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 5 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
$206
1 night at 3-star hotel
Oakland in December
Estimated hotel price
$206
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 SWISS, United Airlines, Lufthansa and other airlines departing from Australia. The shortest flight to Oakland from Australia departs from Sydney and takes around 13h 20m.

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 Turo and Europcar, 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. 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 Sydney and takes around 13h 20m.

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 Turo and Europcar, 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

OAKOakland
SFOSan Francisco
SJCSan Jose

Airlines serving Oakland

KLM
Good (1,441 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,725 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,684 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,066 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,183 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,851 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,088 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,171 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,716 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,523 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,471 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (894 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,628 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,654 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,370 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,133 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,174 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,351 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,431 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Good (11,732 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Oakland

Average rates range from around $268 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $385 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 $19 to $1,323 per night. North Oakland is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Oakland are about 54% 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)
$162+
View
Oakland Marriott City Center
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
$220+
View
Best Western Inn & Suites San Mateo - San Francisco Airport
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
$170+
View
Executive Inn & Suites Oakland
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
$161+
View
Claremont Resort & Club
5 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
$317+
View
The Westin San Francisco Airport
4 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
$220+
View

Hiring a car in Oakland

Hiring a car in Oakland costs $85 per day, on average, or $424 if you want to hire it for 5 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 Budget 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, 9% more expensive than at San Francisco.

Expect to pay $1.24 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 $14.88 and $19.84. 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 (Ford Escape or similar) is, on average, 66% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Hiring a car in Oakland costs $85 per day, on average, or $424 if you want to hire it for 5 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 Budget 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, 9% more expensive than at San Francisco.

Expect to pay $1.24 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 $14.88 and $19.84. 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 (Ford Escape or similar) is, on average, 66% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Best car hire deals in Oakland

Compact SUV

4 Adults, 2 Bags

$43/day

Compact SUV

Supplier choice

5 Adults, 5 Bags

$44/day

Supplier choice
Find car hire in Oakland