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 Namastey Patio (5500 College Ave), Daughter Thai Kitchen (6118 Medau Pl) and A16 Rockridge (5356 College Avenue). If you’re looking for affordable options, Bardo Lounge & Supper Club (3343 Lakeshore Ave) and Jaji (422 24th St) are great picks.

Oakland in December

Estimated hotel price

$151

1 night at 3-star hotel

$151

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 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 15m.

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.

Plane

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.

Airports near Oakland

OAKOakland

SFOSan Francisco

SJCSan Jose

Airlines serving Oakland

Good (8,174 reviews)

Good (1,552 reviews)

Good (8,136 reviews)

Good (4,460 reviews)

Good (2,019 reviews)

Good (8,497 reviews)

Good (3,264 reviews)

Good (1,632 reviews)

Good (950 reviews)

Good (3,738 reviews)

Good (10,062 reviews)

Emirates

Excellent (3,641 reviews)

Scandinavian Airlines

Good (1,912 reviews)

LOT

Good (1,212 reviews)

Air Canada

Good (11,415 reviews)

Good (1,499 reviews)

Good (1,424 reviews)

Good (431 reviews)

Good (1,436 reviews)

Good (2,352 reviews)

Where to stay in Oakland

Average rates range from around $175 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $309 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 $52 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 89% 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, 1100 reviews)

$168+

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Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport

4 stars

Excellent (8.4, 2568 reviews)

$181+

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Hampton Inn Oakland Downtown-City Center

3 stars

Excellent (8.4, 433 reviews)

$132+

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Executive Inn & Suites Oakland

3 stars

Excellent (8.3, 1603 reviews)

$142+

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Hotel Shattuck Plaza

4 stars

Excellent (8.3, 1232 reviews)

$170+

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Hilton San Francisco Airport Bayfront

4 stars

Excellent (8, 2149 reviews)

$137+

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Renting a car in Oakland costs $55 per day, on average, or $166 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 27% cheaper than airport locations in Oakland.

Expect to pay $4.35 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 $52.24 and $69.65. The most frequently booked car type in Oakland is Intermediate (Ford Escape or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy rental cars (Chevrolet Sonic Sedan or similar) are, on average, 55% 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 27% cheaper than airport locations in Oakland.

Best car rental deals in Oakland

Economy

2 Adults, 2 Bags

$30/day

Standard

5 Adults, 3 Bags

$31/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