Oakland , General info:
9/10

Oakland is the eighth-largest city in the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Alameda County. Oakland is located in Northern California in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Combined statistical area#Largest CSAs-twelveth-most-populous metropolitan area in the United States. Based on 2006 statistical data, Oakland is the 44th-largest city in the United States.

Rand McNally named Oakland as having the best weather in the United States.

Oakland is a major West Coast port, and is home to several major corporations including Kaiser Permanente and Clorox, as well as corporate headquarters for nationwide businesses like Dreyer's and Cost Plus World Markets.

Oakland , Cheap stuff:
8/10

Like any big city...

Oakland , Different stuff:
9/10

Symbols of Oakland’s arrival as a modern 20th century metropolis -- the Beaux Arts-style City hall and Rotunda Building, the Tribune Tower, and the Art Deco-style Financial Center building

Oakland , Don't miss:
8/10

Dunsmuir House, Grand Lake Theatre, Jack London Square, Lake Merritt, Children's Fairyland, Parkway Theatre, Paramount Theatre, Preservation Park, USS Potomac-National Historic Landmark

Oakland , Food:
9/10

Jack's Bistro, Horatio's, Garibaldi's on College, Citron, ...

Oakland , Hotels:
8/10

Clarion Suites Lake Merritt Restaurant & Hotel, Jack London Square Lodging, Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Oakland Airport, Regency Inn, North Oakland, Executive Inn & Suites Embarcadero Cove, Oakland Marriott

Quality Inn, Imperial Inn, Fairfield Inn by Marriott

Oakland , Safety:
9/10

Not so safe in here ...

Roseau , General info:
9/10

Roseau is the capital of Dominica. Its population is 14,847. It is a small and compact urban settlement, located within the Saint George parish and surrounded by the Caribbean Sea, the Roseau River and Morne Bruce. Built on the site of the ancient Kalinago Indian village of Sairi, it is the oldest and most important urban settlement on the island.

Roseau , Cheap stuff:
8/10

Saturday morning market near here the Roseau River meets the Caribbean Sea. The market vendors start setting up very early before dawn to ensure they get good stall locations. The market is a great place to buy frsh fruit, seafood, and spices. There is less variety but still good prices for vegetables, meat and goods.

Roseau , Different stuff:
9/10

Sundays in Roseau are very quiet and more store-fronts and many restaurants are closed. Best to plan for a nature-day on Sundays. However, make sure your transportation is planned because buses and taxis will either not be operating or at much less frequency.

Roseau , Don't miss:
10/10

The emerald pool is a definite do-not-miss. Most natives know where it is. It will feel cool at first but it takes only 2-3 minutes to get used to it. The water in the pool feels very pure and soft against your skin.

Roseau , Food:
8/10

Restaurants are as diverse and unique. They offer a vast array of mouth-watering culinary delights that will satisfy even the most discriminating pallet. These restaurants offer a wide range of international selections, including succulant Creole cuisine, blending and reflecting our island's Carib Indian, African, French and Oriental influence. Your menu choices may include beef, goat, fish, and chicken, as well as a variety of savory soups and salads. Vegetarian entrees are also widely available. You may also want to try some tasty local favorites such as "San Coche" (saltfish boiled in coconut milk) served with dumplings and green bananas and "Callaloo" soup, which tastes like spinach and is sometimes flavored with crab meat. (Callaloo is made from the leaves of the dasheen plant.)

Roseau , Hotels:
9/10

There are no world famous hotel chains in the city. The most famous hotel is the Fort Young Hotel. In addition there are several small family owned establishments within and on the outskirts of the city.

Roseau , Safety:
9/10

Dominica is one of the safest places to travel in the region. There are no poisonous snakes or insects in Dominica. Tap water is safe to drink, but since it is sometimes drawn straight from Dominica's many rivers, it has a tendency to turn brown after heavy rainfall. It's better to drink the bottled water available almost anywhere.