In August 2010, Travel and Leisure magazine announced what visitors already know: Alameda is one of the top ten American "Coolest Suburbs Worth a Visit." As described by the travel experts, "Alameda, CA, built on an island just west of Oakland in San Francisco Bay, is another cool suburb. It’s a place lined with well-kept beaches and no shortage of spectacular views. A chill vibe is maintained with the help of a strictly enforced 25 mph speed limit. Alameda is also home to the Pacific Pinball Museum, where you can try your hand at a classic game of Buccaneer or Magic Circle, and Forbidden Island, a tiki bar with a distinct rockabilly atmosphere and a reputation for skillfully mixed rum concoctions that draws drinkers from afar."
But there's so much more. Also found within Alameda are historic business districts, diverse shopping opportunities, the Alameda Theatre -- the city's newly restored Art Deco movie palace, beaches, bird refuges, bicycle and pedestrian paths, natural open space, extensive picnic areas, and waterfronts. Alameda includes more than eight miles of the San Francisco Bay Trail. The shoreline parks along the San Francisco Bay and the San Leandro Marina extend for more than six miles, offering spectacular views of the San Francisco skyline and the East Bay hills. Alameda also has more than 3,400 boat slips among its numerous private marinas.
Civic and private groups in Alameda host various community arts including live theater, a civic light opera, a community band, a historical museum, cultural activities and a diverse community of musicians, writers, craftspersons and artists. Throughout the summer months, free concerts are scheduled in various locations. Farmers markets, street festivals, and sand castle contests are ongoing events.
