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
Activities
Tours
Shopping
Other activities
Where to Eat 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.
When to visit Oakland
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″.
How to Get to Oakland
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 11 km from the city center. Further away is San Francisco Airport, 22 km 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 Los Angeles and takes around 1h 19m.
Car
Another option to get to Oakland is to pick up a car rental from San Francisco, which is about 12 km from Oakland. You’ll find branches of Turo and Movly, among others, in San Francisco.
Airlines serving Oakland
Where to stay in Oakland
Average rates range from around $177 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $280 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Civic Center Lodge and Garden Inn & Suites Oakland Airport. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Oakland, with prices from $60 to $270 per night. North Oakland is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Oakland are about 103% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.
Where to stay in popular areas of Oakland
Most booked hotels in Oakland
Renting a car in Oakland
Renting a car in Oakland costs $56 per day, on average, or $168 if you want to rent if for 3 days. Alamo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car 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 10 km from the city center.
It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 13% 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 (Chevrolet Tahoe or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate rental cars (Kia Sportage or similar) are, on average, 50% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.
Best car rental deals in Oakland
Economy
2 Adults, 2 Bags
$27/day
Supplier choice
5 Adults, 5 Bags
$28/day