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.

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.

Oakland in March

Estimated hotel price

C$ 205

1 night at 3-star hotel

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.

Temperatures

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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 centre. Further away is San Francisco Airport, 22 km from the centre of Oakland. Oakland Airport is the most popular, with regular flights from Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines and other airlines departing from Canada. The shortest flight to Oakland from Canada departs from Vancouver and takes around 2h 17m.

Train

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

Car

Another option to get to Oakland is to pick up a car rental from San Francisco, which is about 13 km from Oakland. You’ll find branches of Sixt and Turo, among others, in San Francisco.

Bus

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

Plane

Train

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

Car

Another option to get to Oakland is to pick up a car rental from San Francisco, which is about 13 km from Oakland. You’ll find branches of Sixt and Turo, among others, in San Francisco.

Bus

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

Airports near Oakland

SFOSan Francisco

SJCSan Jose

SMFSacramento Intl

Airlines serving Oakland

Good (1,409 reviews)

Good (7,558 reviews)

Good (8,002 reviews)

Good (7,505 reviews)

Good (4,035 reviews)

Good (1,781 reviews)

Good (9,012 reviews)

Good (3,007 reviews)

Good (3,661 reviews)

Excellent (3,405 reviews)

Air France

Good (1,486 reviews)

Austrian Airlines

Good (864 reviews)

Air Canada

Good (10,429 reviews)

Etihad Airways

Good (1,288 reviews)

Scandinavian Airlines

Good (1,568 reviews)

Good (1,055 reviews)

Good (1,335 reviews)

Good (1,135 reviews)

Excellent (11,254 reviews)

Singapore Airlines

Excellent (1,393 reviews)

Where to stay in Oakland

Average rates range from around C$ 243 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to C$ 375 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$ 1,248 per night. North Oakland is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Oakland are about 55% 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$ 174.

Where to stay in popular areas of Oakland

Most booked hotels in Oakland

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Bay Landing Hotel

3 stars

Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)

C$ 158+

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Executive Inn & Suites Oakland

3 stars

Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)

C$ 163+

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Oakland Marriott City Center

4 stars

Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)

C$ 179+

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Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport

4 stars

Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)

C$ 255+

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The Westin San Francisco Airport

4 stars

Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)

C$ 220+

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The Marina Inn on San Francisco Bay

2 stars

Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)

C$ 128+

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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 9 km 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$ 15.22 and C$ 20.29.

Best car rental deals in Oakland

Compact SUV

4 adults, 2 Bags

C$ 43/day

Economy

2 adults, 2 Bags

C$ 43/day

Find car rentals in Oakland

Oakland Tourism | Oakland Guide

You're Going to Love Oakland

Where to Eat in Oakland

When to visit Oakland

How to Get to Oakland

Plane

Train

Car

Bus

Plane

Train

Car

Bus

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