Oakland Arena Parking - The Best Spots In The Area

The Oakland arena is an iconic venue in the Oakland area. Because of the nature of this building with all the various events it hosts, it makes finding a parking spot very difficult with the build-up of traffic in the downtown Oakland area on game days and certain live events.

Smarking is a very useful app that can cater to your Oakland arena parking needs and with the Smarking Smartpass or flexible parking, you can reserve parking before you enter the area.

With its many secure parking lots in Oakland, the Smarking smart pass lets you compare Oakland arena parking rates, prepay and reserve a space for you while saving you money. All you need to do on the day is scan your QR code for access in and out.

Oakland Arena

Since its opening in 1966, the Oakland area has hosted many great concerts and events including performances from legendary singers and entertainers such as Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Ice Cube, and Snoop Dogg. It has been the venue for many great sporting events over the years as well as the entertainment sector and was also home to the NBA Golden State Warriors from 1971 to 2019. The stadium has a capacity of over 19,000 seats after its $100 million renovations and expansion to accommodate more fans in 1996.

Oakland Arena parking options

With the various sporting and entertainment events being held in the Oakland Arena Stadium it is important to have a parking space downtown ready for when you get there. With free parking hard to come by we will take a look at all the different options available for you, to help you achieve this through the Smarking app at the lowest cost.

On-site parking at the Oakland arena

Parking is available on-site at the Oakland arena for all events and also has parking accommodation for limousines, buses, and RVs. ADA placard holders can receive a designated spot.

Booking in advance is highly recommended for Oakland Arena parking as there may not be any empty spaces on the day of the event. The rates are:

Car and motorcycles - $40 (standard-sized vehicle)

RV/Limo/Bus - $120 (OSV in any vehicle wider than 9' and longer than 18')

VIP parking is available at a rate of $70 which offers a stress-free entry and exit through gates 5 or 8 with parking lots G or H.

Platinum parking is also available for $100 and is steps away from the venue entrances, platinum parking will get you to your seats quicker. You will enter and exit through gate 5 and use parking lot GG. However, limos and oversized vehicles over 18' cannot park in the platinum parking lot.

Parking gates open 2 hours before an event start time and arena doors open one hour before the scheduled event time. Tailgating is permitted at the Oakland arena however, only one parking stall is allowed per vehicle due to the limited parking spaces available.

Oakland Coliseum

Located right next to the Oakland Arena, the Oakland Coliseum also known as the RingCentral Coliseum is home to the MLB team Oakland Athletics. As well as being a major league baseball venue it also used to be home to the Oakland Raiders in the NFL from 1966 to 1981 before they moved to Los Angeles.

Parking is available in the Oakland Coliseum at both the north and south parking lots, at a rate of $30 and it is worth noting that cashless payments are required for all purchases.

Parking will not be available to purchase online two hours before the games start time on that day to coincide with the parking gates opening. The parking and gate opening times are as follows:

Monday to Thursday:

Parking - 2 hours before the first pitch

Gates - 1 hour before the first pitch

Friday to Sunday:

Parking - 2.5 hours before the first pitch

Gates - 1.5 hours before the first pitch

Public transport and BART parking

The Bay Area Rapid Transit system (BART) offers a quick and easy route into the Oakland arena through the Oakland Coliseum station. The station is closely located to the Oakland arena and a quick walk will take you directly into the Oakland coliseum, with many street vendors available along the way if you are interested. BART also offers additional train services for Athletics games.

This is the cheapest option available at $3.55 as the standard fee, with free parking outside of working hours on weekdays available. However, as this is the most budget-friendly option spaces fill up fast as it is so popular, so you would have to get there very early to secure a spot.

Can't find a good spot to park? Find out more Downtown Oakland parking locations and rates here.

Attractions in the Oakland area

Oakland City Center in downtown Oakland is on the east side of the San Francisco Bay area and has a number different of sites and attractions in the area. Some of these include: