2 Best Sights in Oakland, The Bay Area

Designed by Kevin Roche, this museum is a quintessential example of mid-century modern architecture and home to a capacious collection of nearly 2 million objects in three distinct galleries celebrating California's history, natural sciences, and art. Listen to native species and environmental soundscapes in the Library of Natural Sounds and engage in stories of the state's past and future, from Ohlone basket making to emerging technologies. Don't miss the photographs from Dorothea Lange's personal archive and a worthy collection of Bay Area figurative painters, including David Park and Joan Brown. Stay for lunch at the Town Fare café, where chef Michele McQueen serves California-soul food dishes like Low Country shrimp and cheddar grits. On Friday evening, the museum bustles with live music, food trucks, and after-hours gallery access.

Centering on Telegraph Avenue between 40th and 51st Streets, Temescal (the Aztec term for "sweat house") is a low-pretension, moneyed-hipster hood with young families and middle-aged folks in the mix. Protected bike lanes, bus islands, and a pedestrian plaza add to the vibrancy of this neighborhood. A critical mass of excellent eateries draws diners from around the Bay Area; there are newer favorites like excellent Filipino eats at FOB Kitchen ( 5179 Telegraph Ave.) and Smokin Woods BBQ ( 4307 Telegraph Ave.), as well as standbys like the fantastic fish tacos of Cholita Linda ( 4923 Telegraph Ave.) and the unusually refined café-brewery Rose's Taproom ( 4930 Telegraph Ave.). Old-timey dive bars and smog-check stations share space with public art installations of murals, sculptures, and mosaic trash cans.

Temescal Alley ( Off 49th St.), a tucked-away lane of tiny storefronts, crackles with creative energy. Get an old-fashioned straight-edge shave at Temescal Alley Barber Shop ( 470 49th St., Suite B). Don't miss grabbing a sweet scoop at Curbside Creamery ( 482 49th St.).