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 7 miles from the city centre. Further away is San Francisco Airport, 14 miles 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 20m.

Train

Located 0.7 miles from the city centre, Oakland Jack London Square is the busiest station in Oakland. Another popular train station is Oakland Coliseum, located 5 miles from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Oakland is to pick up a car hire from San Francisco, which is about 7 miles from Oakland. You’ll find branches of Turo and Fox, among others, in San Francisco.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Oakland, located 0.5 miles from the city centre of Oakland. Oakland Jack London is also a commonly used station, and is 0.5 miles 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 7 miles from the city centre. Further away is San Francisco Airport, 14 miles 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 20m.

Train

Located 0.7 miles from the city centre, Oakland Jack London Square is the busiest station in Oakland. Another popular train station is Oakland Coliseum, located 5 miles from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Oakland is to pick up a car hire from San Francisco, which is about 7 miles from Oakland. You’ll find branches of Turo and Fox, among others, in San Francisco.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Oakland, located 0.5 miles from the city centre of Oakland. Oakland Jack London is also a commonly used station, and is 0.5 miles from the city centre.

Airports near Oakland

OAKOakland
SFOSan Francisco
SJCSan Jose

Airlines serving Oakland

Lufthansa
Good (7,939 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,501 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,905 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,321 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,431 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,924 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,189 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,578 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (905 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,625 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,751 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,560 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,730 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,952 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,188 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,390 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (404 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (2,217 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,433 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,284 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Oakland

Average rates range from around $250 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $377 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 $76 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 85% 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
Bay Landing Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
$171+
View
Executive Inn & Suites Oakland
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
$186+
View
Oakland Marriott City Center
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
$177+
View
Best Western Inn & Suites San Mateo - San Francisco Airport
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
$166+
View
Hotel Shattuck Plaza
4 stars
Excellent (8.3, Excellent reviews)
$254+
View
Courtyard by Marriott Oakland Airport
3 stars
Good (7.9, Good reviews)
$169+
View

Hiring a car in Oakland

Hiring a car in Oakland costs $61 per day, on average, or $427 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 6 miles from the city centre.

It’s generally cheaper to hire your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 34% cheaper than airport locations in Oakland.

Expect to pay $1.65 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 $19.78 and $26.37. 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 Compact car hire (Hyundai Accent or similar) is, on average, 63% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Hiring a car in Oakland costs $61 per day, on average, or $427 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 6 miles from the city centre.

It’s generally cheaper to hire your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 34% cheaper than airport locations in Oakland.

Expect to pay $1.65 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 $19.78 and $26.37. 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 Compact car hire (Hyundai Accent or similar) is, on average, 63% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Best car hire deals in Oakland

Intermediate

5 Adults, 3 Bags

$46/day

Intermediate

Compact

4 Adults, 2 Bags

$46/day

Compact
Find car hire in Oakland