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.

Activities & attractions in Oakland

North Oakland is the neighborhood with the most restaurants in Oakland. These include popular favorites 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.

Oakland in December

Estimated hotel price

$150

1 night at 3-star hotel

$150

1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Oakland in August, when the average temperature is 66.2 °F, and the highest can go up to 73.4 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 44.6 °F, with an average temperature of 51.8 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in January, when precipitation is around 4.8″. In contrast, July is usually the driest month of the year in Oakland, with an average rainfall of 0″.

Temperatures

Data provided by

Plane

Oakland is served by 2 airports: Oakland Airport (OAK) and San Francisco Airport (SFO). The closest to downtown Oakland is Oakland Airport, which is located 7 miles from the city center. Further away is San Francisco Airport, 14 miles from the center of Oakland. Oakland Airport is the most popular, with regular flights from United Airlines, Air New Zealand, Virgin Australia and other airlines departing from the United States. The shortest domestic flight to Oakland departs from Ontario and takes around 1h 25m.

Car

Another option to get to Oakland is to pick up a car rental from San Francisco, which is about 7 miles from Oakland. You’ll find branches of Turo and Kyte, among others, in San Francisco.

Plane

Car

Another option to get to Oakland is to pick up a car rental from San Francisco, which is about 7 miles from Oakland. You’ll find branches of Turo and Kyte, among others, in San Francisco.

Airports near Oakland

STSSanta Rosa Sonoma County

SFOSan Francisco

SJCSan Jose

Airlines serving Oakland

Good (8,036 reviews)

Good (1,524 reviews)

Good (8,018 reviews)

Good (8,397 reviews)

Good (4,410 reviews)

Good (1,965 reviews)

Good (3,223 reviews)

Good (1,596 reviews)

Good (9,779 reviews)

Good (921 reviews)

Excellent (3,581 reviews)

Qatar Airways

Good (3,729 reviews)

Scandinavian Airlines

Good (1,804 reviews)

Air Canada

Good (11,119 reviews)

Good (1,199 reviews)

Good (1,401 reviews)

Good (409 reviews)

Good (1,354 reviews)

Good (1,444 reviews)

Good (2,266 reviews)

Where to stay in Oakland

Average rates range from around $177 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $292 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 Moxy Oakland Uptown. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Oakland, with prices from $55 to $355 per night. North Oakland is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Oakland are about 85% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Most popular hotel in Oakland by neighborhood

Where to stay in popular areas of Oakland

Most booked hotels in Oakland

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Oakland Marriott City Center

4 stars

Excellent (8.5, 1095 reviews)

$139+

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Hampton Inn Oakland Downtown-City Center

3 stars

Excellent (8.5, 417 reviews)

$113+

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Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport

4 stars

Excellent (8.4, 2605 reviews)

$146+

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Executive Inn & Suites Oakland

3 stars

Excellent (8.3, 1601 reviews)

$132+

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The Westin San Francisco Airport

4 stars

Excellent (8.1, 2504 reviews)

$190+

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Sonesta Emeryville - San Francisco Bay Bridge

3 stars

Excellent (8, 799 reviews)

$115+

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Renting a car in Oakland costs $53 per day, on average, or $160 if you want to rent if 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 rent a car in Oakland is the Dollar branch at 7600 Earhart St, which is 6 miles from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 39% cheaper than airport locations in Oakland.

Expect to pay $4.81 per gallon in Oakland (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $57.69 and $76.92. The most frequently booked car type in Oakland is Full-size (Hyundai Santa Fe or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate rental cars (Jeep Cherokee or similar) are, on average, 53% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 39% cheaper than airport locations in Oakland.

Best car rental deals in Oakland

Compact

4 Adults, 2 Bags

$32/day

Full-size

5 Adults, 2 Bags

$33/day

Find car rentals in Oakland

Oakland Tourism | Oakland Guide

You're Going to Love Oakland

Activities & attractions in Oakland

Activities

Tours

Shopping

Other activities

Where to Eat in Oakland

When to visit Oakland

How to Get to Oakland

Plane

Car

Plane

Car

Airports near Oakland

Airlines serving Oakland

Where to stay in Oakland

Where to stay in popular areas of Oakland

Most booked hotels in Oakland

Renting a car in Oakland

Best car rental deals in Oakland