Introduction
What to do
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting 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 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Oakland has to offer.

Article

Activities & attractions in Oakland

Activities

Pelvic Wellness Visit
Relaxation
Zombie Scavengers - Survival Scavenger Hunt
Other
Revitalize and Renew: A Bodywork and Acupuncture Experience
Relaxation
Escape Oakland - Fun Escape Room Games for All Ages!
Escape Room
Experience luxury catamaran sailing SF Bay - Women only sail
Other
Reboot Spa - float tanks, cryotherapy, sauna, cold plunge, & more
Spa / Massage
Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine for women's health, pain, stress
Relaxation
Playable Video Game Museum
Fun & Games
Flower Crown Headdress Class
Arts & Crafts

Tours

Bay Area Black Car Service
Other
Limo services, city tour, airport transfer, sfo, oak, sjc, winery tour
Wine
Segway Off Road / Segway tours of historic downtown or the Redwood's
Other
Black Food Tour Experience
Food & Drink

Shopping

Visit our botanically-inspired boutique plant shop on Piedmont Avenue
Other
Get your retail therapy in our zen atmosphere here at Waterlilies
Gifts / Souvenirs
Cape and Cowl Comics - an award-winning comic book shop
Local
Oakland City Pride Apparel and Accessories
Clothing & Accessories

Other activities

Comedy Oakland Live Standup Comedy
Art & Performing Arts•Entertainment
Lake Merritt: Heart of Oakland, with a 3 mile Necklace of Lights path
Nature & Outdoor Activities•Outdoors
Côte West - wine tasting in Oakland
Food, Drinks, & Nightlife•Wine
Art Gallery and Studios near Oakland Ferry landing
Art & Performing Arts•Free
Find Art In Oakland Events, Art Exhibitions, Art and Mural Walks
Private Small Group Yoga Class - Destress & Bond Together!
Sports & Fitness•Yoga / Pilates
Pink Salt Wellness/Yoga, Pilates, Infrared Sauna, and Halotherapy
Sports & Fitness•Yoga / Pilates
Swan's Market - Old Oakland
Food, Drinks, & Nightlife•Restaurant
Bay Play
Sports & Fitness•For Kids
The Fat Lady Restaurant
Food, Drinks, & Nightlife•Food & Drink
Personal Training
Sports & Fitness•Fitness
Morcom Rose Garden
Nature & Outdoor Activities•Garden
Relaxation in the Bay Area
Food, Drinks, & Nightlife•Relaxation

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

Oakland in May
Estimated package price
$151
2 travelers
Flight to Oakland
3 nights at hotel
Oakland in May
Estimated package price
$151
2 travelers
Flight to Oakland
3 nights at 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″.

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 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 Los Angeles and takes around 1h 22m.

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 Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Movly, among others, in San Francisco.

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 Los Angeles and takes around 1h 22m.

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 Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Movly, among others, in San Francisco.

Airports near Oakland

OAKOakland
SFOSan Francisco
SJCSan Jose

Airlines serving Oakland

Lufthansa
Good (8,297 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,595 reviews)
British Airways
Good (8,275 reviews)
SWISS
Good (2,114 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,461 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,242 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (984 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,691 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,653 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,715 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,687 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (2,031 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (10,452 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,190 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,549 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,417 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (438 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (11,831 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,533 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (2,388 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Oakland

Average rates range from around $173 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $287 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Westwind Lodge and Civic Center Lodge. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Oakland, with prices from $62 to $566 per night. North Oakland is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Oakland are about 87% 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
Claremont Resort & Club
5 stars
Excellent (8.5, 722 reviews)
$248+
View
Oakland Marriott City Center
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, 1096 reviews)
$125+
View
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Oakland-Airport By IHG
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 910 reviews)
$124+
View
Executive Inn & Suites Oakland
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, 1581 reviews)
$110+
View
Hilton San Francisco Airport Bayfront
4 stars
Excellent (8, 2185 reviews)
$123+
View
Hilton Garden Inn San Francisco/Oakland Bay Bridge
3 stars
Excellent (8, 1293 reviews)
$128+
View

Renting a car in Oakland

Renting a car in Oakland costs $72 per day, on average, or $215 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 6 miles from the city center.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 9% more expensive than at San Francisco.

Expect to pay $4.62 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 $55.42 and $73.89. 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 (Kia Sportage or similar) are, on average, 45% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Oakland costs $72 per day, on average, or $215 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 6 miles from the city center.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 9% more expensive than at San Francisco.

Expect to pay $4.62 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 $55.42 and $73.89. 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 (Kia Sportage or similar) are, on average, 45% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Best car rental deals in Oakland

Supplier choice

5 Adults, 5 Bags

$28/day

Supplier choice

Compact

4 Adults, 2 Bags

$29/day

Compact
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