A waterfront commercial district on the Oakland Estuary named after author Jack London, who frequented the area. Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon, built in 1883, still stands and was a regular haunt of London's. The boardwalk offers views of the estuary, passing boats, and the Alameda shoreline.
Photography Guide
Best Time
evening
Crowds
Moderate
Shot Types
widedetailportrait
Best Seasons
springsummerfallwinter
Practical Tips
Parking garages available nearby; the area is also accessible by ferry from San Francisco. Weekday mornings are quietest for photography.
Is it a good day to go?
7-day outlook
Mild, dry days with light winds are the most comfortable for a visit.
Forecast by Open-Meteo. Verdicts weigh the forecast against the conditions that suit this spot.
Gallery
An Amtrak California train in blue, gray, and yellow rolls through Jack London Square on tracks set into a quiet street, framed by leafy trees and low waterfront buildings. Bright sunlight and a clear blue sky give the scene a crisp midday look. Photo: Thejudahrice / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0Jack London Square’s Amtrak pedestrian bridge spans an empty street, with the station’s glass tower on the left and a parking garage and rail platform on the right. Clear blue evening light highlights the black “Jack London Square • Oakland” sign and the steel trusswork overhead. Photo: Tony Webster from Portland, Oregon, United States / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0Tall palm trees fill a grassy plaza beside Jack London Square, with people strolling along the paved waterfront paths. Beyond them, sailboats and yachts crowd the blue estuary under clear daylight, with marina buildings and the Alameda shoreline in the distance. Photo: Basil D Soufi / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0A white Jack London Square ping-pong table fills the foreground, its cutout letters reflecting the waterfront scene and palm trees behind it. The glossy surface mirrors the bold lettering and the soft evening light. Photo: James R Morrin Jr / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0Heinold’s First and Last Chance Saloon fills the frame, its weathered wood facade strung with tiny multicolored lights and old neon signs glowing over the doorway. The front windows, historic plaques, and hand-painted beer and cocktail notices give the century-old waterfront bar a worn, atmospheric look. Photo: Adjoajo / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0Sailboats and motor yachts fill a calm marina at Jack London Square, their masts silhouetted against a heavy, overcast evening sky. The dark water reflects the clouds, with docks, low waterfront buildings, and a red-topped harbor structure in the background. Photo: Adjoajo / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0A long silver Capitol Corridor train sits at the Jack London Square station under a clear blue sky, with the covered pedestrian bridge and station tower framing the platform. A few people stand beside the tracks, and the low afternoon light glints off the train’s metal sides. Photo: Clay Gilliland / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0Tall palm trees rise over Jack London Square, with a small rustic log cabin and a sculptural dog in a sandy plaza beside modern waterfront buildings. Bright blue sky and hard midday light give the scene a warm, open feel. Photo: Niranjan Arminius / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0Jack London Square’s ferry terminal sits beside a long covered boardwalk over the estuary, with white trusses, a blue roof, and benches and planters along the waterfront promenade. A green lawn fills the foreground under a cloudy evening sky, with the ferry structure and dockside details framing the scene. Photo: Skier Dude / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0Green lawn and curving paths fill the foreground, with a red bicycle parked near shrubs and tall trees framing a modern glass office building behind it. The waterfront district peeks through on the left with marina masts, boats, and low commercial buildings under a clear daylight sky. Photo: Lrd1rocha / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
