Gertrude Stein once said, “There’s no there there,” referring to her hometown of Oakland, but with all due respect to the famous writer and poet, there is actually plenty of “there” to be found in Oakland and elsewhere on the east side of San Francisco Bay. In fact, it could be said that the East Bay offers many different types of “there” in the way it encompasses multicultural urban centers, prosperous suburbs, working waterfronts, lush vineyards, and miles of rolling hills dotted with oak trees and wild poppies.
Not the least of the region’s attributes is its diverse array of distinctive off-site venues. The East Bay is uncommonly rich in architectural landmarks, historic homes, science centers, museums, wineries, and more.
“Planners are really surprised when they get here and see what we’ve got,” says Amy Blaschka, president and CEO of the Tri-Valley CVB, which represents the cities of Danville, Dublin, San Ramon, Pleasanton, and Livermore. “We just did a FAM trip for a company that plans very high-end events. They were amazed.”
Wine Country
One of the East Bay’s major surprises is that its Tri-Valley area, with 38 wineries and counting, is home to California’s oldest and possibly fastest-growing wine region. Not only is the number of wineries on the rise, but so is the number of impressive winery event centers with both conference and banquet facilities.
“We’ve turned into a real wine country destination,” Blaschka says. “We don’t have a convention center, but the winery event centers function as great meeting venues where you can have your sessions as well as entertainment.”
Livermore’s Wente Vineyards has long been a popular spot for conferences and receptions held in a setting of lush hills and vineyards. The winery’s Event Center, Restaurant and Golf Course Grill handles everything from intimate wine cellar dinners to gala receptions for up to 1,000 people on a terraced lawn.
Another major venue in Livermore is Garre Vineyard’s Martinelli Conference and Events Center, a hacienda-style facility overlooking terraced vineyards that can host up to 300 people. Function areas include a stone-paved courtyard with a fountain and outdoor fireplace, a banquet room and a terraced lawn for large receptions.
In Pleasanton, the contemporary-style Palm Event Center at the Mitchell Katz Winery offers a spacious main ballroom large enough to host receptions for up to 700 people. There is also a smaller Estate Room with long oak tables suitable for wine-pairing dinners.
Set to open next spring just a half-mile away, Casa Real will be an events center at the new Ruby Hill Winery. The center will feature a Mediterranean-style decor.
Making its debut this month, the Deer Ridge Estate Winery & Gathering Place is a Tuscan-style events center set on 30 acres at the Deer Ridge Vineyards in Livermore. A main dining room at the center seats up to 125 people and offers French doors opening on to a patio with vineyard views.
Historic Oakland
Venues that allow attendees to step back in time are plentiful throughout the East Bay. Oakland in particular is a showcase for vintage architecture that runs the gamut from Victorian gingerbread to Art Deco glamour.
Commanding a prime spot on Oakland’s Lake Merritt, the Camron-Stanford House, built in 1876, was once just one of many stately homes that encircled the lake. Now this lone survivor is a grand museum and event space, offering five lavishly decorated rooms available for small meetings, lunches, dinners, and receptions for up to 300 people.
A more gracious era is also recalled at the Dunsmuir Historic Estate, which encompasses a variety of meeting spaces in a wooded setting surrounding an 1888 mansion in the Oakland hills. Meetings and receptions can be held in the mahogany-paneled Carriage House, while the Garden Pavilion offers everything from seminar rooms to space for large receptions with dancing and live entertainment. Executive retreats are well suited for the quaint Dinkelspiel House, while large outdoor events can take place on several lawn areas.
In downtown Oakland, Preservation Park is a charming enclave of 16 restored Victorian houses surrounded by period benches, ornate wrought iron fences, old-fashioned street lamps, a pavilion, and a central plaza with a fountain. Groups can reserve the outdoor areas or hold events in two of the vintage homes.
The park’s Ginn House, which accommodates receptions for 125 people, has two airy parlors and a foyer with a grand staircase, while Nile Hall is a craftsman-style building with high ceilings and a stage that can accommodate up to 200 people for a banquet.
Some of Oakland’s most stunning buildings date from the 1920s and 1930s. Considered one of the country’s finest Art Deco structures, the Paramount Theater is a restored movie palace that is now home to the Oakland East Bay Symphony. It’s also used for pop music and dance concerts as well as occasional movies. The Paramount’s elegant lobby and 3,000-seat theater are available for private events.
Harkening back to the days of the big bands, the recently renovated Historic Sweet’s Ballroom in downtown Oakland offers an 8,000-square-foot dance floor and a raised stage where the Benny Goodman Orchestra once played. Available for a variety of special events, Sweet’s also offers a lounge/meeting room and a balcony mezzanine area.
Nearby is another Art Deco venue, the California Ballroom, built in 1926 as part of an elegant hotel. Accommodating up to 300 for a dinner, the ballroom features a palatial gold-leaf ceiling, original Art Deco chandeliers, a stage, a dance floor, and even a disco ball.
Berkeley Style
On and around Berkeley’s University of California campus are several venues that reflect the city’s wealth of early 20th century architecture. Julia Morgan, best known for Hearst Castle, also designed the Romanesque-style Berkeley City Club. The circa-1929 structure, which includes 30 guest rooms and dining areas, offers meeting spaces that range from small rooms for seminars and workshops up to a large auditorium with a raised stage.
Another of the architect’s gems is the Julia Morgan Center for the Arts, originally built as St. John’s Presbyterian Church in 1910. When not in use for scheduled concerts and theatrical performances, the charming Arts and Crafts-style structure and its 328-seat theater is available for private events.
Bernard Maybeck, a Morgan contemporary renowned for such structures as San Francisco’s Palace of Fine Arts, designed the original sections of the Berkeley Faculty Club, including the Great Hall, with its redwood interior and huge stone fireplace. The wood-shingled club offers catering facilities and 12 function rooms.
Also part of the Berkeley campus, International House is a prime example of 1920s Mission Revival architecture. Its event spaces include the ornate, Moorish-style Chevron Auditorium, which can be configured for performances, lectures and banquets. A variety of smaller function spaces include the popular Homeroom, which has a balcony with sweeping views of San Francisco Bay.
On the Waterfront
During World War II, the Kaiser Shipyards in Richmond buzzed with activity as nearly 750 ships were built and sent into battle. Today this period of history is commemorated at the new Rosie the Riveter Home Front National Historic Park at the Richmond Marina.
Visitors can tour the Rosie the Riveter Memorial, designed like a ship’s hull and featuring photographs and informational plaques about the war effort. The park also includes the SS Red Oak Victory, which delivered ammunition to ships in the South Pacific and is available for special events.
In Alameda, the World War II aircraft carrier USS Hornet, one of the most decorated ships in U.S. naval history, is a popular site for events that range from interactive games to intimate dinners and festive receptions complete with fireworks displays launched from the massive flight deck. The ship also offers a 12-seat flight simulator.
Also evoking World War II history is the USS Potomac, a 165-foot steel vessel that is docked at Oakland’s Jack London Square and once served as the presidential yacht for Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Groups of up to 120 passengers can charter the USS Potomac for catered cruises around San Francisco Bay, and docents can be brought onboard to give tours of the yacht once known as the “Floating Whitehouse.”
Science Class
In a wooded setting high in the Oakland hills, the Chabot Space & Science Center features an observatory, a planetarium, science exhibits, and a diverse array of event spaces. Two museum buildings offer areas where attendees can mingle at receptions surrounded by such exhibits as Mars Encounter or Destination Universe. Other spaces include the intimate Kaiser Library, the spacious Astronomy Hall and an outdoor amphitheater. Still another option is the Observatory Complex, where use of giant telescopes can be part of events.
Another scientific venue in a spectacular hilltop setting is UC-Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science, which offers a range of science-related exhibits, including the permanent Forces that Shape the Bay. Indoor and outdoor function spaces with spectacular bay views accommodate up to 500 people.
At the Museum
If any museum captures the essence of the Golden State, it’s the Oakland Museum of California, where galleries of permanent and changing exhibits pertain to California’s art, history and natural environment. The pyramid-like structure with multilevel terraced gardens has function space that includes a 270-seat theater and a cafe with adjoining patios that seat up to 150 people. There are also several outdoor areas for both large and small gatherings.
In Danville, the Blackhawk Museum is an elegant showcase for a collection of vintage cars, many of them one-of-a-kind. The Automotive Dining Room is a 5,000-square-foot space in view of the rare vehicles and can be used for large receptions and banquets. The museum’s Executive Room accommodates up to 40 people.
For More Info
Berkeley CVB 510.549.7040
www.visitberkeley.com
Oakland CVB 510.839.9000
www.oaklandcvb.com
Tri-Valley CVB 925.846.8910
www.trivalleycvb.com
