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 among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. We recommend you stay at least 7 days in order to fully appreciate everything Oakland has to offer.

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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
$208
1 night at 3-star hotel
Oakland in December
Estimated hotel price
$208
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, SWISS, United Airlines and other airlines departing from Australia. The shortest flight to Oakland from Australia departs from Sydney and takes around 13h 30m.

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 Dollar and Turo, among others, in San Francisco.

Bus

LuxXpress operates bus routes to Oakland. 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, SWISS, United Airlines and other airlines departing from Australia. The shortest flight to Oakland from Australia departs from Sydney and takes around 13h 30m.

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 Dollar and Turo, among others, in San Francisco.

Bus

LuxXpress operates bus routes to Oakland. 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 (8,009 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,517 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,986 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,449 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,373 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,948 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,219 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,588 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (913 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,737 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,570 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,726 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,781 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,191 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (11,058 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (408 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,396 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (2,252 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,332 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Good (12,376 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Oakland

Average rates range from around $255 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $397 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 $73 to $496 per night. North Oakland is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Oakland are about 77% 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)
$190+
View
Executive Inn & Suites Oakland
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
$206+
View
Hotel Shattuck Plaza
4 stars
Excellent (8.3, Excellent reviews)
$231+
View
The Westin San Francisco Airport
4 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
$256+
View
Embassy Suites by Hilton San Francisco Airport Waterfront
4 stars
Good (7.9, Good reviews)
$234+
View
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Berkeley Marina
4 stars
Good (7.6, Good reviews)
$161+
View

Hiring a car in Oakland

Hiring a car in Oakland costs $63 per day, on average, or $444 if you want to hire it for 7 days. 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.

It’s generally cheaper to hire your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 35% cheaper than airport locations in Oakland.

Expect to pay $1.77 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 $21.15 and $28.20. 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.

Hiring a car in Oakland costs $63 per day, on average, or $444 if you want to hire it for 7 days. 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.

It’s generally cheaper to hire your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 35% cheaper than airport locations in Oakland.

Expect to pay $1.77 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 $21.15 and $28.20. 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

Intermediate

5 Adults, 3 Bags

$48/day

Intermediate

Intermediate

5 Adults, 3 Bags

$51/day

Intermediate
Find car hire in Oakland