SusieR

Hello again

Thanks for earlier helpful responses. I now have a question on driving routes / times and would be very grateful for some help !

On Wednesday 11 October, we will drive from a B&B near Oakhurst (which is approx 15 miles south of Yosemite) to San Francisco airport.

We want to arrive at the airport at c 4pm to return our hire car before checking in for our 6.30pm flight. If we leave Oakhurst at 10 am and stop an hour for lunch along the way, will we get there in time ?

Also, I've looked at a map but am not sure what the quickest route, particularly given that the 140 is closed - would Raymond, Merced, Modesto, Manteca, Hayward, San Mateo work ? Or is there a better route with faster roads / less traffic ?

Thanks in advance !

Susie

Suzie

From Oakhurst, take 49 to 140 which takes you to Mariposa ( the rock slide is quite a bit east of this). 140 comes out at 99. Go north on 99 to 120. Take 120 to 5 which you will be on just a short time until you switch to 205. 205 merges with 580 which is still heading west. When 580 separates and heads north you need to be on 238 which would still be going west. Look for signs that will take you to 880 south so you can go over the San Mateo Bridge 92. After you cross the bay on 92, you need to go north on 101 to the airport.

Suzie

140 is now open for alternating intervals during daylight hours.

Here's the message on the Yosmeite National Park's home page "Highway 140 10 miles west of El Portal is open from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. with 10 minute intervals between green lights. Vehicles under 28 feet, bicycles, and pedestrians will be allowed. Highway 140 is always open from Yosemite National Park to El Portal."

SusieR

Thanks, Suzie. Hmm, we're actually really not sure if it's worth going to Yosemite for just one day (with a 4 - 5 hour drive the day before and day after). If we don't, we'll spend more time on the coast - Big Sur area.

Any thoughts ? Maybe I should post this as a new thread too !

Thanks again for your brilliant advice.

Susie

Barbara

SusieR, if I recall correctly, you'll be flying back to the UK? I'm not sure that getting to the airport in SF at 4pm and having to return your rental car will get you there in time. Have you checked the check-in time for your airline? I used to think two hours would be fine, but my mother recently returned to Britain on British Air from LAX (before the latest terrorist scare)and check in began four hours before take-off and closed two hours before. I wouldn't want you to get caught short!

janisj

I agree w/ Barbara; 4:00 to the rental car depot is not early enough for a 6:30 UK flight.

The car center is right at the airport -- but you need to take the AirTrain to international departures. And then wait in what will usually be a very long check-in line and sometimes long security queue.

And this is w/o even taking the new security procedures into account. Before now I would have been happy being IN the check in queue a 4:00 (so dropping the car around 3:30 or a bit before).

But now it is anyone's guess - things might change a lot between now an Oct. But I'd plan on being in line by 3:00/dropping the car around 2:30.

SusieR

Hi Barbara and Janis

Thanks for your concerns ! In fact, we will be flying to from San Francisco to Honolulu with Delta Airlines on 11th October (then HNL to SFO on 16th and SFO to London on 20th).

I've just had a quick look at the Delta Airlines website and it seems to say that we can check-in online but I suppose this may well change between now and when we travel.

So I'll bear in mind the need to arrive earlier at the airport and will continue to think about whether or not we want to do the long drive to / from Yosemite...!

Thanks again.

Susie

Barbara

SuzieR, I don't think it's such a big deal for Honolulu. You're probably OK for that, but you just never know these days how long the security line will be.