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. 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 The Wolf - Oakland (3853 Piedmont Ave), Namastey Patio (5500 College Ave) and Daughter Thai Kitchen (6118 Medau Pl). If you’re looking for affordable options, Quinn's Lighthouse Restaurant & Pub (1951 Embarcadero East) and Dyafa (44 Webster Street) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Shakewell (3407 Lakeshore Ave) and Duende (468 19th Street) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Oakland.

When to visit Oakland

Oakland in November
Estimated hotel price
$207
1 night at 3-star hotel
Oakland in November
Estimated hotel price
$207
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. The shortest flight to Oakland from Australia departs from Sydney and takes around 13h 15m.

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 13 km from Oakland. You’ll find branches of Turo and Alamo, 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. The shortest flight to Oakland from Australia departs from Sydney and takes around 13h 15m.

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 13 km from Oakland. You’ll find branches of Turo and Alamo, 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

SFOSan Francisco
SJCSan Jose
SMFSacramento Intl

Airlines serving Oakland

Lufthansa
Good (7,207 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,366 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,091 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,983 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,654 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,894 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,819 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,861 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,472 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (809 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,286 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,594 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (9,678 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,416 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,092 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (352 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (10,351 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,306 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,224 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,912 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Oakland

Average rates range from around $262 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $363 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Hampton Inn Oakland Downtown-City Center and Ramada by Wyndham Oakland Downtown City Center. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Oakland, with prices from $20 to $1,348 per night. North Oakland is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Oakland are about 40% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Elmhurst - In Oakland’s most popular neighbourhood to stay, recommended hotels include Holiday Inn Express & Suites Oakland-Airport, Oakland Airport Arena Hotel and Harris Motel.

Elmhurst - In Oakland’s most popular neighbourhood to stay, recommended hotels include Holiday Inn Express & Suites Oakland-Airport, Oakland Airport Arena Hotel and Harris Motel.
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)
$188+
View
Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
$284+
View
Executive Inn & Suites
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, Excellent reviews)
$186+
View
Oakland Marriott City Center
4 stars
Excellent (8.3, Excellent reviews)
$193+
View
The Westin San Francisco Airport
4 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
$230+
View
Courtyard by Marriott Oakland Airport
3 stars
Excellent (8, Excellent reviews)
$167+
View

Hiring a car in Oakland

Alamo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Europcar 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.

Expect to pay $1.44 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 $17.17 and $22.89. The most frequently booked car type in Oakland is Compact (Ford Focus or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate car hire (Kia Sportage or similar) is, on average, 54% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Alamo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Europcar 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.

Expect to pay $1.44 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 $17.17 and $22.89. The most frequently booked car type in Oakland is Compact (Ford Focus or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate car hire (Kia Sportage or similar) is, on average, 54% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Best car hire deals in Oakland

Compact

4 Adults, 2 Bags

$39/day

Compact

Intermediate

5 Adults, 3 Bags

$48/day

Intermediate
Find car hire in Oakland

Oakland Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Oakland city guide for the best Oakland travel tips. To help you organise your Oakland trip ideas, this Oakland visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.