The neighborhood is located in the northeast corner of Lake Merritt, where Grand Avenue and Lakeshore Avenue pass under Interstate 580.

It borders Adams Point to the west, Trestle Glen/Crocker Highlands to the east, and the city of Piedmont to the north.

There are two shopping areas in the Grand Lake District: The two streets are connected at their closest point by Lake Park Avenue and Splashpad Park, home of the neighborhood's large Saturday farmers' market.

[1] The Grand Lake neighborhood has seen a significant degree of revitalization since the 1990s.

The property values of the area have increased as a result, contributing to the overall rise in land value of the San Francisco Bay Area.