Introduction
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. Oakland deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

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Where to Eat in Oakland

North Oakland is the neighbourhood with the most restaurants in Oakland. These include popular favourites 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 March
Estimated hotel price
C$ 205
1 night at 3-star hotel
Oakland in March
Estimated hotel price
C$ 205
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Oakland in August, when the average temperature is 19 °C, and the highest can go up to 23 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 7 °C, with an average temperature of 11 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in January, when precipitation is around 122 mm. In contrast, July is usually the driest month of the year in Oakland, with an average rainfall of 0 mm.

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 centre. Further away is San Francisco Airport, 14 miles from the centre of Oakland. Oakland Airport is the most popular, with regular flights from Air Canada, United Airlines, Air New Zealand and other airlines departing from Canada. The shortest flight to Oakland from Canada departs from Vancouver and takes around 2h 21m.

Train

Located 5 miles from the city centre, Oakland Coliseum is the busiest station in Oakland. Another popular train station is Oakland Jack London Square, located 0.7 miles from the centre.

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 Sixt and Turo, 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 centre.

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 centre. Further away is San Francisco Airport, 14 miles from the centre of Oakland. Oakland Airport is the most popular, with regular flights from Air Canada, United Airlines, Air New Zealand and other airlines departing from Canada. The shortest flight to Oakland from Canada departs from Vancouver and takes around 2h 21m.

Train

Located 5 miles from the city centre, Oakland Coliseum is the busiest station in Oakland. Another popular train station is Oakland Jack London Square, located 0.7 miles from the centre.

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 Sixt and Turo, 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 centre.

Airports near Oakland

Airlines serving Oakland

KLM
Good (1,420 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,589 reviews)
Delta
Good (7,998 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,535 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,052 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,790 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,672 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,033 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,044 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,421 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,497 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,469 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (874 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,312 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,585 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,068 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,334 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,139 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (11,340 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,409 reviews)
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Where to stay in Oakland

Average rates range from around C$ 251 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to C$ 334 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 Continental Lodge. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Oakland, with prices from C$ 18 to C$ 1,250 per night. North Oakland is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Oakland are about 62% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Elmhurst - Here you’ll find travellers’ favourites such as Holiday Inn Express & Suites Oakland-Airport By IHG, Oakland Airport Arena Hotel and Harris Motel. The average nightly price for a double room in Elmhurst is C$ 165.

Elmhurst - Here you’ll find travellers’ favourites such as Holiday Inn Express & Suites Oakland-Airport By IHG, Oakland Airport Arena Hotel and Harris Motel. The average nightly price for a double room in Elmhurst is C$ 165.

Where to stay in popular areas of Oakland

Most booked hotels in Oakland

Bay Landing Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
C$ 132+
Oakland Marriott City Center
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
C$ 179+
Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
C$ 250+
Executive Inn & Suites Oakland
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
C$ 144+
The Westin San Francisco Airport
4 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
C$ 216+
The Marina Inn on San Francisco Bay
2 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
C$ 118+

Renting a car in Oakland

Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Alamo and Hertz are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Oakland is the Fox branch at 7600 Earhart Road, which is 6 miles from the downtown.

Expect to pay C$ 1.27 per litre in Oakland (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between C$ 15.24 and C$ 20.31.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Alamo and Hertz are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Oakland is the Fox branch at 7600 Earhart Road, which is 6 miles from the downtown.

Expect to pay C$ 1.27 per litre in Oakland (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between C$ 15.24 and C$ 20.31.

Car rental agencies in Oakland

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