On our way to and from Playa del Carmen, Mexico to Hawaii, Em and I had an overnight layover in Oakland, California – also known as “The Bright Side of the Bay.” For anyone flying from the East Coast or Midwest to Hawaii or to visit the Bay area, there is a good chance you might have a layover in Oakland as well.

We really enjoyed having a long layover in Oakland because we were able to be much more relaxed on the long trip to Hawaii and get ahead of the jetlag a little! At first we thought we would just spend the day lounging around the hotel, but when we started researching about the area we realized the awesome things there are to experience in Oakland.

Oakland is ranked the 45th biggest city in America by population and was Nat Geo Travel’s Best Trips list for 2019! There is lots to do – and if you have a long layover in the city like we did, hopefully this guide will help you with your planning of the best things to do in Oakland.

What to Do

Jack London Square

Named after the famous American author, Jack London Square is a great place to walk along the boardwalk. The area is filled with some great places to eat. Even if you aren’t hungry, there are plenty of other things to do here. Four times each month The USS Potomac, FDR’s presidential yacht, offers two-hour narrated historic cruises around the waterfront. On Sundays, there is a local farmers market in the square.

Redwood Regional Park

Just a few miles away from Downtown Oakland is a Redwood park! It is a spectacular sight to stand among these giant trees. It is incredible to think that a 1,830 tree forest is located just a few miles away from downtown Oakland.

Oakland Zoo

When we asked people in Oakland about the best places to visit in Oakland, they said the zoo is really fun. Although we didn’t have time to check it out ourselves, this could be a really fun place to visit as a family. The zoo hosts more than 600 species of animals from all around the world.

Lake Merritt

This is a BEAUTIFUL lake! There were lots of people walking around enjoying the views…and see below for a great place to eat on the lake!

For more things to do in Oakland, check out the tourism board’s guide to 100 things to do in Oakland! Reading this is making us want to go back and visit again already!

Where to Eat

First and foremost is food (always my top priority :) There are many amazing restaurants in the Bay area. Em and I ate at Lake Chalet in downtown Oakland and absolutely loved it. The restaurant’s location alone is worth a visit. It is located right downtown on Lake Merritt – it actually is the original pumphouse for the lake. Now, it is a massive restaurant and it seems like every table has an incredible view! The food itself was incredible. We are there for brunch and loved it all. Their crab cakes and clam chowder were amazing (which it is saying something for a North Easterner) and the tuna was some of the best I ever ate! For a casual brunch or a formal dinner, Lake Chalet is a great choice! We ate there right before heading to the airport and it was SO nice to eat “real food” instead of airport food…we were so full that we didn’t even eat the snacks on our flight!

Where to Stay

For our overnight layover both on the way to and from Hawaii we stayed at the Best Western Plus Bayside Hotel. Our room had an amazing view and was a very reasonable rate. The thing that stood out the most to us was the incredible staff! We had some packages shipped to the hotel and the staff was incredibly helpful, making sure we got them on time and made us feel like family! (I was really happy that we got the packages because one of them was my underwear which would have been a bit of a problem not having on a 2 week trip =). The hotel is in a great location and has an awesome continental breakfast! They also have a shuttle to the airport which makes it a perfect, budget-friendly option for extended stays and layovers.

Transportation Around Oakland

Hotel Shuttle

If you are staying overnight and booked a hotel close to the airport, check to see if they offer a complimentary shuttle. Just make sure that if you are leaving early in the morning to catch a flight, the shuttle is still running at that time.

BART

The Bay Area Rapid Transit is one of America’s most well-known public transportation systems. It runs all throughout the Bay area. So if you are trying to get somewhere in Oakland, there is a good chance that there is a line close to you. Be sure to look up the routes and times for where you want to go.

Rideshare and Taxi

And of course, like any major city, there is always the option of Uber, Lyft, and taxis. Located just outside of Silicon Valley, there are no shortages of Ubers :) So no matter what time it is, you shouldn’t have a problem catching a ride to the airport.

Enjoy your trip to Oakland! And if you have time to visit even more of California, here’s our post about the best things to do in California.

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