Living in Trestle Glen / Piedmont Ave.
Parent Q&A
Welcome to the Bay! Just so you aren't disappointed, nothing in Oakland will be like NY/Brooklyn — if you want that level of walkability you'd probably want to live in SF. That said, there are some super walkable neighborhoods in the East Bay. We live off of Piedmont Ave in North Oakland. We can walk to multiple coffee shops, restaurants with food from all over the world, lots of cute shops, a local library, a grocery store and small market that has great produce, and a movie theater (in non-covid times). There are two schools within walking distance that are great for bike riding/scooting with kids on the weekends and a tot playground on Linda Ave. There's also a small creek with a walking path alongside that runs behind Piedmont Ave where my kids love to play. Bigger playgrounds are a little further but there are several that are either a long walk, short bike ride or even shorter drive. And we have the Oakland and Berkeley hills 10-15 minutes away for awesome hiking and mountain biking.
The area around Lake Merritt is also super walkable with all of the above plus the lake itself. Rockridge is also walkable but quite a bit more upscale (and has immediate access to a BART station if that is a priority). There are lots of up and coming neighborhoods further out in Oakland but these are the ones we've lived in and being able to walk to places rather than drive has been a huge priority for us (we also have two kids). If you have the opportunity for even one of you to fly out for a visit in advance I'd say you'd get a pretty strong feel for the neighborhoods just based on that. Good luck!
Hi!! We moved here from Brooklyn 3.5 years ago and miss it sooooo much, the walkability being the main thing! We at first lived in SW Berkeley, right on San Pablo Ave and assumed we would love it because you can walk to a lot of things. We ended up not really liking it, because, while it was possible to walk to a lot of things, almost no one did, so the streets felt kind of “empty,” especially coming from Brooklyn!!
we now live In Oakland, between Broadway Ave and piedmont ave, and just south of college Ave. WE LOVE IT!!!! I think the neighborhood is called “piedmont ave neighborhood,” and is just south of rockridge and just west of piedmont. You can easily walk to piedmont ave and college Ave, and importantly- people actually do! So you get that nice foot traffic that makes walking to errands and stuff more pleasant and less desolate.
good luck with your move!!! California is growing on me now that we found the right neighborhood for us :)
There are definitely walkable neighborhoods in the East Bay! Until recently, we lived close to Piedmont Avenue (which is in North Oakland), a wonderful neighborhood with great independent grocery store, a movie theater, lots of shops and cafes, good restaurants, one of the best preschools (Ducks Nest 41st street campus) and then the big Safeway shopping plaza up on Pleasant Valley. It definitely has a good little community vibe. We are a one-car family and while my husband had it at work, I did just fine with a stroller w/ a big basket (three cheers for UppaBaby). Or you could look at Rockridge (all the same attributes as Piedmont Ave, basically, just a little further North), Elmwood, or yes, North Berkeley (like the Gourmet Ghetto neighborhood, centered near Shattuck & Vine). Good luck!
Hi! I live in the Piedmont Avenue neighborhood (so just South of Rockridge and just East of Temescal) and it's infinitely walkable and lovely in SO many ways. BUT, I also just saw a few responses about your commute to Mission Bay and had to weigh in. I work at UCSF in Mission Bay and the commute is HARD. All the people advocating for BART or the Transbay bus must not actually do the commute. My commute consists of a 1-mile walk, ride, or Uber to BART, then into the city - either to Embarcadero where I get on the Muni "T" streetcar, or to 16th/Mission where I can wait for a UCSF shuttle, then another 20-minute leg to the hospital. Neither is ideal. Those neighborhood "Mission Bay" free shuttles are crowded and not very dependable. This "last mile" problem is significant. I'd be happy with my commute if I didn't have so much trouble getting from BART (or the Transbay bus terminal) to Mission Bay. My commute (even when perfect and streamlined) is at least 1 hr 15 min each way. I also occasionally get carpools straight to work via a matching app called "Scoop" but it's inconsistent. If living in SF is at all appealing to you, that is 100% the way to go. Before we moved to Oakland, we lived in SF for 12 years, and I'd move back in a heartbeat! But now we have kids, and schools, and my husband works in Berkeley so... you know how it goes. Best of luck! feel free to contact me if you want to hash it out! :)
Archived Q&A and Reviews
Moving From Canada - considering Piedmont Avenue
March 2013
My husband, our 6-year-old son and I will be moving from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada to the Bay Area this summer. We've been looking at rentals and we've found what looks to be a very nice potential home between Broadway and Piedmont Avenue. On paper, the area seems to offer a lot of what we enjoy about our current home in Ottawa - pedestrian friendly neighbourhood, good access to transit and nearby public schools. We've been told that Oakland has some fantastic, family-friendly neighbourhoods but that other areas can be a bit dicey in terms of crime. We definitely want to be somewhere that feels reasonably safe for our son. I'm also going to be attending school in SF, so I'm hoping to be somewhere that I can take the BART or other transit and feel secure, especially when I have evening classes. We're very excited about living in the East Bay and this part of Oakland sounds very nice. But I'd love to hear people's thoughts about the Piedmont Avenue area - both the good and the not so good. Thanks!
We live nearby, and think it's a really great place for all of the reasons that you mentioned. We have one car but really only use it to get to work (and wouldn't even need it for that if my job were transit-accessible). The rest of the time, we walk and bike. You're also very close to the Temescal neighborhood, which has a lot of great things going on in addition to all of Piedmont Avenue's amenities. And Grand Lake and Rockridge aren't too far away either. I would say the area is not among the neighborhoods you'll hear frequently recommended the way Rockridge and Montclair are, but neither is it a dicey area. We get some crime, but it's mainly property crime (don't leave your iPhone in your car!) Violent crime is rare and gets a pretty immediate community response when it does happen. Lots of families in the area, but many send their children to private school or to other OUSD schools. Our child is not yet school-aged and I hear that Piedmont Avenue Elementary is improving by the day, but I would visit (if you can) to be sure it's a good fit for your family. I have neighbors who think it's great and others who won't send their children there. I will also say that, although the area around MacArthur BART has improved dramatically in the time we've lived here, I am still not comfortable walking home alone late at night. It's fine if you can have someone pick you up--the waiting area is well lit and often has cabbies and police hovering nearby as extra eyes. When that's not possible, I go to Rockridge BART instead and take the 51 bus down Broadway. Overall, though, we love the neighborhood. Hope that helps with the decision! A future neighbor?
I lived near Piedmont Ave until recently and really enjoyed the proximity to restaurants, shops, and services like banks and groceries. It's wonderful to be able to walk to all of that. But I understand that as you get closer to Broadway, it's less safe - try to be closer to Piedmont Avenue or maybe on the east side, up the hill. Be careful of places advertising themselves as Piedmont Ave that are really not - if it's across Broadway, that's not as nice, and not as convenient to 'the Avenue.' There are a number of Transbay Bus lines in the area, and my husband preferred the nice coach bus to BART. Good luck with your move!
The immediate neighborhood is great, as is the neighborhood called 'Temescal' near Telegraph Avenue. However MacArthur BART still has safety problems, mainly at night. We've had several friends robbed at that station in the last couple of years. Are your classes in the day or at night? It is probably ok in the daytime. If you have night classes I would look for a place near Rockridge BART, or Downtown Berkeley BART, North Berkeley BART, or perhaps Ashby BART, east of Adeline. Or you could take one of the commuter buses instead of BART and that would bring you in to Piedmont Avenue. Go to the AC Transit website to see the routes, and how close it would be to the rental. anon
April 2012
Re: Moving to Oakland with small children
The Trestle Glen and Piedmont Avenue areas are walkable to shops; I don't know much about their schools. Have fun exploring neighborhoods! Oaklander
The area around Piedmont Avenue (both in the cities of Oakland and Piedmont) are also very walkable and family friendly. In many ways I prefer Piedmont Ave over Rockridge as it feels more like a real neighborhood with a larger variety of businesses along the avenue rather than just restaurants, cafes and boutiques.
Welcome to the neighborhood! Trestle Glen/Lakeshore is one of the nicest areas of Oakland. It's wonderfully walkable. However, it is also close to the freeway and Lake Merritt and crimes do exist. Do Not Leave ANYTHING in the car. I mean, not even the kid's water bottle or a bag of goldfish. Make sure you lock your cars when you park on your driveway. I walk to Lakeshore and Grand with my kids and go to the library, the farmer's market, all of the wonderful shops, but I am aware of my surroundings. I carry a small fanny pack tucked tight and if I see a potentially unstable person, I cross the street to the other side with my kid. We haven't directly encountered any serious or violent crimes or even property crimes for the past 8 years of living in this neighborhood but we know neighbors whose garages have been broken into and bikes stolen, etc.
There are many kid-friendly activities. Oakland YMCA isn't far away where you can take swim lessons. Many parks nearby. Frog Park in Rockridge is pretty close and a favorite among toddlers. Being close to Piedmont, all of the parks in Piedmont are beautiful and safe. It's also a short drive to Monclaire Village and Redwood Regional Parks. East Bay Dance Center in Glenview is lovely for kids' dance class and it's very very close to Trestle Glen. Our kid took dance class at EBDC from toddler age through elementary school. Once your kid is a bit older (age 4), you can also check out the choir programs at Pacific Boychoir Academy (they have both girl and boy programs). It's also in Glenview.
1 My in-laws have lived in that neighborhood for 50+ years. They've had their house broken into 3 times. The first time they lost most of their jewelry. They stopped leaving anything in their garage except their garbage cans and unlocked car because anything else like bikes, would be stolen. My MIL was mugged a few years ago getting cash at the Wells Fargo ATM during the day. Just last week I was driving down Lakeshore and another car hit my car then sped off. The TJs has a permanent parking spot for the police. Earlier this year 15 people were shot at a Juneteenth celebration by the North end of Lake Merrit, which is on the other side of the highway from Lakeshore. So in other words, Trestle Glen is one of the safer neighborhoods in Oakland. Seriously, most of the gun deaths are on the downhill side from hwy 580 so mostly you'll get property and petty crimes.
2. There's a Gymboree near the corner of Lakeshore and Mandana. There's a cute park on Lakeshore between Mandana and Santa Ray with a playground for toddler/little kids. The closest pools are the Piedmont Pool (opening in a few months?) and Lions Pool. I've met a few parents of infants who like AquaTech in Alameda because it's a warm indoor pool. I think the Oakland YMCA has lessons but don't know anyone who has taken their kids there. The closest library is Lakeview branch, I've never taken my kids there for toddler play or story time but I have taken them to the Piedmont Branch and Montclair Branch. It was sorta hit and miss. I actually used to meet a friend at the Sausaulito library for story time with our toddlers and came to realize that the story teller totally makes the experience.
3. One of my kids went to a forest school in Joaquin Miller park but I think they aren't around any more. I'm sure there are others but doubtful that they have a classroom. I don't think most forest schools are licensed which is why BPN doesn't allow reviews. We also sent one kid to Sequoia Nursery School. It's a coop that has a large building set in an expansive outdoor space. Not a forest school but lots of outdoor space, far more than most other pre-schools in the area. It's a play based program so not sure if it fits your request for conventional learning. Highly recommended if a co-op works for you.
4. Got nothing for you.
Good luck!
Trestle Glen is a lovely neighborhood that benefits from its hilly topography and proximity to affluent Piedmont.
We lived in nearby Glenview when the kids were small. Crime is not a major concern, although we are in Oakland, and this is an urban environment.
That said, Trestle Glen is close to Grand Avenue, which is a main thoroughfare from West Oakland to Crocker Highlands. Sometimes crime happens on the gritty stretches of Grand Avenue near Lake Merritt and points west.
Traffic density is a concern, but less so than San Francisco.
IMHO the tradeoffs make the location you are considering totally worthwhile You will be minutes away from beloved Oakland Children's Fairyland, the inspiration for Disneyland in the early 1950s. Lake Merritt is also one of the oldest wild bird refuges in the country. The three-mile perimeter is a wondeful place to walk, push a stroller, bike. There are band concerts in the park, too.,
Broadway Children's School in Adams Point is topnotch, a play-based part-time program where our kids met lovely playmates.
In the other direction, at the top of Park Boulevard, is 500-acre Joaquin Miller Park. There are a number of bilingual preschool programs such as La Escuela del Bosque that use the park, but I have no info about them.
Our kids are adults now, and they have benefited from growing up in this diverse city, where they have gotten to know people of every ethnicity, social class, and walk of life.
Congratulations! We love the neighborhood so much! (We are a bit closer to Crocker Highlands but still very walkable to Lakeshore.)
Welcome to the neighborhood! We've been here 15 years and raised a child(now 12) here. She wouldn't live anywhere else, and while we think about it occasionally, we can't figure out where else we'd want to live.
One consideration is prepping for the OUSD school assignment process. We assumed we'd get into Crocker Highlands, but we didn't get placed there due to a surge of kids for our year. We did end up getting a spot in 4th grade and all of our neighbors have gotten in recently, but I wished that I hadn't gone into the process with so much confidence.
If you’re moving from SF, crime in this neighborhood will be the same or lower. Other comments are correct—property crime is unfortunately common (think late night car window break ins), though less common as you get away from Lakeshore Ave/uphill. Don’t leave stuff in your car and lock your door/gate to backyard.
Not sure if you’re in the Lakeshore Homes HOA, but my neighborhood has an HOA and a community group that raises money for a security patrol and pays for Flock cameras, both of which are a deterrent.
Most households in the area have kids, so kid friendly activities abound. Be sure to check out the Piedmont activities as well—open to non residents for a higher fee.
Lots of preschool options spring to mind given the concentration of kids, but most of the forest schools tend to be farther north in the EB parks system and no idea how young they enroll.
Hi! Welcome to the sunny side of the Bay! I’ve been in the area for 13 years. There is lots to do! Fairyland, Oakland Zoo, Lake Merritt, and LOTS of playgrounds around that area.
You are still moving to an urban area. Don’t leave bikes out front and locks your doors. However there is a strong sense of community & neighborhood connection.
My daughter went to Bloomers, which is a Reggio-play based preschool over in Glenview (about a 6minite drive from where you are talking about). It is a great program. Toys & things will look well loved & well played with….but is a fabulous place for kids! Highly recommend it.
Check out 510families.com for activites, classes etc.
I highly recommend Pumpkin Seed Childcare on Greenly, which would be a ten minute drive for you. They are exceptional with all sorts of kids, they are outdoors a LOT, play focused, good food and very community focused. I live in Alameda and I've known a number of folks who move from SF to the East Bay and complain about lack of a community- with Pumpkin Seed, your child and your will make new connections and develop great relationships. Plus the teachers, Damond and Jenn have three grown kids of their own, so they are excellent at helping families manage juggling new circumstances such as a new environment and a new kiddo. They were extremely helpful at getting my oldest son to learn how to be a good big brother to my second. Moving and a new kid are so stressful for kiddos- having a safe and welcoming spot to land will be extremely helpful for everyone in the family. Best of luck!
Welcome! I live in TG with my three kids, 5 yo, 3 yo and a baby. It’s so walkable and social; we love the community here! A few ideas for you - re: Q #2: we’ve loved an outdoor class called “Little Ferns” at Lake Temescal. It’s a small “hike” and also incorporates a parenting discussion while the children have their snack at the end. We’ve enjoyed finding community and parent-support through the class, as well as a beautiful way to enjoy nature with little ones. More info about the parent-child classes can be found on the Berkeley Rose Waldorf School website. They have indoor class offerings as well. https://www.berkeleyrose.org/early-childhood/
510 Families website also lists some fun hikes in the area - like this one located close to TG: https://www.510families.com/oakland-bridgeview-trolls/
Re: Q #3: Our kids attend preschool at Berkeley Rose Waldorf School, which moved to Oakland and is located near Piedmont Avenue. They spend half of the day outside, with a strong emphasis on appreciation for the natural world, and have a weekly “hike day” as well, where the children spend a day in the forest.
Good luck in your search!