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

Article

Where to Eat in Oakland

If you’re looking for affordable options, Popoca (906 Washington St) and MUA (2442A Webster Street) are great picks.

When to visit Oakland

Oakland in December
Estimated hotel price
£110
1 night at 3-star hotel
Oakland in December
Estimated hotel price
£110
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 Air New Zealand, Air Canada, SWISS and other airlines departing from the United Kingdom. The shortest flight to Oakland from the United Kingdom departs from London and takes around 11h.

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 hire from San Francisco, which is about 13 km from Oakland. You’ll find branches of Dollar and Thrifty, 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 Air New Zealand, Air Canada, SWISS and other airlines departing from the United Kingdom. The shortest flight to Oakland from the United Kingdom departs from London and takes around 11h.

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 hire from San Francisco, which is about 13 km from Oakland. You’ll find branches of Dollar and Thrifty, 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

KLM
Good (1,442 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,738 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,689 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,089 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,200 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,855 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,094 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,191 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,720 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,523 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,484 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (894 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,646 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,660 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,374 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,140 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,353 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,174 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,434 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (382 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Oakland

Average rates range from around £136 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to £197 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Holiday Inn Express & Suites Oakland-Airport By IHG and Ramada by Wyndham Oakland Downtown City Center. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Oakland, with prices from £10 to £660 per night. North Oakland is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Oakland are about 58% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

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)
£79+
View
Oakland Marriott City Center
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, Excellent reviews)
£109+
View
Best Western Inn & Suites San Mateo - San Francisco Airport
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
£81+
View
Claremont Resort & Club
5 stars
Excellent (8.2, Excellent reviews)
£172+
View
The Westin San Francisco Airport
4 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
£109+
View
Courtyard by Marriott Oakland Airport
3 stars
Excellent (8, Excellent reviews)
£72+
View

Hiring 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 hire a car in Oakland is the Budget branch at 7600 Earhart Road, which is 9 km from the city centre.

Expect to pay £0.62 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 £7.42 and £9.89. Compact (Toyota RAV4 or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in Oakland, while also 42% cheaper than other types, on average.

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

Expect to pay £0.62 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 £7.42 and £9.89. Compact (Toyota RAV4 or similar) is the most popular car type to hire in Oakland, while also 42% cheaper than other types, on average.

Best car hire deals in Oakland

Intermediate

5 adults, 3 Bags

£20/day

Intermediate

Compact

4 adults, 2 Bags

£21/day

Compact
Find car hire in Oakland