Bordered by the Oakland Hills to the north and the Oakland Estuary to the south, South Oakland encompasses a large area and a diverse population. Dominated by a variety of residential neighborhoods, architectural styles range from small single-family bungalows and ranches to apartments and condominiums. Through the heart of this area stretches the lively commercial district of International Boulevard, known as The Comida Corridor. Home to countless restaurants and a wide assortment of cuisines ranging from Cambodian to Salvadoran to Southern Soul Food—The Comida Corridor is best known for its down-home Mexican fare.

The neighborhood of Fruitvale, located southeast of downtown Oakland, is a thriving multicultural neighborhood of approximately 53,000. Named after a German immigrant’s 19-century cherry tree orchard, the heart of Fruitvale today is its diverse population, its small locally-owned businesses and its strong community activism. The Unity Council, the most active community organization in Fruitvale, has been a driving force in improving Fruitvale’s parks, facades, local businesses, festivals including the annual Dia De Los Muertos Festival (which draws up to 75,000 attendees) and the Fruitvale Transit Village, an award-winning development of housing, shops, restaurants, offices, a library, a Sunday farmer’s market and a palm-tree lined pedestrian plaza all surrounding the Fruitvale BART station.

The neighborhood of Melrose, bordered by bustling Fruitvale to the west and the quieter neighborhood of Seminary to the east, is made up of quiet streets with duplexes and small single-family bungalows. Named after Melrose, Scotland, the neighborhood was incorporated into the city of Oakland after the 1906 earthquake. In the heart of Melrose, is the Melrose Carnegie Library, one of five Carnegie libraries built in Oakland. It is an integral part of supporting the strong African-American, Latino and Asian cultures that call Melrose home. Melrose has a variety of restaurants and retail options to choose from along International Blvd and is also conveniently close to the Fruitvale BART station.

Located in the hilly foothills of Oakland, Maxwell Park was once a land of ranches, dairies and farms. Developed into a residential neighborhood in the 1920s, it offers homeowners a variety of architectural styles to choose from including English Tudor, Spanish, Craftsman bungalows and a unique style created by little known Oakland architect Walter Dixon, called "modest mansions". Dixon, who traveled to Europe to study architecture, set out to design small homes with unique touches like dovecotes and dormers, features more commonly found on larger, more expensive homes. Today, these unique bungalows are one of the many reasons this quiet, tree-lined neighborhood has become so popular.

Close to both Highway 580 and Highway 880, two BART stations (Fruitvale and Coliseum) and the Oakland Airport, South Oakland is an easy commute to other bay area towns.

Learn more in local newspapers: The Oakland Tribune, East Bay Express.