Visit Oakland

Why Choose Our Destination?

Why Choose Oakland, CA? Take your meeting someplace different. For meeting professionals, Oakland is the perfect creative incubator and provides a unique destination and memorable experience for your event. Oakland challenges old ideas, creating state-of-the-art innovation. Savor our trendy culinary scene, immerse yourself in our vibrant arts and nightlife and soak up the proactive spirit Oakland is known for. Let’s meet. For real. Real Community. With over 125 languages spoken within the city, Oakland is one of the most diverse cities in the country. This inclusivity is infused throughout the city, within the culinary scene, arts and music, attractions and local businesses. Attendees will look forward to their time outside of the conference to explore the city’s walkable neighborhoods, and experience the vibrant culture and welcoming energy of the community. Real Access. One of the city’s prime assets as a meetings destination is its location and accessibility. Oakland is located only 12 minutes from San Francisco, 40 minutes from Napa Valley and 40 minutes from Silicon Valley, with three international airports nearby. Oakland International Airport (OAK) is very convenient and offers 55 international and domestic nonstop flight destinations. The city also offers public transportation options by train, boat, bus, rideshare or bike. Real Spaces. With 5,000 rooms in Oakland, the city is great for small to large sized meetings. Oakland will be welcoming seven new hotel properties by 2021, bringing around 1,000 additional hotel rooms to the city. The Oakland Convention Center is connected to The Oakland Marriott City Center, offering 100,566 square feet of meeting space and 500 guest rooms. The city also offers unique meetings spaces from The Landing Cafe, located at the Oakland Zoo by aerial gondola and boasting panoramic views of the Bay Area; to the Esports Arena Oakland, a 16,000 square foot modular tech facility. Real Simple. The Visit Oakland Sales Team makes contracting for your next conference or meeting a breeze and operate as a meeting planner’s destination expert, offering services from effective and avoidable dates for meetings; sourcing hotel and overflow rooms; vendor referrals (transportation, offsite venues, team building); nonprofit referrals for corporate social responsibility programs; local destination experts (speakers for conferences); restaurant dinning referrals; local official resources (city closures, permits, etc.); curate incentives for strategic partners; and much more. The Visit Oakland team’s services make it seamless for planners to book their programs in Oakland.