Introduction
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Hiring 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. Consider staying at least one whole day in Oakland to see all of its attractions.

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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 The Wolf - Oakland (3853 Piedmont Ave), Namastey Patio (5500 College Ave) and Daughter Thai Kitchen (6118 Medau Pl). If you’re looking for affordable options, Quinn's Lighthouse Restaurant & Pub (1951 Embarcadero East) and Dyafa (44 Webster Street) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Shakewell (3407 Lakeshore Ave) and Duende (468 19th Street) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Oakland.

When to visit Oakland

Oakland in November
Estimated hotel price
€117
1 night at 3-star hotel
Oakland in November
Estimated hotel price
€117
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 the city centre of 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 American Airlines, British Airways, Aer Lingus and other airlines departing from Ireland. The shortest flight to Oakland from Ireland departs from Dublin and takes around 10h 55m.

Train

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

Car

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

Bus

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

Plane

Oakland is served by 2 airports: Oakland Airport (OAK) and San Francisco Airport (SFO). The closest to the city centre of 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 American Airlines, British Airways, Aer Lingus and other airlines departing from Ireland. The shortest flight to Oakland from Ireland departs from Dublin and takes around 10h 55m.

Train

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

Car

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

Bus

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

Airports near Oakland

OAKOakland
SFOSan Francisco
SJCSan Jose

Airlines serving Oakland

Lufthansa
Good (7,044 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,334 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,836 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,588 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,935 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,790 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,698 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,446 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (780 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,696 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,215 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,563 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (9,243 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,349 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (346 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,069 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,275 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (9,967 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,851 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,203 reviews)
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Where to stay in Oakland

Average rates range from around €159 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to €216 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Hampton Inn Oakland Downtown-City Center and Ramada by Wyndham Oakland Downtown City Center. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Oakland, with prices from €11 to €778 per night. North Oakland is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Oakland are about 48% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Elmhurst - Holiday Inn Express & Suites Oakland-Airport, Radisson Hotel Oakland Airport and Motel 6 Oakland Airport have some of the best reviews among hotels in this area. A 3-star room in Elmhurst will cost you about €114 per night.

Elmhurst - Holiday Inn Express & Suites Oakland-Airport, Radisson Hotel Oakland Airport and Motel 6 Oakland Airport have some of the best reviews among hotels in this area. A 3-star room in Elmhurst will cost you about €114 per night.
Most popular hotel in Oakland by neighbourhood

Where to stay in popular areas of Oakland

Most booked hotels in Oakland

See all
Bay Landing Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
€104+
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Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
€165+
View
Oakland Marriott City Center
4 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
€111+
View
Executive Inn & Suites
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
€100+
View
Claremont Resort & Club
5 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
€366+
View
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Berkeley Marina
4 stars
Good (7.7, Good reviews)
€125+
View

Hiring a car in Oakland

Alamo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Europcar are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to hire a car in Oakland is the Fox branch at 7600 Earhart Road, which is 9 km from the city centre.

Expect to pay €0.79 per litre in Oakland (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between €9.48 and €12.64. The most frequently booked car type in Oakland is Compact (Toyota RAV4 or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy car hire (Kia Rio or similar) is, on average, 64% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Alamo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Europcar are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to hire a car in Oakland is the Fox branch at 7600 Earhart Road, which is 9 km from the city centre.

Expect to pay €0.79 per litre in Oakland (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between €9.48 and €12.64. The most frequently booked car type in Oakland is Compact (Toyota RAV4 or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy car hire (Kia Rio or similar) is, on average, 64% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Best car hire deals in Oakland

Standard SUV

5 Adults, 3 Bags

€38/day

Standard SUV

Compact

4 Adults, 2 Bags

€39/day

Compact
Find car hire in Oakland

Oakland Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Oakland city guide for the best Oakland travel tips. To help you organise your Oakland trip ideas, this Oakland visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.