kbg717

We are visiting California the first week of April. We fly in and out of SFO. When we land in SFO, we are immediately heading to Monterey for a couple of nights, then driving to Sonoma for a night before dropping the car back off in San Francisco and then having 3 days there without a car.

Does anyone have any car rental recommendations? We would prefer to pick up the car at the airport since we will be heading to Monterey, but the rates seem to be much higher than if we picked up the car in the city. But when we drop the car back off on the way from Sonoma, it seems easier to drop the car off in the city rather than drive to the airport. Are there any easy/affordable pick up spots in and around San Francisco?

Also, we are considering renting a convertible to drive down the coast and around wine country. Has anyone done this before? Is it worth it or will it be too cold?

Thanks!

tomfuller

Is there something going on in Monterey the day that you land that you can't do the next day?
I'd go into San Francisco and see what you can and then rent the car downtown the next morning. Come back to San Francisco for 2 days to see what you missed on the first day.
Take BART out to SFO for your flight out.

clarkgriswold

Weekday rates are highest. Weekend rates and "weekly" rates are always better.

To qualify for "weekend" discount pick up the car after 12 noon on Thursday and return by Monday night. Hard to help because don't know your exact dates and what discounts you'd qualify for.

NewbE

On your way back from Sonoma, you could drop the car back off at the airport and take BART into the city--unless you have a lot of luggage. Depending on the fee you'd save over dropping the car off in the city, a taxi might even make sense.

janisj

I'd consider doing SF at the front end. Stay your 2 or 3 days in the city, pick up car and drive to Sonoma, drive down to Monterey/Carmel, drive to SFO, drop car and fly out.

This would 1) get you much cheaper rental rates, 2) give you more time in Sonoma (driving from Carmel to Sonoma on a weekday morning can take 4 hours but driving up from central SF only takes about an hour).

What time is your flight out?

No I don't rent convertibles (I don't need to - see my profile photo ) I put the top down when it hits 59 or 60F so some in every month and essentially full time from late-March to early Nov. But honestly I would not count on using a rag top in April. It will likely be nice but on the coast it could be awfully cool for top down. But go ahead an rent one even if just for photos to tease the folks back home

StuDudley

I would budget 4 hrs for the drive from Carmel to Sonoma (county or city?). So, if you leave Carmel at 9:30, you will arrive in Sonoma (city) at 1:30. By the time you check into your hotel and be "ready to go", it will be 2:30. Walk around the square for an hour, drive to and visit 1 winery (2 hrs), and then call it a day. Not a big day for "visiting stuff" - town square in Sonoma and 1 winery.

If this was my trip, I would just visit Monterey/Carmel and get my "wine fix" in Carmel Valley or at one of the dozens of wine bars in San Francisco. You'll save a lot of car rental and bridge $$$$ with my itinerary.

Stu Dudley

aprillilacs

If you want to stick with the original plan and you are finding much lower rates with the in-town rental, it's not that difficult to get into the city, pick up the car, and then head south on 280, etc., to Monterey/Carmel. It would probably set you back by about 2 hours (about 30-45 minutes to get into the city on BART, 30 minutes to drive back to about equivalent to the airport). I usually search on kayak.com and go with the cheapest rate from an agency I've actually heard of.

I have a convertible (Mazda Miata) and LOVE driving with the top down in the areas you plan on going to (went down and up Hwy 1 to/from LA last month, and this past weekend, which was quite cool in the mornings, drove to coastal Sonoma and back, all with the top down). When it gets chilly, I just blast the heater, which keeps me warm enough. It's magical to drive through the eucalyptus groves with the top down. The hills of Sonoma were brilliant green and gorgeous. Bring a windbreaker and a sweater, and you'll be glad you sprang for the convertible. Very little chance of rain these days, especially after March.

janisj

>>When it gets chilly, I just blast the heater, which keeps me warm enough.)

>>It's magical to drive through the eucalyptus groves with the top down. entirely different experience w/ the top down.

kbg717

Thank you all so much for your replies! We fly in Thursday 4/2 around 7:30 p.m. and are going to stay in Palo Alto that night with a friend. We considered starting in SF, but our flight back home is at 11am so we wanted to be in the city the night before. Therefore, we figured it made more sense to go ahead to Monterey, then make the drive to Sonoma before coming to SF. I'm starting to think that it might make more sense to follow StuDudley's itinerary and visit the wineries in Carmel rather than driving to Sonoma.

It sounds like the convertible would be fun, but not a necessity. We will qualify for a "weekend" car rental discount which is good and my guess is that it is easiest to stick with SFO as a pickup location.

I appreciate all of your help!

janisj

>>We considered starting in SF, but our flight back home is at 11am so we wanted to be in the city the night before. Sonoma > Monterey) - Early in the AM it it only takes

janisj

Oops -- didn't mean to click post - it takes about 2 hours from Monterey to SFO

But I agree - it will be a more restful trip w/ JUST Monterey area + San Francisco.