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.

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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

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

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

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 December
Estimated hotel price
$149
1 night at 3-star hotel
Oakland in December
Estimated hotel price
$149
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″.

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 Salt Lake City and takes around 2h.

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 Fox, 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

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 Salt Lake City and takes around 2h.

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 Fox, 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

OAKOakland
SFOSan Francisco
SJCSan Jose

Airlines serving Oakland

KLM
Good (1,477 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,860 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,813 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,318 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,273 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,903 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,147 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,547 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,462 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (902 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,541 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,722 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,732 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,835 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,182 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,374 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (393 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,429 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (2,173 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,224 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Oakland

Average rates range from around $185 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $264 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 $57 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 91% 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
Oakland Marriott City Center
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, 1086 reviews)
$130+
View
Executive Inn & Suites Oakland
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, 1579 reviews)
$141+
View
Hampton Inn Oakland Downtown-City Center
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, 404 reviews)
$126+
View
Claremont Resort & Club
5 stars
Excellent (8.3, 684 reviews)
$247+
View
The Westin San Francisco Airport
4 stars
Excellent (8.1, 2507 reviews)
$152+
View
Courtyard by Marriott Oakland Airport
3 stars
Excellent (8, 934 reviews)
$110+
View

Renting a car in Oakland

Renting a car in Oakland costs $55 per day, on average, or $165 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.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 16% cheaper than airport locations in Oakland.

Expect to pay $4.09 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 $49.06 and $65.41. The most frequently booked car type in Oakland is Intermediate (Kia Sportage or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Hyundai Accent or similar) are, on average, 58% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Oakland costs $55 per day, on average, or $165 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.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 16% cheaper than airport locations in Oakland.

Expect to pay $4.09 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 $49.06 and $65.41. The most frequently booked car type in Oakland is Intermediate (Kia Sportage or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Hyundai Accent or similar) are, on average, 58% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Best car rental deals in Oakland

Compact

4 Adults, 2 Bags

$26/day

Compact

Economy

2 Adults, 2 Bags

$26/day

Economy
Find car rentals in Oakland