Best Water-Borne Escape from Humanity in the Middle of Oakland

Oh, the humanity! Oh, to get away from them all. Who would have thought
that Lake Merritt, in the middle of downtown Oakland, would be the
place to do it? For roughly the price of a six-pack — to be
specific, $8 to $15 — canoes, kayaks, paddleboats, and even
sailboats can be rented from the Sailboat House. Little experience is
necessary. Off you go into the middle of Lake Merritt, with only the
seagulls’ squawking and the splish-splash of oars in the water to
accompany the outing. Honking cars and rumbling trucks all fade into
the background as the breeze becomes the only real sound track. The
Tribune Tower, state and federal court buildings, and that narrow
gothic apartment building on the east side near Grand Avenue (the one
that looks like it should be Batman’s West Coast haunt) all shine in
the sun. The sky is big, blue, and all-encompassing from Bay to hills.
Try and time your outing for sunset, when the fire-burnt reds and
canary yellows in the clouds cast silhouettes on Oakland’s art deco and
modernist downtown. They are all worth getting chilly for as the
evening breeze kicks up.