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. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Oakland has to offer.

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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 December
Estimated hotel price
C$ 206
1 night at 3-star hotel
Oakland in December
Estimated hotel price
C$ 206
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 Calgary and takes around 1h 58m.

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 Turo and Thrifty, 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 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 Calgary and takes around 1h 58m.

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 Turo and Thrifty, among others, in San Francisco.

Airports near Oakland

OAKOakland
SFOSan Francisco
SJCSan Jose

Airlines serving Oakland

Lufthansa
Good (8,223 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,569 reviews)
British Airways
Good (8,206 reviews)
SWISS
Good (2,064 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,479 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,571 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,248 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,645 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,731 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,656 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (10,172 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (951 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,979 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,205 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (11,585 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,532 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,471 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,429 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (430 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,593 reviews)
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Where to stay in Oakland

Average rates range from around C$ 238 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to C$ 401 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Continental Lodge and Bay Bridge Inn Oakland. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Oakland, with prices from C$ 79 to C$ 490 per night. North Oakland is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Oakland are about 85% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Elmhurst - In Oakland’s most popular neighbourhood to stay, recommended hotels include Holiday Inn Express & Suites Oakland-Airport By IHG, Oakland Airport Arena Hotel and Harris Motel.

Elmhurst - In Oakland’s most popular neighbourhood to stay, recommended hotels include Holiday Inn Express & Suites Oakland-Airport By IHG, Oakland Airport Arena Hotel and Harris Motel.

Where to stay in popular areas of Oakland

Most booked hotels in Oakland

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Oakland Marriott City Center
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
C$ 203+
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Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
C$ 250+
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Executive Inn & Suites Oakland
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, Excellent reviews)
C$ 169+
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Courtyard by Marriott Oakland Downtown
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
C$ 198+
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The Westin San Francisco Airport
4 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
C$ 222+
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Hilton San Francisco Airport Bayfront
4 stars
Excellent (8, Excellent reviews)
C$ 181+
View

Renting a car in Oakland

Renting a car in Oakland costs C$ 58 per day, on average, or C$ 174 if you want to rent it 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 downtown.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 44% cheaper than airport locations in Oakland.

Expect to pay C$ 1.62 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$ 19.40 and C$ 25.87. The most frequently booked car type in Oakland is Supplier choice (Class Special Car or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Full-size rental cars (Volkswagen Jetta or similar) are, on average, 33% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Oakland costs C$ 58 per day, on average, or C$ 174 if you want to rent it 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 downtown.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 44% cheaper than airport locations in Oakland.

Expect to pay C$ 1.62 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$ 19.40 and C$ 25.87. The most frequently booked car type in Oakland is Supplier choice (Class Special Car or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Full-size rental cars (Volkswagen Jetta or similar) are, on average, 33% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Car rental agencies in Oakland

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