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, 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.

When to visit Oakland

Oakland in December
Estimated hotel price
$251
1 night at 3-star hotel
Oakland in December
Estimated hotel price
$251
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 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.

Train

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

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 Fox and Enterprise Rent-A-Car, 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 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.

Train

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

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 Fox and Enterprise Rent-A-Car, 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

STSSanta Rosa Sonoma County
SFOSan Francisco
SJCSan Jose

Airlines serving Oakland

Lufthansa
Good (8,000 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,517 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,979 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,452 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,366 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,945 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,216 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,587 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (915 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,711 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,571 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,728 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,777 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (11,034 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,190 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,393 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (407 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (2,250 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,329 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,437 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Oakland

Average rates range from around $304 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $455 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 $93 to $598 per night. North Oakland is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Oakland are about 75% 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
Oakland Marriott City Center
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
$220+
View
Executive Inn & Suites Oakland
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
$236+
View
Embassy Suites by Hilton San Francisco Airport Oyster Point
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, Excellent reviews)
$281+
View
Hilton Garden Inn San Francisco Airport North
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
$195+
View
Best Western Plus Grosvenor Airport Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8, Excellent reviews)
$205+
View
Courtyard by Marriott Oakland Airport
3 stars
Good (7.9, Good reviews)
$204+
View

Hiring a car in Oakland

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 $2.13 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 $25.47 and $33.95. The most frequently booked car type in Oakland is Full-size (GMC Yukon or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate car hire (Honda Civic or similar) is, on average, 59% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

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 $2.13 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 $25.47 and $33.95. The most frequently booked car type in Oakland is Full-size (GMC Yukon or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate car hire (Honda Civic or similar) is, on average, 59% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Best car hire deals in Oakland

Intermediate

5 Adults, 3 Bags

$59/day

Intermediate

Supplier choice

5 Adults, 5 Bags

$69/day

Supplier choice
Find car hire in Oakland