Can I walk to Oracle Arena in Oakland?
December 23, 2015 8:15 PM Subscribe
I'm going to a Golden State Warriors game next week. Ideally I want to stay at hotel nearby, hopefully park the rental car, and walk to the arena. Google Maps suggests this would not be a fun or plausible walk. Asking for local knowledge to confirm or deny...
There are some acceptable corporate hotel chains a couple of blocks away as indicated on this Google Map. It looks like I could walk down Coliseum Way. It's a busy service road and a vast parking lot, but doable.
However when I ask Google Maps for directions, it sends me up to the BART station and then down Hegenberger Rd., a 33 minute walk that looks terrifying. Presumably because the Street View shows that sidewalk on Coliseum Way hitting a gate that may or may not be locked for games.
Am I missing something? Or are my options really that bad-to-non-existent? If so, are there any alternatives you can suggest that don't involve paying $40 to park in the Arena lot.
Note: I'm not going to have time to sightsee in San Francisco this trip, so getting a hotel in the city and taking the BART across the bay doesn't really gain me anything.
There are some acceptable corporate hotel chains a couple of blocks away as indicated on this Google Map. It looks like I could walk down Coliseum Way. It's a busy service road and a vast parking lot, but doable.
However when I ask Google Maps for directions, it sends me up to the BART station and then down Hegenberger Rd., a 33 minute walk that looks terrifying. Presumably because the Street View shows that sidewalk on Coliseum Way hitting a gate that may or may not be locked for games.
Am I missing something? Or are my options really that bad-to-non-existent? If so, are there any alternatives you can suggest that don't involve paying $40 to park in the Arena lot.
Note: I'm not going to have time to sightsee in San Francisco this trip, so getting a hotel in the city and taking the BART across the bay doesn't really gain me anything.
No, you are not missing something. This is not a good idea IMHO.
I have been to many events at the arena/coliseum, and once walked in from the foot of 66th ave to avoid the parking fee. It was a drag, even on a warm summer night.
Would you also want to walk back, perhaps at night in whatever weather occurs??
As posted above, it is much better to find a hotel where you can walk to BART and use that to get to/from the event, if yo don't want to take a taxi.
posted by TDIpod at 8:27 PM on December 23, 2015 [2 favorites]
I have been to many events at the arena/coliseum, and once walked in from the foot of 66th ave to avoid the parking fee. It was a drag, even on a warm summer night.
Would you also want to walk back, perhaps at night in whatever weather occurs??
As posted above, it is much better to find a hotel where you can walk to BART and use that to get to/from the event, if yo don't want to take a taxi.
posted by TDIpod at 8:27 PM on December 23, 2015 [2 favorites]
Do not do this. I liked previous recs. to stay elsewhere and take the BART. BART is fast and easy and there are people, it's well lit and there is security.
You don't have to stay in the city to take the BART - there are hotels at the Downtown Berkeley stop and AirBnBs at all the other ones.
Alternatively, you could stay close and take a cab or uber/lyft.
posted by Toddles at 8:34 PM on December 23, 2015 [3 favorites]
You don't have to stay in the city to take the BART - there are hotels at the Downtown Berkeley stop and AirBnBs at all the other ones.
Alternatively, you could stay close and take a cab or uber/lyft.
posted by Toddles at 8:34 PM on December 23, 2015 [3 favorites]
Yeah, nthing the other commenters who have said that this is not a good idea. The neighborhood around the arena/BART station isn't all that safe, EXCEPT for the elevated walkway that leads to the arena from the station, which will be packed and pretty safe before/after the game. I would stay at a hotel somewhere else near BART and just take the train to/from there.
posted by un petit cadeau at 8:50 PM on December 23, 2015
posted by un petit cadeau at 8:50 PM on December 23, 2015
I’ve seen people walk to football games from the waterfront, probably because they’re parked out there. I think there’s an overflow lot to the northwest? The coliseum is in an industrial area, with not a lot of pedestrian features around. I would bike there, but I wouldn’t walk there.
Stay in downtown Oakland or near Fruitvale BART with its many restaurants and other amenities, and take the train to the coliseum for the game.
posted by migurski at 8:55 PM on December 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
Stay in downtown Oakland or near Fruitvale BART with its many restaurants and other amenities, and take the train to the coliseum for the game.
posted by migurski at 8:55 PM on December 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
Nope.
Source: lived in Oakland (and enjoyed it) for twenty years
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 9:11 PM on December 23, 2015 [2 favorites]
Source: lived in Oakland (and enjoyed it) for twenty years
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 9:11 PM on December 23, 2015 [2 favorites]
Can you walk there? Yes. Should you? HELL NO.
Bart is an excellent solution as mentioned above.
I too lived in Oakland many many years.
posted by jcworth at 9:13 PM on December 23, 2015 [2 favorites]
Bart is an excellent solution as mentioned above.
I too lived in Oakland many many years.
posted by jcworth at 9:13 PM on December 23, 2015 [2 favorites]
Another vote for BARTing in. It may be possible to walk in from the south, but if that gate on Coliseum Way is closed, you'll be stuck on a busy street next to a freeway with no sidewalk. I would also not enjoy a walk through this area, especially at night.
From the BART station, there's an elevated walkway to the arena. You have to go down from the platform, out the gates, then up the stairs to the walkway. The walkway takes you over some industrial buildings and the train tracks and will deposit you behind the Coliseum. Walk around the Coliseum and you'll find yourself at the plaza in front of the arena. They have extra police and security along this route before and after games.
And parking in the lot is $30 if you prepay.
posted by zachlipton at 9:15 PM on December 23, 2015
From the BART station, there's an elevated walkway to the arena. You have to go down from the platform, out the gates, then up the stairs to the walkway. The walkway takes you over some industrial buildings and the train tracks and will deposit you behind the Coliseum. Walk around the Coliseum and you'll find yourself at the plaza in front of the arena. They have extra police and security along this route before and after games.
And parking in the lot is $30 if you prepay.
posted by zachlipton at 9:15 PM on December 23, 2015
This is an extremely pedestrian unfriendly area, with the exception of the elevated walkway from BART to the arena. I highly recommend you stay at a hotel near any other BART station and take the train in.
posted by samthemander at 9:27 PM on December 23, 2015
posted by samthemander at 9:27 PM on December 23, 2015
Response by poster: Thanks folks. This is helpful. I've looked at a few of the nearby BART stations and haven't seen anything convenient to them. But I'll look a little closer.
posted by dry white toast at 9:27 PM on December 23, 2015
posted by dry white toast at 9:27 PM on December 23, 2015
For lodging, try downtown Berkeley, downtown Oakland, and Air BnB near Rockridge. There are a handful of sketchy hotels near Macarthur that I'd probably avoid.
posted by salvia at 9:34 PM on December 23, 2015
posted by salvia at 9:34 PM on December 23, 2015
If you want to be a tourist--and not just hole up in your hotel--the neighborhoods near many of the closer BART stations may not be what you're looking for. Many folks find them sketchy or unsafe, not especially walkable, and with nearly no amenities nearby. You might enjoy the charming, "quaint" downtowns of San Leandro or Hayward, though I'm not sure if there are nearby hotels (both those cities are the last places I'd suggest an out of town visitor go for a night on the town, or to get a feel for the Bay Area proper). I'd suggest what Salvia above suggests: look for hotels around downtown Berkeley, downtown Oakland, or AirBnB anywhere near BART in a neighborhood that looks interesting to you. It's easy to take BART to the stadium for the game itself--focus your hotel hunt on places that'll be interesting to spend the rest of your time.
posted by tapir-whorf at 9:42 PM on December 23, 2015
posted by tapir-whorf at 9:42 PM on December 23, 2015
This Is near downtown Berkeley BART. I haven't stayed there but I've eaten there. People do that walk in the summer but it's been storming here like crazy. It's super easy to BART in
posted by gt2 at 10:19 PM on December 23, 2015
posted by gt2 at 10:19 PM on December 23, 2015
One of the sketchy MacArthur hotels was recently overhauled to become the Inn at Temescal. It may actually be nice.
There are also two Marriotts close to 12th & Broadway that should be acceptable.
posted by vunder at 10:59 PM on December 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
There are also two Marriotts close to 12th & Broadway that should be acceptable.
posted by vunder at 10:59 PM on December 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
I'm a 10-minute walk from El Cerrito Bart Station, close to Solano Avenue restaurants, etc. Moreover, I'll be out of state and need someone to water my plants and bring in my mail. MeMail me if you want a free place to stay.
posted by Bella Donna at 11:08 PM on December 23, 2015 [12 favorites]
posted by Bella Donna at 11:08 PM on December 23, 2015 [12 favorites]
I'm not sure if you wanted to stay near the Hegenberger stuff because its close to the Oakland airport. But an alternative to walking would be to take one of the airport hotel shuttles back to the airport then take the BART monorail back to the Coliseum BART station.
Or Uber. An Uber/Lyft/cab from Hegenberger to Oracle should be just a few bucks.
posted by bitdamaged at 7:52 AM on December 24, 2015
Or Uber. An Uber/Lyft/cab from Hegenberger to Oracle should be just a few bucks.
posted by bitdamaged at 7:52 AM on December 24, 2015
I'd recommend staying somewhere by the 12th/19th street Oakland stops and taking BART. Its very easy. The crowd at the station after games can get a little huge but it still works out. And you can definitely beat the crowd by scooting out a minute before the end of the game, not that I think thats necessary at all but it's a thing you could do if the prospect waiting in a big line on the walkway from the BART station to the Oracle parking lot bothers you.
posted by Hello, Revelers! I am Captain Lavender! at 10:28 AM on December 24, 2015
posted by Hello, Revelers! I am Captain Lavender! at 10:28 AM on December 24, 2015
Nope, don't do it. I'd put this area at a 9/10 on the mug-o-matic scale.
Pick almost any other area for your hotel.
posted by zippy at 10:54 AM on December 24, 2015
Pick almost any other area for your hotel.
posted by zippy at 10:54 AM on December 24, 2015
There is a Marriott in downtown Oakland right next to the BART. It's clean and safe. Stay there.
posted by Toddles at 1:27 PM on December 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Toddles at 1:27 PM on December 24, 2015 [1 favorite]
If you're going to have a car, just drive to the game. There's not much advantage to not driving. The parking lot only takes cash though, so have enough cash.
posted by jeffamaphone at 3:03 PM on December 24, 2015
posted by jeffamaphone at 3:03 PM on December 24, 2015
If you park at Fruitvale station, the coliseum is only one stop over. There is plenty of parking and its free.
It does get crowded on the platform though after the games, but very convenient otherwise.
posted by duckus at 12:25 PM on December 25, 2015
It does get crowded on the platform though after the games, but very convenient otherwise.
posted by duckus at 12:25 PM on December 25, 2015
I'd vote for the downtown Oakland Marriott and BART.
posted by gingerbeer at 9:17 AM on December 26, 2015
posted by gingerbeer at 9:17 AM on December 26, 2015
There are some acceptable corporate hotel chains a couple of blocks away as indicated on this Google Map. It looks like I could walk down Coliseum Way. It's a busy service road and a vast parking lot, but doable.
However when I ask Google Maps for directions, it sends me up to the BART station and then down Hegenberger Rd., a 33 minute walk that looks terrifying. Presumably because the Street View shows that sidewalk on Coliseum Way hitting a gate that may or may not be locked for games.
For posterity's sake, this map indicates hotel either east of Hegenberger or on the south side of 880. If Google maps is giving you walking (or driving) directions that take you close to Coliseum BART from those starting points then they are totally wrong. You can absolutely either walk or drive along Coliseum Way from Hengenberger to get to the parking lots of and the Coliseum and arena themselves.
Also, the walk from that side of 880 to Coliseum BART and across the pedestrian bridge to the Coliseum or arena is no more terrifying than the walk from that side of 880 to down Coliseum way and through the parking lots to the Coliseum or arena. The Coliseum Way route is only preferable because of the greatly shorter distance; the perceived terror in either case is, in my opinion, not only equal but equally over-exaggerated.
posted by clorox at 12:07 AM on April 23, 2016
However when I ask Google Maps for directions, it sends me up to the BART station and then down Hegenberger Rd., a 33 minute walk that looks terrifying. Presumably because the Street View shows that sidewalk on Coliseum Way hitting a gate that may or may not be locked for games.
For posterity's sake, this map indicates hotel either east of Hegenberger or on the south side of 880. If Google maps is giving you walking (or driving) directions that take you close to Coliseum BART from those starting points then they are totally wrong. You can absolutely either walk or drive along Coliseum Way from Hengenberger to get to the parking lots of and the Coliseum and arena themselves.
Also, the walk from that side of 880 to Coliseum BART and across the pedestrian bridge to the Coliseum or arena is no more terrifying than the walk from that side of 880 to down Coliseum way and through the parking lots to the Coliseum or arena. The Coliseum Way route is only preferable because of the greatly shorter distance; the perceived terror in either case is, in my opinion, not only equal but equally over-exaggerated.
posted by clorox at 12:07 AM on April 23, 2016
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by three_red_balloons at 8:23 PM on December 23, 2015 [1 favorite]