Toler Heights, Oakland, CA

Toler Heights climbs the west face of the Golf Links ridge, tapering from 82nd Avenue up to Crest and Fontaine Streets. Curving roads like Hillside and Cherokee trace the slope, so most post-war bungalows and 1960s ranches perch above street level with filtered Bay or South Bay reservoir views. Lots are modest, driveways are narrow, and some blocks forego sidewalks entirely, giving the area a distinctly hillside, almost semi-rural feel despite its city address. Daily essentials sit on the perimeter. 98th Avenue offers corner markets, gas stations, and quick-serve taquerías, while bigger runs happen at Foothill Square or along MacArthur Boulevard a short drive north. Outdoor relief is close: King Estate Open Space Preserve begins two minutes uphill for dog-friendly ridge walks, and the Oakland Zoo’s trails and picnic lawns lie just across I-580. Inside the neighborhood, however, green space is limited to a few street islands, and the freeway’s constant hum reaches lower eastern blocks. Life here feels quiet and workaday. Long-time homeowners tend tidy drought gardens next to houses awaiting fresh paint; kids ride bikes on cul-de-sacs where traffic stays slow; and residents appreciate quick freeway access for commuting. Buyers should weigh the view potential and relative affordability against the lack of walkable retail, spotty public transit, and seasonal wildfire and wind exposure that come with slope-side living.