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 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Oakland has to offer.

If you’re looking for affordable options, Grand Lake Kitchen - Lake Merritt (576 Grand Ave) and Marzano (4214 Park Blvd) are great picks.

Oakland in December

Estimated hotel price

$217

1 night at 3-star hotel

$217

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

Data provided by

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 SWISS, United Airlines, Lufthansa and other airlines departing from Australia. The shortest flight to Oakland from Australia departs from Brisbane and takes around 13h 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 Avis 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

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

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

OAKOakland

SFOSan Francisco

SJCSan Jose

Airlines serving Oakland

Good (1,428 reviews)

Good (7,635 reviews)

Good (8,005 reviews)

Good (7,585 reviews)

Good (4,105 reviews)

Good (1,815 reviews)

Good (9,092 reviews)

Good (3,686 reviews)

Good (3,053 reviews)

Excellent (3,440 reviews)

Air France

Good (1,507 reviews)

Air Canada

Good (10,534 reviews)

Etihad Airways

Good (1,332 reviews)

Austrian Airlines

Good (879 reviews)

Cathay Pacific

Good (1,095 reviews)

Scandinavian Airlines

Good (1,607 reviews)

Finnair

Good (1,338 reviews)

Singapore Airlines

Excellent (1,413 reviews)

Alaska Airlines

Excellent (11,477 reviews)

LOT

Good (1,149 reviews)

Where to stay in Oakland

Average rates range from around $258 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $399 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Holiday Inn Express & Suites Oakland-Airport By IHG and Ramada by Wyndham Oakland Downtown City Center. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Oakland, with prices from $20 to $1,339 per night. North Oakland is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Oakland are about 70% 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

Best Western Plus Bayside Hotel

3 stars

Excellent (8.7, Excellent reviews)

$156+

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Bay Landing Hotel

3 stars

Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)

$150+

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Oakland Marriott City Center

4 stars

Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)

$192+

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Executive Inn & Suites Oakland

3 stars

Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)

$156+

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Hotel Shattuck Plaza

4 stars

Excellent (8.3, Excellent reviews)

$213+

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Courtyard by Marriott Oakland Airport

3 stars

Good (7.9, Good reviews)

$154+

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Hiring a car in Oakland costs $84 per day, on average, or $252 if you want to hire it for 3 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Alamo and Hertz 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.

You’re likely to save money by hiring your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 12% more expensive than at San Francisco.

Expect to pay $1.32 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 $15.78 and $21.04.

You’re likely to save money by hiring your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 12% more expensive than at San Francisco.

Expect to pay $1.32 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 $15.78 and $21.04.

Best car hire deals in Oakland

Compact SUV

4 Adults, 2 Bags

$43/day

Economy

2 Adults, 2 Bags

$44/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

Train

Car

Bus

Plane

Train

Car

Bus

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