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 March

Estimated hotel price

$145

1 night at 3-star hotel

$145

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 Southwest, Alaska Airlines, British Airways and other airlines departing from the United States. The shortest domestic flight to Oakland departs from Las Vegas and takes around 1h 37m.

Train

Located 5 miles from the city center, Oakland Coliseum is the busiest station in Oakland. Another popular train station is Oakland Jack London Square, located 0.7 miles from the center.

Car

Another option to get to Oakland is to pick up a car rental from San Francisco, which is about 8 miles from Oakland. You’ll find branches of Turo and Payless, among others, in San Francisco.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Oakland, located 0.5 miles from downtown Oakland. Oakland Jack London is also a commonly used station, and is 0.5 miles from the city center.

Plane

Train

Located 5 miles from the city center, Oakland Coliseum is the busiest station in Oakland. Another popular train station is Oakland Jack London Square, located 0.7 miles from the center.

Car

Another option to get to Oakland is to pick up a car rental from San Francisco, which is about 8 miles from Oakland. You’ll find branches of Turo and Payless, among others, in San Francisco.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Oakland, located 0.5 miles from downtown Oakland. Oakland Jack London is also a commonly used station, and is 0.5 miles from the city center.

Airports near Oakland

SFOSan Francisco

SJCSan Jose

SMFSacramento Intl

Airlines serving Oakland

Good (1,405 reviews)

Good (7,558 reviews)

Good (8,001 reviews)

Good (7,500 reviews)

Good (4,032 reviews)

Good (1,779 reviews)

Good (3,007 reviews)

Good (9,007 reviews)

Excellent (3,402 reviews)

Good (3,661 reviews)

Good (1,484 reviews)

Good (865 reviews)

Good (10,416 reviews)

Etihad Airways

Good (1,285 reviews)

Scandinavian Airlines

Good (1,564 reviews)

Alaska Airlines

Excellent (11,247 reviews)

Good (1,055 reviews)

Good (1,133 reviews)

Good (1,335 reviews)

Excellent (1,393 reviews)

Where to stay in Oakland

Average rates range from around $172 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $260 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 Civic Center Lodge / Lake Merritt Bart. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Oakland, with prices from $13 to $886 per night. North Oakland is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Oakland are about 55% 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

See all

Bay Landing Hotel

3 stars

Excellent (8.6, 3608 reviews)

$112+

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Executive Inn & Suites Oakland

3 stars

Excellent (8.5, 1559 reviews)

$115+

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Oakland Marriott City Center

4 stars

Excellent (8.5, 1066 reviews)

$127+

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Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport

4 stars

Excellent (8.4, 2592 reviews)

$181+

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The Westin San Francisco Airport

4 stars

Excellent (8.1, 2377 reviews)

$160+

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The Marina Inn on San Francisco Bay

2 stars

Excellent (8.1, 1814 reviews)

$94+

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Renting a car in Oakland costs $51 per day, on average, or $152 if you want to rent if for 3 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Alamo and Europcar are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Oakland is the Fox branch at 7600 Earhart Road, 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 31% cheaper than airport locations in Oakland.

Expect to pay $3.41 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 $40.88 and $54.51. The most frequently booked car type in Oakland is Intermediate (Jeep Cherokee or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Full-size rental cars (Chevrolet Malibu or similar) are, on average, 73% 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 31% cheaper than airport locations in Oakland.

Best car rental deals in Oakland

Economy

2 Adults, 2 Bags

$25/day

Compact

4 Adults, 2 Bags

$25/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

Train

Car

Bus

Plane

Train

Car

Bus

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