Introduction
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Hiring a car

Oakland travel guide

Oakland Tourism | Oakland Guide

You're Going to Love Oakland

With a population of 390,724, Oakland is a must-see destination in California, United States. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. Consider staying at least one whole day in Oakland to see all of its attractions.

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Where to Eat in Oakland

North Oakland is the neighbourhood with the most restaurants in Oakland. These include popular favourites such as Commis Dining Room (3859 Piedmont Avenue), Wood Tavern (6317 College Ave.) and SAFFRON KITCHEN (5940 College Ave). If you’re looking for affordable options, A Cote (5478 College Ave) and Scott's Seafood - Oakland (2 Broadway) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Lovely Day (4629 Martin Luther King Jr Way) and Ikaros Greek Restaurant (3268 Grand Ave) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Oakland.

When to visit Oakland

Oakland in November
Estimated hotel price
$241
1 night at 3-star hotel
Oakland in November
Estimated hotel price
$241
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Oakland in August, when the average temperature is 19 °C, and the highest can go up to 23 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 7 °C, with an average temperature of 11 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in January, when precipitation is around 122 mm. In contrast, July is usually the driest month of the year in Oakland, with an average rainfall of 0 mm.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Oakland

Plane

Oakland is served by 2 airports: Oakland Airport (OAK) and San Francisco Airport (SFO). The closest to the city centre of Oakland is Oakland Airport, which is located 11 km from the city centre. Further away is San Francisco Airport, 22 km from the centre of Oakland. Oakland Airport is the most popular, with regular flights from Air Canada, Lufthansa, SWISS and other airlines departing from New Zealand. The shortest flight to Oakland from New Zealand departs from Auckland and takes around 12h 05m.

Train

Located 9 km from the city centre, Oakland Coliseum is the busiest station in Oakland. Another popular train station is Oakland Jack London Square, located 1.2 km from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Oakland is to pick up a car hire from San Francisco, which is about 13 km from Oakland. You’ll find branches of Thrifty and Alamo, among others, in San Francisco.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Oakland, located 0.8 km from the city centre of Oakland. Oakland Jack London is also a commonly used station, and is 0.8 km from the city centre.

Plane

Oakland is served by 2 airports: Oakland Airport (OAK) and San Francisco Airport (SFO). The closest to the city centre of Oakland is Oakland Airport, which is located 11 km from the city centre. Further away is San Francisco Airport, 22 km from the centre of Oakland. Oakland Airport is the most popular, with regular flights from Air Canada, Lufthansa, SWISS and other airlines departing from New Zealand. The shortest flight to Oakland from New Zealand departs from Auckland and takes around 12h 05m.

Train

Located 9 km from the city centre, Oakland Coliseum is the busiest station in Oakland. Another popular train station is Oakland Jack London Square, located 1.2 km from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Oakland is to pick up a car hire from San Francisco, which is about 13 km from Oakland. You’ll find branches of Thrifty and Alamo, among others, in San Francisco.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Oakland, located 0.8 km from the city centre of Oakland. Oakland Jack London is also a commonly used station, and is 0.8 km from the city centre.

Airports near Oakland

SFOSan Francisco
SJCSan Jose
SMFSacramento Intl

Airlines serving Oakland

Lufthansa
Good (7,407 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,386 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,363 reviews)
Delta
Good (7,957 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,737 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,968 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,924 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,925 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,468 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,336 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,624 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (850 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,144 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,486 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,114 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,250 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (10,894 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,324 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (993 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (359 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Oakland

Average rates range from around $306 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $416 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Ramada by Wyndham Oakland Downtown City Center and Continental Lodge. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Oakland, with prices from $22 to $1,482 per night. North Oakland is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Oakland are about 65% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Most popular hotel in Oakland by neighbourhood

Where to stay in popular areas of Oakland

Most booked hotels in Oakland

See all
Executive Inn & Suites Oakland
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
$211+
View
Oakland Marriott City Center
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
$212+
View
Embassy Suites by Hilton San Francisco Airport Oyster Point
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
$315+
View
Courtyard by Marriott Oakland Airport
3 stars
Good (7.9, Good reviews)
$182+
View
Best Western Plus Grosvenor Airport Hotel
3 stars
Good (7.8, Good reviews)
$210+
View
Oakland Airport Arena Hotel
2 stars
Okay (5.9, Okay reviews)
$139+
View

Hiring a car in Oakland

Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Alamo and Europcar are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to hire a car in Oakland is the Fox branch at 7600 Earhart Road, which is 9 km from the city centre.

Expect to pay $1.58 per litre in Oakland (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $18.88 and $25.17. Intermediate (Ford Escape or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in Oakland, while also 68% cheaper than other types, on average.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Alamo and Europcar are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to hire a car in Oakland is the Fox branch at 7600 Earhart Road, which is 9 km from the city centre.

Expect to pay $1.58 per litre in Oakland (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between $18.88 and $25.17. Intermediate (Ford Escape or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in Oakland, while also 68% cheaper than other types, on average.

Best car hire deals in Oakland

Intermediate SUV

5 Adults, 3 Bags

$70/day

Intermediate SUV

Compact SUV

4 Adults, 2 Bags

$72/day

Compact SUV
Find car hire in Oakland

Oakland Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Oakland city guide for the best Oakland travel tips. To help you organise your Oakland trip ideas, this Oakland visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.