Oakland, California

Which hip California community has been said to have more resident artists per capita than any other U.S. city (after Brooklyn)? It's not San Francisco—it's nearby Oakland, a blossoming city by the Bay. Oakland is an ideal destination for travelers interested in cuisine, culture, and the arts. Several local art deco theaters, including the Paramount Theatre and the Fox, as well as the Oakland Museum of California, have recently undergone renovations. And, according to a representative from the California tourism board, "More and more chefs from San Francisco and Berkeley are opening up their own restaurants in Oakland, making [it] one of the best culinary destinations in the country."