Jets road trip 2011: Oakland

The Jets travel to Oakland to play the Raiders on Sept. 25. If you're going to take a road trip (OK, fine, a plane trip) to watch the Jets in Oak-town that weekend, here's a list of 10 things to do and places to eat while you're in town. Use the comments section at the bottom to share your favorite places.

1. Oakland Zoo
9777 Golf Links Rd., off Interstate 580
510-632-9525
oaklandzoo.org

The Oakland Zoo has been at Knowland Park location since 1936. It is home to more than 650 native and exotic creatures. The zoo features a rain forest, a chance to feed the animals and an amusement park where you can ride the Tiger Coaster and twirl on the Safari Scramble. There are plenty of volunteers at every exhibit to answer any questions about the animals. Children under 2 enter free.

2. Fortune Cookie Factory
261 12th St.
510-832-5552

Ever wonder how the delicious cookie is made? Here's your chance! The tour of the factory is short and sweet. Literally. The tour of the factory takes about two minutes, and you get a free sample on your way out. While you're there, you can put an order in for custom-made fortune cookies. Don't forget to try one of the chocolate dipped fortune cookies.

3. Children's Fairyland
699 Bellevue Ave.
510-238-6876
fairyland.org

Fairy tales come to life here at Children's Fairyland. There are live puppet shows three times a day. After that kids can take a ride on Alice's Wonder-Go-Round. The fairy-tale motif is present everywhere you go in this 10-acre park, which opened in 1950. If you get hungry, grab a bite to eat at Johnny Appleseed's Cafe and stop by the Magic Lamp Gift Shop. Children's Fairyland is good for young children ranging from 11/2 to 4 years old.

4. Gondola Servizio
1520 Lakeside Dr.
510-663-6603
gondolaservizio.com

Who said you can only ride a gondola in Venice? Gondola Servizio gives you a chance to see Oakland from Lake Merritt. The cruises can accommodate up to six people seven days a week, night and day. There are special packages ranging from $40 to $100, depending on your preferences. The boats are beautifully crafted and make you feel like you are in Venice. Your gondolas await you behind the Lake Chalet Seafood Bar and Grill, where you can get a drink and something to eat before your ride.

5. Redwood Regional Park
7867 Redwood Rd.
888-327-2757
ebparks.org/parks/redwood

Want to walk long trails in between 150-foot redwoods? Visit Redwood Park to escape the city lights of Oakland and see eagles, deer, raccoons, rabbits and squirrels in their natural habitats. Picnic areas are located around the park as well as camping sites, which require a reservation.

6. Fentons Creamery & Restaurant
4226 Piedmont Ave.
510-658-7000
fentonscreamery.com

Old-fashioned decor and large portions have kept this ice cream shop in business for the past 115 years. On bustling Piedmont Avenue, Fentons is pumping at any hour, with a line that is usually out the door. It's well worth the wait because your taste buds will thank you when you delve into anyone of their sundaes, banana splits, milkshakes or brownie sundaes. Fentons also has a menu filled with your classic diner food.

7. USS Potomac
540 Water St.
510-627-1502
usspotomac.org

The USS Potomac has been dubbed "The Floating White House." That alone should get you to visit this 165-foot-long vessel. If that's not enough consider this, it was Franklin Delano Roosevelt's presidential yacht until his death in 1945. It has been restored to its former glory so you can travel in style just like FDR, even if it's just for the day.

8. In-N-Out Burger
8300 Oakport St.
800-768-1000
in-n-out.com

Yes, it's yet another fast-food burger joint, but the name alone sets it apart from all its competitors. And let's not forget the ridiculously thick milkshakes. The menu is simple: three kinds of burgers, fries and a milkshake. It's not about quantity at In-N-Out Burgers. The service is quick, hence the name of the place, but, if you prefer not to do the drive-thru, they do have seats inside and out. Of course, there's also the secret menu. Order "the octopus" and see what happens. And please, go animal style or don't go at all.

9. Night tour of Alcatraz
San Francisco
alcatrazcruises.com

Take a ride over the bridge to San Francisco. Then hop a boat for a night time tour of the most famous prison in the country: Alcatraz. The tour leads visitors through solitary confinement, where you can stand inside a dark cell and listen to the voices of inmates who spent time there. Close your eyes, and you can sense the isolation, the desperation. Tickets are available about 60 days in advance; reservations recommended.

10. Fisherman's Wharf

On the northern waterfront area of San Francisco between Van Ness Avenue and Kearny Street, Fisherman's Wharf is arguably one of the busiest areas in San Francisco. Tons of restaurants line the streets. After your belly is full, head over to the aquarium or the Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum. Fisherman's Wharf is conveniently located near tons of hotels, putting you right in the middle of the action.