Travel Noire published this article on how to spend 48 hours in Black Owned San Francisco. Ironically more than half of the places listed were in Oakland!
So, we decided to create our own travel guide that specifically highlights Black Owned businesses and cultural activities.
Most travel guides for Black owned businesses focus on boutiques or restaurants (which you can find here ) but this guide will focus on Black owned businesses that you might not find in any place else.
Brianna Noble is the woman in the photo above that went viral during the Black Lives Matter protests in Oakland, 2020. Brianna is the owner of Mulatto Meadows, a company that offers mounted riding lessons and horsemanship classes for children and adults, especially those from the city who would rarely encounter a horse.
Technically her business is in Castro Valley, not Oakland. But STILL it is in the East Bay, so we are including it on the list.
They boast that they will “deliver orgasms immediately” and,with their wide array of sex toys,we believe them. This sex shop and community space is founded by Nenna Joiner and is based in Oakland and Berkeley, Calif.
It’s not only the oldest Black bookstore in the U.S. but, in homage to Steph Curry’s amazing record of 3-pointers and his equally amazing community service,Rakutenhas teamed up with Marcus Books to give away FREE books to any customer who shows the link on their web page.
Moreover, inside one of the books is the ultimate surprise: a golden ticket! This lucky fan will receive one pair of commemorative Curry Flow sneakers and four tickets to a home Golden State Warriors game. Do you need any other reason to stop by and get your free book?
The only Black owned company featured in the travel book, Secret California, a guide to the weird, wonderful, and obscure. The company, owned by Judi Townsend, sells mannequins, dress forms and other mannequin-related items that have been recycled from big retail stores.
Whether you are opening a pop up store, selling clothes on Poshmark, doing an art project or just want a form to display your jewelry in your home – we are certain you will find something you can use.
Here, you can create “wearable art,” a flower crown or fantasy headdress out of faux flowers, shells, feathers, butterflies and other amazing embellishments
In just 90 minutes, using only a glue gun, you will have a souvenir that you can wear over and over to remind you of your visit to Oakland.
As the song says, “If you are going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair “ ( But stop in Oakland on your way to make an eco-friendly flower crown.
Is a Blackwoman-owned open-air plant and specialty home goods shop. A community space & an absolute vibe. Blk Girls Green House is the brainchild of two Oakland women—Kalkidan Gebreyohannes and J’Maica Roxanne – who are committed to collaborating with fellow Blackowned businesses and inspiring conscious, local shopping and gathering.
If you bring your kids along for the weekend, consider giving them their own fun time here. Geared to kids ten and under, the creative, interactive and safe playspace has more than 2,000 square feet of pure fun, complete with a Lego wall, play food truck,house, kitchen and play structure with ball pit, swing, tunnels and bridges, etc..
Red Bay Coffee has a Public Roastery on East 10th Street along with several brick-and-mortar retail locations throughout California.The new headquarters will have a state-of-the-art coffee Cupping Lab and a Design Studio focused on designing, creating, and sharing Red Bay Coffee’s special blend of magic. Their coffee blends have Afrocentric names.
Bonus Tip:
If you are traveling from out of town and need a place to stay, there are several Airbnb’s owned by Black people. This list has private Airbnb’s and this list has shared Airbnb’s spaces.
Timed-based Cultural Activities
The Black Joy Parade It’s a live community-based experience down the streets of Oakland at the end of February. It celebrates the Black experience and our influence on cultures past, present and future. While the parade is the signature event, there are Black Joy activities all year long.
The Oakland Museum
has several exhibits geared towards African Americans. Mothership: Voyage into Afrofuturism offers a powerful reason to gather and celebrate Black imagination. Experience the work of some of the central figures of this cultural phenomena. Learn about the connections between important figures of Afrofuturism and the ways in which Afrofuturism is present in our everyday lives
Another exhibit there is called Black Power covers the history of the Black Power movement in California, specifically the Black Panthers.
There’s a festival almost every weekend in the Oakland Bay Area and there’s always an abundance of not-your-average weekend activities to see and do! Check out the San Francisco Bay Black Owned Business Directory to find more Oakland fun!
