5 and 1/2 hours layover at SFO
 

Hi,

I have a five and 1/2 layover this Wednesday at SFO. What is there to do? Do I have enough time to do a quick trip into San Fran?

Thanks

the airport is pretty far out. If you do decide to go in, it might be easier to take BART than a taxi. I think it is about a 30 minute trip. You might have time for two hours worth of something. Maybe head to Chinatown and eat or something like that.

1) From the airport terminal, you have to take the AirTrain to get to the SFO BART station. This takes at least 15 minutes from the time you get off the plane to arrive at the BART station.

2) BART runs every 15 minutes, so add that in, in case you just miss the train.

3) It's a 30-min ride from SFO to downtown San Francisco.

Therefore, you're looking at 1 hour transit time. Assuming you want to be back at the airport at least 1 hour before your next flight, you'll have about 2.5 hours max in the city.

Are either of your flights international? That can make a big difference because of passport control/your country of residence/etc.

If both are domestic - then you could BART to the Embarcadero station, walk through the ferry bldg, check out the views of the Bay, see the Bay Bridge, eat lunch, BART back to SFO -- that is about it.

If either flight is international - just stay put at SFO. There are decent places to eat/shop.

And besides janisj's good thoughts even if your next flight is a domestic flight I would also suggest that you be prepared to taxi back to SFO just in case for some reason BART is closed down as it does happen. You don't want to miss your next flight, jyoung.

thanks all for the suggestions. my incoming flight is int'l and my outgoing flight is domestic. so i guess i'll play it by ear as to how long customs takes.

If you do not have time to visit the city, the Milbrae/ Burlingame area has a nice path along the Bay and several good restaurants. 15 minute taxi ride or less. You should be able to get a taxi at any of the hotels for your return.

Even though your outbound is domestic, SFO can have lengthy TSA lines. Consider if you are at a peak time or day to allow plenty of time for your return.

The airport hotels along the bay in Burlingame have free shuttles to/fro the airport.

I've stayed there many times and would not characterize the path along the bay as a destination. If I was really bored and wanted to take a 15min stroll maybe, but I certainly would not go out of my way to get there.

I arrived at SFO from an international flight yesterday around 2:45PM I've lived next to the airport for the last 28 years, and 7 yrs in San Francisco before that. From the time my plane landed, passed passport control & customs (about a zero wait in each), got my bags, till I hopped into a cab, it was about 30 mins (Air France). The international terminal is much faster to travel through than the domestic terminal, IMO. Add about 15 mins to transfer your luggage for your next flight.

Taxi will get you to Union Sq in 20 mins, and to the Ferry bldg is 25 mins in non-rush hours.

I would catch a cab back to SFO from a Union Sq hotel or the Hyatt Embarcadero about 1 1/2 to 2 hrs before your departure time (I assume you have a boarding pass & no luggage - just security to deal with).

So:

1 1/4 hrs from gate arrival to downtown SF.
1 1/2 to 2 hrs from Dountown to departure gate.

This leaves you with about 2 1/2 hrs to play in The City.

Why waste time with BART - a taxi is much simplier & quicker.

Stu Dudley

I live very near Stu, and therefore travel into and out of SFO regularly. The longest security line I have ever encountered in San Francisco turned out to be 45 minutes, despite looking like it would take at least an hour.

thanks. what do you recommend i do during my 2.5 hrs of play time in the city?

>>The longest security line I have ever encountered in San Francisco turned out to be 45 minutes, despite looking like it would take at least an hour.<<

There were zero people in the passport control line, and even fewer in the cusotms line. When we departed from the international terminal, it took us about 5 mins to get through security. We also took a flight in June, and the security line was about 10 mins then. It was much worse 5 years ago.

If I wanted to impress someone with my home town, this is what I would recommend to get the most "bang for the buck".

1. Take a taxi to Broadway and Columbus. Sit is the front seat on the passenger's side and tell the taxi driver to take 280 to King St, past AT&T park. King St flows into the Embarcadero (street). Follow the Embarcadero to Broadway & turn left (right will put you in water), and have the taxi let you off at Columbus. If the taxi driver doesn't understand this route - get out of the car & take the next taxi. Theis is a very simple route and also extremly scenic. You will drive past AT&T park & see the statue of Willie Mays in front. The Embarcadero runs along the waters edge with downtown to the left & the Bay to the right - lots of piers. You will pass under the Bay Bridge, and then shorty encounter the Ferry Building to the right and the foot of Market & the Embarcadero Center to your left. Up ahead you'll see Coit Tower. Turn left on Boradway & climb up a bit & drive past all the strip joints. Have the driver let you off at the corner of Broadway & Columbus.

2. Columbus is the only street in this area that forms a 45 degree angle with Broadway. It is a busy street. Walk to your right heading northwest on Columbus on the west side of the street (side farthest from the Embarcadero). You are in North Beach now - our version of Little Italy. Lots of outdoor restaurants, cafes, bohemian stuff, etc. Continue walking northwest on Columbus. Past Washington Square park (you'll see it) turn right at the north end of the park (Filbert St) & walk 1 block along the park to Stockton St. The Church you just passed is where Joe DiMaggio's funeral was held a few years ago. Turn right (south) on Stockton and in 1 ½ blocks, you hit Columbus again - and keep heading southward. Turn right on Broadway, cross Columbus, & walk 1 block to Stockton. Turn left (south) and cross the street heading south on Stockton.

2. You are now in Chinatown. Keep heading south on Stockton, noticing all the Chinese markets. If you are hungry, try to find a carry-out Dim Sum place. At Sacramento street, you will see Stockton heading into a tunnel. Turn left on Sacramento & walk 1 block to Grant Street, and then right on Grant St (this will avoid the tunnel). You are now in the touristy section of Chinatown on Grant St. Soon you will exit Chinatown.

3. You are now in the downtown shopping district. Continue south on Grant for several blocks & turn right (west) on Post street. Walk 1 block & you will be at Union Square. Now, gage the time. I would allow 1 1/2 to 2 hrs to get back to the airport in time for your departure flight. If you have time, explore the area around Union Square, and the shopping streets to the east of Union Sq (west area starts to get a little ruddy a block or 2 away from Union Sq). You'll see the Cable Cars on Powell St. At the west side of Union Square, there is the Weston St Francis Hotel (popular place for shooting at US Presidents). You can catch a taxi back to the airport from this hotel. There is also a nice view of the SF downtown if you take an elevator up to the top floor of the hotel. The elevator has a clear glass bubble on the view side. No need to get out of the elevator on the top floor. There are hotdog vendors around Union Sq.

Stu Dudley

Stu's plan is fantastic. The only addition I would make is that if you are hungry BEFORE you get to Chinatown, get a meatball sandwich at Mario's Bohemian Cigar Store before you leave Columbus/North Beach.

http://www.zagat.com/Verticals/Menu....47789&HID=2984

thanks!

wanted to let you know how things turned out. customs was a breeze, but it took awhile for my bags to come out (i had to transfer them since i was coming from int'l destination). so i would say it was abt. 2 hrs after i landed before i got into downtown sfo. i followed stu's plan and had the taxi driver take me on the scenic drive. and then i walked through chinatown to union square. i spent abt. an hour and half in union square before heading back to the airport. instead of taking a taxi back, i hopped on the bart abt. an hour and half before my flight. security was no problem.

oh, and on my return flight, i had another 3.5 hrs layover in sfo. i had a friend meet me at the airport and we headed to burlingame for brunch. i thought security on an int'l flight would be long, so i got back to the airport an hour and half before my flight. i was wrong. security took no time.

thanks again all for your tips/advice.

Where'd you eat in Burlingame?

alanas cafe.

Good choice! We were going to have dinner there the other night, but it was closed (as were a lot of the restaurants -- early January vacations for the owners, I suspect)

Has alanas always been open for dinner???

Stu Dudley

I think it has, although I've only been once. Maybe it no longer is?

(Stu, we ended up eating at Broadway Grill, as Alana's, Copenhagen and others were closed. I was very disappointed in my meal, and in the service).