide and continuously paved, but traffic hums on Harrison and 14th, especially at rush hour. The lake itself is the neighborhood’s backyard. Residents step onto the three-mile shoreline trail for jogs, rent kayaks by the hour, or grab a table at Lake Chalet, the restored 1909 boathouse that floats over the water. The Oakland Public Library’s main branch anchors the south edge, and weekly food trucks set up near the Oakland Scottish Rite Center. Grocery options are limited inside the boundary; most locals walk or bike to Uptown markets a few blocks west. Parking is tight on weekends, and tents sometimes gather around Snow Park, adding sporadic litter and late-night noise. Lakeside feels urban yet relaxed. Early mornings bring runners and dog walkers circling the lake, afternoons see office workers picnicking on park benches, and evenings glow with lights reflected off the water and high-rise windows. Buyers are drawn to the walk-out recreation, skyline and lake views, and quick access to BART and downtown dining, while accepting traffic on the perimeter streets and a shortage of private yard space.