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. We recommend you stay at least 7 days in order to fully appreciate everything Oakland has to offer.

Article

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
$214
1 night at 3-star hotel
Oakland in December
Estimated hotel price
$214
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 20m.

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 Turo and Hertz, among others, in San Francisco.

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 20m.

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 Turo and Hertz, among others, in San Francisco.

Airports near Oakland

OAKOakland
SFOSan Francisco
SJCSan Jose

Airlines serving Oakland

Lufthansa
Good (8,062 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,528 reviews)
British Airways
Good (8,050 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,397 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,409 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,968 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,237 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,606 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,831 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (935 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,727 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,591 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,828 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (11,194 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,197 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,410 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (412 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,452 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,380 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (2,276 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Oakland

Average rates range from around $252 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $407 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 $81 to $503 per night. North Oakland is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Oakland are about 82% 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)
$206+
View
Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
$250+
View
Claremont Resort & Club
5 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
$360+
View
Executive Inn & Suites Oakland
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, Excellent reviews)
$179+
View
Courtyard by Marriott Oakland Airport
3 stars
Excellent (8, Excellent reviews)
$172+
View
Hilton San Francisco Airport Bayfront
4 stars
Good (7.9, Good reviews)
$184+
View

Hiring a car in Oakland

Hiring a car in Oakland costs $71 per day, on average, or $500 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 11% cheaper than airport locations in Oakland.

Expect to pay $1.68 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 $20.08 and $26.77. 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, 56% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Hiring a car in Oakland costs $71 per day, on average, or $500 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 11% cheaper than airport locations in Oakland.

Expect to pay $1.68 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 $20.08 and $26.77. 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, 56% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Best car hire deals in Oakland

Standard

5 Adults, 3 Bags

$51/day

Standard

Economy

2 Adults, 2 Bags

$58/day

Economy
Find car hire in Oakland