If you're a first time visitor to Oakland, you might prefer a more touristy area, but if you're a solo traveler, a local neighborhood could be more interesting. Some areas have lots of things to do within walking distance, but the hotels may be more expensive. To give you a starting point for your trip research, we looked at what people say about neighborhoods and places to stay in Oakland.
The top mentioned neighborhoods and areas that people talk about in and around Oakland are:
Here's what Trippy members had to say:
"I would recommend visiting Lake Merritt, the Oakland-Grand Lake Farmers Market, Rockridge, Grand Lake Theater and Fenton's Ice Cream" See More
"Where UC Berkeley is located, the Oakland and Berkeley hills kind of intertwine, but the best (and closest) areas to Cal would be Rockridge or somewhere close to College Ave." See More
"Also Rockridge, a district in Oakland is very safe." See More
"If it were me, I'd want to choose a little B&B or something in the Rockridge neighborhood." See More
"From BART walk to 10th St and visit Ratto's 100-year-old market and the cafes and eateries and DIY boutiques around there including The Trappist for phenomenal Belgian beer and the gorgeous woodwork in the vintage bar, then proceed to Oakland's intact Chinatown centered around 8th and Webster, built to house all the Chinese who came to build the railroad and work in gold mining." See More
"College Ave is a looong street stretching all the way into Berkeley so you can really go either direction down this street." See More
"Neighborhoods to consider : central and south Berkeley, around campus, even Downtown Oakland." See More
"Elmwood is a nice area too, but a bit pricey these days but I think your best bet would be to look somewhere on or off College Ave." See More
"It's not too far to Old Oakland around 7th and 8th Streets." See More
"If you don't like walking that much, suggest you follow Valerie's advice regarding the Rockridge Bart station and see College Ave and Market Hall, but then take Chiara's advice and walk to the Temescal Neighborhood along Telegraph Ave." See More
Depending on the neighborhood you choose, you may want to research hotels in the area. If you'd rather start with the most recommended hotels in Oakland, here's a list to get you started.
Here's what Trippy members had to say about hotels:
"The Oakland Marriott City Center and Hotel Shattuck Plaza are very nice places that sometimes offer discounted rates, and each is within 2 blocks of the nearest BART station." See More
"The Waterfront Hotel and the The Inn at Jack London Square are both really nice." See More
Want to research more popular hotels in Oakland? Click the blue button below.
If you're open to researching even more areas, some suggestions that might be less common but interesting to explore are:
Trippy is a great resource for planning your trip because you get advice from real travelers. We suggested neighborhoods and hotels based on the recommendations of the Trippy community. This gives you a quick overview, but if you're looking to do more research, here are some of the questions that we used to find this information.
Sheldon Li from asked:
A good neighborhood in Oakland for rental? (3 answers)
Valerie Sacksworth from Los Angeles asked:
What's the best neighborhood in Oakland for a first time visitor? (2 answers)
Jillian Geer from Los Angeles asked:
First time in Oakland with 1 day to explore (7 answers)
Tandy Lewis from Miami asked:
Things to do en route drive from Oakland to Napa (1 answer)
Maybe you're looking for a happening area with lots to see and do, or you want to be walking distance from tourist attractions. Check out some of these places and see there's a hotel nearby.
Want to research more popular attractions in Oakland? Click the blue button below.
This page is just a starting point, to really get personalized advice from Oakland locals and experienced travelers, post a question on Trippy! You can start by browsing the questions other people have asked about Oakland.
If you've changed your mind and decided to go somewhere else, go to the main page and explore where to stay in any city.
Flying into Oakland? There are 3 alternative airports, so make sure you compare all your flight options. Find international, domestic, and local airports in Oakland.