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 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 San Diego and takes around 1h 30m.

Train

Located 1.2 km from the city center, Oakland Jack London Square is the busiest station in Oakland. Another popular train station is Oakland Coliseum, located 9 km from the center.

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.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Oakland, located 0.8 km from downtown Oakland. Oakland Jack London is also a commonly used station, and is 0.8 km 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 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 San Diego and takes around 1h 30m.

Train

Located 1.2 km from the city center, Oakland Jack London Square is the busiest station in Oakland. Another popular train station is Oakland Coliseum, located 9 km from the center.

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.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Oakland, located 0.8 km from downtown Oakland. Oakland Jack London is also a commonly used station, and is 0.8 km from the city center.

Airports near Oakland

OAKOakland
SFOSan Francisco
SJCSan Jose

Airlines serving Oakland

Lufthansa
Good (7,935 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,501 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,899 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,318 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,434 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,924 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,185 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,577 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (905 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,613 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,751 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,560 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,730 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,947 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,188 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,390 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (404 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (2,214 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,431 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,282 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Oakland

Average rates range from around $184 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $267 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 $55 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 84% 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, 3750 reviews)
$121+
View
Best Western Inn & Suites San Mateo - San Francisco Airport
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, 2076 reviews)
$120+
View
Executive Inn & Suites Oakland
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, 1604 reviews)
$139+
View
Oakland Marriott City Center
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, 1096 reviews)
$127+
View
Hampton Inn Oakland Downtown-City Center
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, 416 reviews)
$132+
View
Kissel Uptown Oakland, in the Unbound Collection by Hyatt
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, 145 reviews)
$183+
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 10 km from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 25% cheaper than airport locations in Oakland.

Expect to pay $4.47 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 $53.60 and $71.47. 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 Compact rental cars (Hyundai Accent or similar) are, on average, 63% 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 10 km from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 25% cheaper than airport locations in Oakland.

Expect to pay $4.47 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 $53.60 and $71.47. 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 Compact rental cars (Hyundai Accent or similar) are, on average, 63% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Best car rental deals in Oakland

Economy

2 Adults, 2 Bags

$28/day

Economy

Supplier choice

5 Adults, 5 Bags

$28/day

Supplier choice
Find car rentals in Oakland