The city of Alameda, not to be confused with Alameda County, is actually an island off the port of Oakland and running down the bay to near the Oakland Airport.  It is a very quaint small town community that has much going for it. In my mind, its˙ one of the bay area secrets and I think some islanders want to keep it that way.

Alameda used to be the place wealthy San Franciscan˙s owned summer homes. There is a large stock of big Victorian houses and cute cottages. There are also parts of Alameda that were developed in the 60˙s and later, especially the townhome developments of Bay Farm Island which is part of Alameda toward the airport.  

While having a small town charm Alameda offers a wide selection of delicious cuisine, great shopping, and outdoor activities such as wind sailing, kite flying, and sailing. There are 2 passenger ferry˙s running to the city. The crime rate in Alameda is very low compared to neighboring communities. Between 2004 and 2006 the police department reported only 3 murders in total, 1 in 2004, none in 2005, and 2 in 2006. You will want to adhere to the speed limit while exploring this lovely place as the speed limit all around the island is 25 mph and the police are well known for enforcing this rigorously. The schools are not bad either, making Alameda an interesting option for home buying. Alameda˙s biggest draw back is accessibility to commuting people who work odd hours that make taking the ferry service prohibitive. The tunnel and bridges can get backed up during rush hour making getting to and from the island sometimes challenging.