downtown oakland

Oakland Car Rental

Driving in Oakland makes it easier to move between downtown, Lake Merritt, Jack London Square, and the neighborhoods that connect the waterfront to the hills. Whether you are visiting for work or need a replacement vehicle while your car is unavailable, Enterprise helps you find the right rental car in Oakland. With vehicle options that fit local trips, regional drives, and daily travel needs, you can choose a model that works well for your plans. Reserve your rental car in Oakland today.

Enterprise Car Rental Locations in Oakland

Enterprise makes it easy to rent a car in Oakland with locations at Oakland International Airport and in nearby neighborhoods around the city. Travelers arriving through San Francisco International Airport can also pick up a rental car there and drive to Oakland or other parts of the Bay Area.

Deals

Car Rental Deals

Find low rates & seasonal offers to get more out of your trip. Whether you’re booking last minute or planning ahead, Enterprise makes it easy to find a deal that fits your budget.

Earn Free Days

Enterprise Plus Rewards

Join Enterprise Plus® and start earning points with every rental. Members enjoy free rentals, faster reservations, and exclusive benefits that make each trip even more rewarding.

Manage On The Go

Save Time With The Enterprise App

Manage reservations, choose your car, and check in before you arrive with the Enterprise car rental app. Spend less time at the counter and more time on the road. Available in the App Store & Google Play.

Things to do in Oakland

Oakland combines waterfront districts, public parks, family attractions, and cultural institutions across a compact East Bay city. Visitors can spend time by the estuary, around Lake Merritt, in the hills, or inside museums and long-running local landmarks without going far between stops.

Lake Merritt sits near downtown Oakland and remains one of the city’s best-known gathering places, with a shoreline path, boating, park space, and views across the water. The area also connects visitors to nearby attractions such as Children’s Fairyland and the Oakland Museum of California, which helps make the lake one of the city’s most active public spaces.

Jack London Square is Oakland’s best-known waterfront district, set along the estuary with restaurants, shops, entertainment, and marina views. The district also reflects the city’s maritime history through its historic waterfront setting, boating access, and longtime connection to author Jack London.

Oakland Zoo is one of the city’s major family attractions and is home to more than 850 native and exotic animals. The zoo pairs animal habitats with rides, live cams, education programs, and conservation work, which gives visitors more than a standard zoo visit.

Children’s Fairyland is a storybook park on the shore of Lake Merritt designed for families with young children, especially ages 0 to 8. Since opening in 1950, it has become one of Oakland’s most recognizable family attractions, known for its storybook sets, small rides, live performances, animals, and outdoor play areas.

Joaquin Miller Park covers about 500 acres in the Oakland Hills and offers hiking, biking, horseback riding, picnicking, and wooded trails within minutes of the city. The park is especially known for its redwood groves, oak woodlands, creekside areas, and hilltop setting, which gives it a much more natural feel than the urban core below.

The Oakland Museum of California is one of the city’s main cultural institutions, with galleries focused on California art, history, and natural science. Its exhibitions, events, and seven-acre campus make it both a museum and a gathering place, giving visitors a broader look at Oakland and California beyond a single subject or collection.

friendly enterprise employee hands over rental car keys

One Way Car Rentals

Go One-Way, Your Way

Skip the round trip and return your rental car at a different branch. One-way rentals offer the flexibility to keep your travel plans moving forward, whether you’re heading out on a road trip, relocating, or catching a flight from another city.

Oakland Travel Tips

Yes. Oakland connects directly to major freeway and bridge routes, including the Bay Bridge on I-80, and 511 lists the region’s larger network of highways, local roads, and toll bridges as part of the Bay Area system drivers use every day. That makes Oakland a workable starting point if your plans include San Francisco, the East Bay, and airport trips in either direction.

Tolls are charged only in the westbound direction from Oakland into San Francisco. The Bay Bridge is fully electronic, so cash is no longer collected. Drivers pay with FasTrak, a License Plate Account, a One-Time Payment, or by invoice.

Yes. The I-880 Express Lanes run southbound from Hegenberger Road in Oakland to Dixon Landing Road in Milpitas, and northbound from Milpitas to Lewelling Boulevard in San Leandro. Solo drivers need a FasTrak toll tag to pay and use them, while carpools and motorcycles must also carry the proper toll tag setting to qualify for reduced or free travel.

Lake Merritt has stricter parking management than many visitors expect. Oakland’s Lake Merritt Parking Meter Pilot enforces meters Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 8 p.m. That means a lake visit can involve metered parking even on weekends, so it is worth checking the signs before you leave the car.

Oakland uses the standard curb color system and it matters. Red means no stopping or parking, yellow is for loading, white is for passenger loading, green is short-term parking, and blue is for disabled placards or plates. The city also notes that faded curb colors are still enforced, so a worn curb does not mean the rule disappeared.

Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport is the closest major airport for Oakland and sits about seven miles south of downtown. If you are driving in, the airport directs drivers on I-880 to use the 98th Avenue exit, then continue to Bessie Coleman Drive and Airport Drive.

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Ready To Hit The Road?

Choose the right rental for your trip and get on your way with Enterprise.

Enterprise Car Sales - Oakland

Looking to buy? We sell cars, too. Shop our selection of quality used cars, trucks, vans and SUVs. And, when you’re ready, experience the Enterprise customer service you know and expect.

Enterprise Truck Rental - San Leandro

Need a truck? Our moving trucks, cargo vans and towing equipped pickup trucks are available for daily, weekly or monthly rental.