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 4 days in order to fully appreciate everything Oakland has to offer.
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
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.
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 Brisbane and takes around 13h 05m.
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 Alamo and Budget, among others, in San Francisco.
Airlines serving Oakland
Where to stay in Oakland
Average rates range from around $251 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $394 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Westwind Lodge and Continental Lodge. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Oakland, with prices from $86 to $388 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.
Elmhurst - Holiday Inn Express & Suites Oakland-Airport By IHG, Oakland Airport Arena Hotel and Harris Motel have some of the best reviews among hotels in this area. A 3-star room in Elmhurst will cost you about $194 per night.
Where to stay in popular areas of Oakland
Most booked hotels in Oakland
Hiring a car in Oakland
Hiring a car in Oakland costs $80 per day, on average, or $321 if you want to hire it for 4 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 7% cheaper than airport locations in Oakland.
Expect to pay $1.83 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 $21.90 and $29.20. The most frequently booked car type in Oakland is Full-size (Chevrolet Tahoe or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate car hire (Kia Sportage or similar) is, on average, 46% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.