Cheap Flights To Oakland

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Cheap Flights To Oakland

Overview
When to Go
Airport Information
Weather
Things to Do
Local Attractions
Must See Sights
Insider Tips
Getting Around

Overview
No longer content being San Francisco’s little sister, Oakland has come into its own as a vibrant city. It’s an exciting place where aging hippies share activist stories with Berkeley students at independently-run coffee shops. Historically known as more of a blue collar city than a travel destination, Oakland is a stunning municipality with a rich past, great architecture, astounding food, friendly residents, great weather and a strong arts community. Locals are very proud of their city.

“Oaktown,” as it is nicknamed, is home to numerous cultures. Visitors will find strong influences from Oakland’s booming Asian, African American, Latin and Pacific Islander populations. Oakland is framed by the picturesque waters of San Francisco Bay, Lake Merritt and the Oakland Estuary, making this a city with a strong maritime identity. A progressive attitude makes Oakland a great place to visit and live.

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When to Go
High Season
Most visitors prefer to see Oakland in the summer months due to warmer weather, school vacations and cruises departing from San Francisco. Peak season tends to run May through November.

Low Season
The heaviest fog tends to arrive in mid-November, and hotel rates considerably drop at this time. Low season runs December through April. Lodging rates are best year-round on weekends, as hotels tend to cater to business travelers mid-week, with some impressive weekend packages available from November through February. Holidays also offer impressive hotel deals due to a lack of corporate travelers.  

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Airport Information
Oakland International Airport (OAK)
Distance: Four miles south of Downtown Oakland
Drive time: 18 minutes

Oakland International Airport is the fastest-growing airport in the Bay Area and the departure point for many regional and long-range domestic flights. OAK is a spacious facility boasting the highest on-time arrival rate of any airport in North America. The airport is actually closer to downtown San Francisco than the San Francisco International Airport (SFO). Several private shuttle companies and rental car companies operate at the airport.

A convenient AirBART shuttle bus travels between the airport and the Coliseum/Oakland Airport Bay Area Regional Transit (BART) Station every 10 minutes during the day. BART serves Oakland, San Francisco, Berkeley and the Tri-Valley region. Visitors can travel from OAK to downtown for about $6.00 total on AirBART and BART. For those in a hurry, a taxi to downtown Oakland is an option at an average cost of $30. Most of the hotels and motels in the airport area offer complimentary shuttle service to and from the airport with reservations.

Alternative Airports
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) - 11 miles from Downtown Oakland
San Jose International Airport (SJC) - 30 miles from Downtown Oakland

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Weather
Oakland has a foggy and rainy winter, but temperatures remain mild—generally in the mid-40s to low-50s—while much of the country experiences snow and freezing temperatures. Summers are magnificent and temperatures normally hover around the 60s and 70s. Autumn is a bit cooler, with October temperatures averaging in the high 50s, dropping to the wet mid-40s in December. The rain continues through April and May, when the temperatures are generally in the mid-50s.

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Things to Do
Oakland Aviation Museum
Families with children and adults with an interest in aerospace will enjoy a visit to the Oakland Aviation Museum. Guests can follow exhibits detailing the history of flight and the possible future of aerospace. The museum is located at Oakland International Airport's notable North Field.

Chabot Space and Science Center
Get closer to the stars with a trip to the Chabot Space and Science Center. The museum is dedicated to educating guests about planet Earth and beyond, featuring dynamic rotating exhibits. On Friday and Saturday evenings, weather permitting, visitors may partake in Chabot’s Free Telescope Viewing sessions to get a better look at constellations and other wonders of the night sky.

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Local Attractions
Oakland Waterfront
Oakland is located on the San Francisco Bay and has over 21 miles of coastline and less fog than San Francisco. The Port of Oakland takes up a portion of the waterfront, with many beautiful vistas for photographers and walkers to enjoy. Visitors often take ferry rides from Oakland to San Francisco, Alameda and Angel Island.

Oakland Museum of California
The Oakland Museum of California is dedicated to the art, history and natural environment of California. The facility features art galleries, terraces, patios, sculpture gardens and water features. Admission to the museum is free on the second Sunday of each month. The museum cafe frequently has live music at lunchtime and in the summer months offers outdoor dining overlooking the koi pond.

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Must See Sights
San Francisco/Oakland Bay Bridge
The city’s most recognizable landmark is the San Francisco/Oakland Bay Bridge, known locally as simply the Bay Bridge. The bridge’s official name is The James "Sunny Jim" Rolph Bridge, but this name is rarely used. It has one of the longest spans in the world and carries about 270,000 vehicles daily on its two decks. It has been featured in many movies, including Towering Inferno, Basic Instinct and The Dead Pool. The bridge is currently undergoing an extensive seismic upgrade to retrofit its eastern span. The updated span is set to open in 2013.

Jack London Square
The jewel of the Oakland waterfront is Jack London Square, named after the famous author of Call of the Wild, White Fang and other classics. Owned by the Port of Oakland, it is home to shops, eateries, lodging, a movie theater, an Amtrak station, a ferry dock and the historic Heinold’s First and Last Chance Saloon. Jack London’s cabin from the Klondike has been relocated here. There is also farmer's market on Sunday mornings.

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Insider Tips

• The best kept secret about Oakland is its rich culinary past and current dining boom. Oakland’s restaurant scene has been featured in many prominent food magazines and newspapers as of late. The city has a rich culinary culture, with many gourmands and proponents of the Slow Food movement opening small, popular restaurants in the area, in addition to having a diverse array of ethnic cuisines to sample. 
• The Oakland Convention and Visitor Bureau website includes reviews by a notable local food writer who files monthly food reports on restaurants in Oakland that are locals’ favorites. These reports, called “Best of the Best” are featured on the website. The section is not supported by advertising and her unbiased reviews are unedited by staff.

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Getting Around
Getting around Oakland is efficient and reflective of technological advancements over time. Since 1946, the Bay Area Regional Transit (BART) rail system has linked Oakland to San Francisco and the Tri-Valley region. BART operates five lines with 43 stations in four counties, making it the fifth busiest heavy rail rapid transit system in the country.

Insiders know that the unsurpassed way to economically sightsee on the water is by the East Bay Ferry system, the largest ferry system in California. The Oakland/Alameda run offers daily service between Alameda, Oakland and San Francisco. Just south of Oakland, the Alameda Harbor Bay route offers weekday service between Bay Farm Island and San Francisco. 

Amtrak has daily service throughout the Bay Area. Amtrak routes heading in all directions depart and arrive in Oakland daily. The Oakland Coliseum station opened in 2005 and connects by pedestrian bridge to the nearby BART station, thus easing transfers between the two services.

This information and more is available from the staff of the Oakland Visitor Center, located at 463 11th Street.

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