An urban respite, Lake Merritt is a popular place to stroll or go running (a 3.5-mile paved path circles the lake), with bonsai and botanical gardens, a children's amusement park, bird sanctuary, green spaces, a boathouse and gondola rides. The two main commercial streets skirting Lake Merritt are Grand Ave, running along the north shore, and Lakeshore Ave on the eastern edge of the lake.
Lake Merritt
Oakland
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Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
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