First time on West Coast

We are flying into San Francisco from NY in October and plan to drive from SF to LA before our Panama Canal Cruise. We are planning on renting a car at the airport and to say for 2 nights in SF. We need a hotel in SF. Please suggest which location would be best......we are thinking Fisherman's Wharf.

We are flying into San Francisco from NY in October and plan to drive from SF to LA before our Panama Canal Cruise. We are planning on renting a car at the airport and to say for 2 nights in SF. We need a hotel in SF. Please suggest which location would be best......we are thinking Fisherman's Wharf.

If your going to be in SF for two days . I would forget the car for those two days. SF is very walkable and the easy to get around by transit . There is very little parking available (all has to be paid for ). As to a hotel I would check out the Fisherman's Wharf area . Even hotels charge for parking in the area .

All the areas of interest to tourists in SF are very congested, very similar to Manhattan or central Boston. A car is more of a liability than a benefit. Agree with the comment about using transit or "sneaker-net". (There used to be a "Golden Parking Meter" competition. Contestants got a list of districts within the city and had to find legal street parking in each one. A referee rode with each driver, and the first one to return won a parking meter trophy)

OTOH, outlying areas such as Marin County and Napa are much easier to visit by rental car. If you plan to visit those areas, consider doing it the 2nd day and spending the night outside the city where there's free parking. Then drive to LA the next day.

In either case, you will save money by renting away from the airport, and possibly more by renting outside SF city limits.

Forget the car in SF. You can just take the BART to downtown SF (It goes right to the airport and you will find many people with luggage on that train). Play tourist and take the BART back to the airport and grab your car and head south for your drive to LA.

Parking in the Fisherman's Wharf area is almost $40/day.

Parking in the Fisherman's Wharf area is almost $40/day.

That's not bad.

The Best Western Plus Tuscan charges $50 + 14% tax per day for parking. :eek:

We were just up there last month for my daughter's USF graduation...and stayed at the Cow Hollow Inn with, believe it or not, FREE parking included...so, it does exist!

However, for most tourists unfamiliar with San Francisco, I do recommend NOT renting a car. It is not just parking...which is difficult all over the City...it's also just plain driving. Driving in the City, to the outsider, can be frightening...Many streets go nearly straight up or down steep hills with blind intersections throughout. Often, you cannot see the road straight in front of you.

As a visitor, better to choose a well located hotel...and get around using taxis, cable cars, buses, BART and just plain walking.

Fisherman's Wharf is a great area for tourists since lots of sights and restaurants are nearby...as is the Cable Car terminus...and the base for Alcatraz and Harbor boat tours...

Only rent the car on your way out of town.

Play tourist and take the BART back to the airport and grab your car and head south for your drive to LA.

There's no need to go to the airport from downtown just to pick up a rental car. Most all major car rental companies have downtown offices throughout the City, saving you a lot of airport-imposed taxes/fees.

We were just up there last month for my daughter's USF graduation...and stayed at the Cow Hollow Inn with, believe it or not, FREE parking included...so, it does exist!

 

However, for most tourists unfamiliar with San Francisco, I do recommend NOT renting a car. It is not just parking...which is difficult all over the City...it's also just plain driving. Driving in the City, to the outsider, can be frightening...Many streets go nearly straight up or down steep hills with blind intersections throughout. Often, you cannot see the road straight in front of you.

 

As a visitor, better to choose a well located hotel...and get around using taxis, cable cars, buses, BART and just plain walking.

 

Fisherman's Wharf is a great area for tourists since lots of sights and restaurants are nearby...as is the Cable Car terminus...and the base for Alcatraz and Harbor boat tours...

 

Only rent the car on your way out of town.

I have never had a difficult time driving in San Francisco and I have never lived there.:)

The Royal Pacific Motor Inn is another hotel that has on site parking and does not charge for parking. It is in Chinatown and is a 15 minute walk from there to pier 39 where lots of tourists go. It's not fancy, but clean and gets good reviews.

I have never had a difficult time driving in San Francisco and I have never lived there.:)

Driving in SF isn't the hard part. It's finding inexpensive and available parking in the tourist areas that's tough.

Driving in SF isn't the hard part. It's finding inexpensive and available parking in the tourist areas that's tough.

Also watch out for our infamous "Tow Away" zones, usually 7-9 am and 4-6pm; sometimes 3-6pm. There's usually one small sign that's strategically placed so you won't see it ;)

Driving in SF isn't the hard part. It's finding inexpensive and available parking in the tourist areas that's tough.

I don't think there is any inexpensive parking in SF.:eek: