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.

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, Yoshi's Oakland (510 Embarcadero West) and ACRE Kitchen and Bar (5655 College Ave.) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Burdell (4640 Telegraph Ave) and Mago (3762 Piedmont Ave) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Oakland.

Oakland in December

Estimated hotel price

$256

1 night at 3-star hotel

$256

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.

Temperatures

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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 Lufthansa, United Airlines, Air New Zealand and other airlines departing from New Zealand. The shortest flight to Oakland from New Zealand departs from Auckland and takes around 12h.

Car

Another option to get to Oakland is to pick up a car hire from San Francisco, which is about 12 km from Oakland. You’ll find branches of Dollar and Europcar, among others, in San Francisco.

Plane

Car

Another option to get to Oakland is to pick up a car hire from San Francisco, which is about 12 km from Oakland. You’ll find branches of Dollar and Europcar, among others, in San Francisco.

Airports near Oakland

STSSanta Rosa Sonoma County

SFOSan Francisco

SJCSan Jose

Airlines serving Oakland

Good (8,018 reviews)

Good (1,518 reviews)

Good (7,991 reviews)

Good (8,452 reviews)

Good (4,382 reviews)

Good (1,952 reviews)

Good (3,220 reviews)

Good (1,589 reviews)

Good (919 reviews)

Good (9,748 reviews)

Excellent (3,575 reviews)

Qatar Airways

Good (3,729 reviews)

Scandinavian Airlines

Good (1,783 reviews)

LOT

Good (1,193 reviews)

Air Canada

Good (11,067 reviews)

Good (410 reviews)

Good (1,398 reviews)

Good (2,257 reviews)

Good (1,340 reviews)

Good (12,391 reviews)

Where to stay in Oakland

Average rates range from around $307 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $532 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 $89 to $607 per night. North Oakland is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Oakland are about 69% 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

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Oakland Marriott City Center

4 stars

Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)

$222+

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Executive Inn & Suites Oakland

3 stars

Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)

$250+

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Embassy Suites by Hilton San Francisco Airport Oyster Point

3 stars

Excellent (8.3, Excellent reviews)

$282+

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Best Western Plus Grosvenor Airport Hotel

3 stars

Excellent (8, Excellent reviews)

$214+

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Courtyard by Marriott Oakland Airport

3 stars

Good (7.9, Good reviews)

$197+

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Hotel Focus SFO

3 stars

Good (7.1, Good reviews)

$158+

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Alamo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Hertz are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to hire a car in Oakland is the Dollar branch at 7600 Earhart St, which is 10 km from the city centre.

Expect to pay $2.18 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 $26.06 and $34.74. The most frequently booked car type in Oakland is Standard (Honda Accord or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate car hire (Jeep Cherokee or similar) is, on average, 54% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Best car hire deals in Oakland

Supplier choice

5 Adults, 5 Bags

$65/day

Economy

2 Adults, 2 Bags

$69/day

Find car hire in Oakland

Oakland Tourism | Oakland Guide

You're Going to Love Oakland

Where to Eat in Oakland

When to visit Oakland

How to Get to Oakland

Plane

Car

Plane

Car

Airports near Oakland

Airlines serving Oakland

Where to stay in Oakland

Where to stay in popular areas of Oakland

Most booked hotels in Oakland

Hiring a car in Oakland

Best car hire deals in Oakland