Carmel -San Francisco Car Return Question
 

Q: We will need to return our rental car and will be coming from Carmel. Our hotel is in Pacific Heights district of San Francisco.


Which is the most convenient airport for our car return coming from the Carmel area to San Francisco -- SFO airport OR San Jose airport?



How much time should we allow if no stops along the way?
Departing Thursday late morning. Stop for detours along the way or head straight to car return and to hotel?

Thanks.

What car rental place? Some of the rental companies have locations in the city. You could stop at hotel, drop off 1 person and luggage and other person can drop off car in town and then take public transport to hotel. This is what we did in March. We used Dollar and they had a location in Union Squre, we were able to walk to hotel.

Deb
{Where are you staying in Carmel??}

SJC is a very long ways from San Francisco

SFO is a pretty long ways from Pacific Heights

Just return your car in downtown SF.

Just a suggestion for hotel - if you are not dead set on staying in Carmel, can I suggest Seven Gables Inn in Pacific Grove?

http://www.pginns.com/

IT was excellent; great rooms, delish breakfast, drinks and hors d'ouvers late afternoon, hot cookies and milk at night. Right on the water, easy walk along the shore. Close to Carmel. Here are some pictures:

http://picasaweb.google.com/DebitNM/PacificGroveCA2008


Deb

More detail to add to janis' message. San Jose airport is about half-way between Carmel and the City of San Francisco (50 miles or so to each). San Francisco airport to the city is about 15 miles. Pacific Heights is a generally residential neighborhood, so you won't be able to drop the car off there, but as DebitNM said, you might be able to drop it off downtown, then take public transportation or a taxi to your hotel.

Thanks for the quick replies everyone!

I booked with Dollar and will return at the O'Farrell street location. THANKS!! I was trying to avoid driving in San Francisco but this location sounds much better than the airport choices.

DebitNM, I'm still undecided on lodging in Carmel/Monterey/Pacific Heights and will post a separate posting on that question as I have many!

*******

What is the drive time I should allow between Carmel and Union Square area?

Thanks everyone,
BeachGirl

What day of the week, and what time of day (serious commute traffic around San Jose and San Francisco, and lots of places in between!)

Sorry, I just reread your original post. Thursday late morning probably about 2 hours.

Thanks dmlove.


If we don't stop in Santa Cruz or San Juan Bautista on the way down, do you recommend stopping at either along the way into San Francisco?

Several agencies have places near Fisherman's Wharf which would be more convenient for you to then get to your hotel. I've returned cars there before that I have picked up elsewhere in California and the rate has always been cheaper than returning them to SFO. It is rather expensive, time consuming, and difficult to get from San Jose airport to SF without a car.

Thanks, Patrick. That's what I wanted to know.

Add about 1/2 an hour to that 2 hour estimate, especially if you are leaving from Carmel.

San Juan Bautista and Santa Cruz are good stops. If you've got the whole day, I would definitely stop along the way rather than driving straight through.

There are also some nice beaches north of Santa Cruz and some good little towns. If you like the outdoors, there are some nice state parks with redwood groves and nice hiking in the Santa Cruz mountains. There are also wineries in those mountains if that interests you.