The wife and I will be flying into San Francisco on a Thursday night and we'll be leaving Sunday to drive south and do the ever-popular PCH, Big Sur, Santa Barbara, LA. . . . trip.

Obviously we need a car for when we leave SF, but we are struggling with whether or not we should have one while in SF.

While in SF we plan on doing all of the touristy stuff, but we don't plan on having to leave the city until we leave for good. So. . . should we get the car when we arrive in SF or should we wait until it's time to leave? How good are the city's other forms of transporation? I can't find any rental places in the city that will allow a one-way rental (dropping off in LA); do I have to get back to the airport to rent one that they'll allow me to drop off at a different location? One more thing to consider: we do not pack very light and the wife is pregnant. If we don't rent when we land, are we going to regret having to use public transortation to get the wife and bags from the airport to the city and then back to the airport car rental agency 3 days later?

First time in SF if you couldn't tell.

Do not get the car early. Parking is expensive and hard to find inside SF, and public transportation pretty good. Get the car only when you leave; unless you're planning a day trip out of the city to like Napa, etc, but it sounds like you'll be spending both Fri and Sat in SF.

Agree, absolutely no reason to get a car until you leave SF.

agree with above posters.

Take a cab from the airport. SInce I read your post a second time I might answer differently depending on where you are staying in SF. If you are staying Union Square,the Wharf of Embarcadero you should be ok. YOu can take cable cars and walk. The one Market will also take you close enough to most places. Depending on how pregnant(early or mid-late pregnancy) the car might be a good thing, Keep in mind you will still have to walk to most "tourist" spots from parking anyway. I'd say the cost of a cab to most places and from the airport will still be less than renting a car, parking at your hotel and parking throughout the city.

With lots of luggage a shuttle may be the best option. Going to the hotel you don't need reservation. The shuttles are always there like taxis.

Try the budget car rental in the Hyatt Fisherman's Wharf. We just rented a car there and dropped it off at SFO with no problem.
Also I would highly recommend the 49-mile scenic drive of SF if you have time with the car. It was a GREAT way to see the city, and would have been impossible via foot or public transportation.

Last time we went to SF we did not rent a car right away. We used legs,cabs,Cable cars, and trolleys. We flew into oakland and took the BART to union square (where our hotel was) This worked out fine for the first few days. Using the cable cars for practical transport is not very easy the lines are long and it is next to impossible to get on one in the middle of a route(no room) But it is a fun experiance. The MUNI trolleys are pretty good but they don't cover the city very well. and busses are plentiful. We walked a ton. Cabs are not easy to find outside of tourist destinations.

We decided to rent a car when were where going to the golden gate bridge.And our feet were KILLING us otherwise we were considering bike rentals. Then we used it for golden gate park and twin peaks. I enjoyed driving in SF very much. I love the hills. Parking is really expensive - especially in Union Square. but it was fine for one day.

I think a car is nice to have in San Fran to do at least part of the 49 mile drive (to include the Marina District, Palace of Fine Arts, GG Park, Twin Peaks)and to cross the Golden Gate and drive up into the Marin Headlands for a fabulous view back at the City from above the bridge. And then there is always the drive down Lombard St!

I love driving in San Francisco, it's just fun. When our kids were young we'd always look for the steepest hills!

Yes, parking is expensive but perhaps you can rent a day before you leave for the Hyw 1 trip.

There are many rental agencies on Mason St near Union Square besides those on the Wharf where you can pick-up a car. I would reserve in advance however.

By the way, Avis does not have any drop off charges for a different location.

I'd do a shuttle from the airport to the hotel and back again if you can't find a rental car company in the city that will rent 1 way. Then use public transportation in SF - get a transit passport: www.sfmuni.com You can get them for 1, 3, or 7 days and they are good on all lightrail, buses, streetcars, and cablecars.