Rental car issue in San Francisco
 

We are flying into SFO June 8 - planning to visit Chinatown - fisherman's wharf before driving across Golden Gate Bridge - up coast on Hwy One.

It has been suggested that we use the BART to get to Chinatown and rent a car there.

We are wondering about renting the car but leaving it at the rental place or where to park while we sightsee. We do not want to pack luggage around. We had first considered renting car at SFO and parking at Union Square to take cable car to Chinatown etc. But parking charges and back tracking back to Union Square didnt seem to make sense.

seriously your plans (as from your other posts) are so wackadoodle I don;t feel like i can give you any advice here.I don't understand why you wouldn't spend the night in SF to do the sightseeing you want to do , above, and rent a car the next morning.

Ditto mztery.

I think you have some serious itinerary problems to solve before you start worrying about the best way to get into the City & what to do with your bags.

Stu Dudley

Not the least of which is that Chinatown is about a 5 minute WALK from Union Square. And if you want to rent the car first, leave your luggage in it, and then visit Chinatown, etc., there are plenty (and I mean plenty) of places you can park near Chinatown, near Fisherman's Wharf, etc. Sorry, we're just confused.

The reason to rent a car in town is to save on airport fees. In SF parking is expensive and it doesn't make sense to have a car for the days you don't need it.

BUT you aren't staying in town and you need to get into SF before continuing on (out of town) during the same day. In that case, just rent the car at the airport.

If your plans change for an overnight in SF, then rent the car on Day 2 in town. IMO you'll need/want more than part of one day in SF.

One poster planted the idea to take BART into the city and you are running w/ it. Totally ignoring every other person who has taken the time to try to help you w/ this hot mess of a plan.

Taking BART into town, walking quite some distance w/ your luggage to a rental car place (or taking a taxi) will take more time than the original plan.

Do you think we are all lying to you? You simply do not have time to collect a rental car (either at SFO or in the center of the city) after 11AM, visit Chinatown, Fisherman's wharf, the cable car museum, ride a cable car, get back to the car, drive across the golden Gate, stop in Marshall, Tomales Bay, a light house and up hwy 1 to Fort Bragg in one day.

Assuming you can get out of SF by 3PM you could get to Ft Bragg by 8 PM, but only IF you don't stop <u>anywhere</u> -- no food, no lighthouse, no potty break for you daughter-nothing.

Detour to one light house, have a brief meal, need a rest stop, anything - and you are talking 10 PM or later.

I see this is a follow-up thread - LOL!

I still have a lot of catching up to do with this OP's posts, but that trip plan leaves me breathless!

not running with the BART idea - I said it was suggested!!! WOW.

Janisj - we are not planning to stop at cable car museum or tomales bay - the reason I ASKED about the rental car is because I DON'T know and wanted ADVICE!!!

didnt realize Chinatown was so close to Union Square - had thought it might be fun to take cable car from Union Square to Chinatown....

we have no problem getting to Fort bragg by even 10 pm. I remember you telling me the same thing when I planned a trip to London two years ago - "it can't be done" - not only did I see the stuff on my list had some extra stuff -

@easytraveler - stay tuned - could get exciting.

We know it will be hectic - we know it will be a long day but we dont plan to linger at any of the stops - Fisherman Wharf and Chinatown - grab tshirts etc - get some pics - MOVE on - after Marshall its on to Fort Bragg - getting in late is FINE - we can sleep in day two and take all the time we need to make it to weaverville -

we dont want to spend night in SF - then drive to weaverville - we will be getting in at 10 am - I KNOW there is so much to see that we could spend a lot of time BUT not the plan.

we will rent car at airport - park close to chinatown - hit what we can and get out of town and on our way.....

<i>"getting in late is FINE - we can sleep in day two and take all the time we need to make it to weaverville -"</i>

If you have so much time on Day 2, why not spend the night south of Fort Bragg? or do you have a special reason to want to be in Fort Bragg that night?

You don't have to spend the night in San Francisco, but you could spend it anywhere north of SF.

In other words, if you could break your trip up into a more manageable segment for Day 1, you will allow yourself time to enjoy San Francisco more.

>>didnt realize Chinatown was so close to Union Square - had thought it might be fun to take cable car from Union Square to Chinatown....<<

You obviously don't know a whole lot about San Francisco. If you park the car at Union Square and then visit Chinatown - how are you going to get to Fisherman's Wharf from Chinatown??? You could hop on the cable car to get there, but do you know where to pick up the cable car??? And what if it is full & they won't allow 3 people to get on??? Are you going to wait till the next car arrives?? If 3-4 in a row are full - you'll loose 45 mins of time you don't have. Then what??? Walk back to Union Square, pick up the car, and leave town?? Worse yet - what if the 3rd car allows you to get on, and takes you to the Taylor St Cable car stop - or you walk from Chinatown to FW (30-40 min walk). After visiting FW, how will you get back to Union Square??? What if there is a 1 1/2 hr line at the cable car boarding spot - what will you do then.??? You can't really walk, because there are monstrous up-hills between the Hyde St Cable car turnaround & Union Square. Do you know the "flat" route back to Union Square??? It would be a 1 hr to 1 1/4 hr walk back - perhaps after you have already been walking 1 hr. I think you are toting an 8 Year Old. Will he/she be OK??

>>we have no problem getting to Fort bragg by even 10 pm<<

Have you received confirmation from where you are staying in Ft Bragg that it is OK to arrive at 10??? What if you arrive at midnight??? Ft Bragg is a sleepy little town.

If you arrive at SFO, this is what I would "budget" - time wise:

- Arrive at 10:30 & pick up the car & get on 101 around 11:30. If you have check-in bgs - add 1/2 hr.

- arrive at Union Sq at 12:00 to 12:30 & park the car.

- get to Chinatown at 12:15 to 12:45

- expore Chinatown till 1:00 to 1:30.

- walk up (I really mean "up" as in up-hill - but it is a short up-hill) to Powell St to pick up the Cable car. Wait 15 to 45 mins to catch the car. It is now 1:15 to 2:15.

- take the cable car to the Hyde or Taylor end. It is now 1:30 to 2:30.

- Explore Fisherman's Wharf for 45 mins. It is now 2:15 to 3:15

- Wait in line (there WILL be a line at the Hyde St turnaround) for 45 mins to 1 1/2 hrs. Get on the car at 3:00 to 4:45.

- Ride back to Union Square - arriving at 3:45 to 5:15.

- bail out the car & leave the garage - 4:00 to 5:30

- Drive west on Geary to Franklin, tour rignt on Franklin, turn left on Lombard, and follow the flow of traffid over the Golden Gate Bridge. Get to the Bridge about 4:15 to 5:45.

- Drive to Stinson Beach - arriving at 5:00 to 6:15

- Using Mapquest, it is a 5 hr drive along the coast to Ft Bragg - with 0 stops - arriving at 10PM at the earliest and 11:15 at the latest.

- you'll need lunch & dinner somewhere - perhaps stop at a burger place for each meal. Also, if you want to stop at any places - allow 30 to 60 mins for that. So meal time & stops add another 45 mins to 1 1/2 hrs - getting to Ft Bragg at 10:40pm to 12:15 am.

oh2doula - listen to the advise from people who collectively have around 100-125 years of living & driving in this region (I have 36, sf7307 has 37, and easy & janis at least 50 between them) - and remove about 3/4 of your plans.

Stu Dudley

easytraveler - no we dont have to stay at fort bragg - this is the stuff I need - we just wanted to get into SFO - see what we can and head out to break up the drive to weaverville -

suggestions for where to stay north of San fran???

Stu Dudley - no I dont know Sf - thats why I am on this forum. and I honestly appreciate advice!!

One major change I think is get rental car (as first thought) at airport - go straight to Fisherman Wharf - and head out of town... I will read post again and make further adjustments!!

again thanks

Seriously. Spend the 1st night in SF. Seriously. You will be SO glad that you did!

OK. I am late to this party because I was at another one.
:S-
Why are you driving to Weaverville via Marshall and Ft. Bragg ?
BTW, I live north of SF, about 20 mins. inland from Marshall.

R5

<<<sf7307 has 37>>>

Actually, since you're keeping track, I just passed 38 :-)

<I>"Actually, since you're keeping track, I just passed 38</I>

I've only got 23-I am such a newbie :)

R5

razzledazzle: Marshall and the coast/Fort Bragg are because the OP wants to see Marshall (they are from Marshall Missouri) and lighthouses.

Oh, now I see. More posts. Well. OK, just realize you will have expensive SF parking fees. Plan to get out of the city before 2:30 (to avoid commuter traffic). And check googlemaps for drive times between all these places. Hwy 1 is a very slow, windy driving route, so look for some escape plans (roads heading back to 101) so you can change your plans when you realize it is a bit much. Good luck. I hope you can see and do all you have in mind.

oh2doula: if you take Highway 101 from SF to Weaverville, there are all kinds of places to stay along the way, especially closer to San Francisco. It all depends on your budget. Or, if you have ever used Priceline, you can get a really good hotel for about $60-$75 plus taxes and fees. I'd suggest looking into Santa Rosa where there some good hotels.

If you don't want to bid on Priceline, then razzledazzle is our resident resource for anything immediately north of San Francisco. I'm certain if you give us a price range and a preferred location for your stop, razzledazzle can come up with some hotel names for you.

You haven't said anything about your return trip. Are you planning on driving straight through on Interstate 5 back down to the Bay Area on your final day in California? Or will you have more time to drive leisurely along the coast?

It's a short trip and this is a big state. We'd all like to help you maximize your time here.

janisj-thanks very much for filling in the gaps! but I have to say-truly ? the OP has a hellava day planned-
(but I once flew from SFO to HNL via PHX and it was really FUN-really-did I mention FF travel?) Anywho...
perhaps I ought to have Mr R5 respond
about <I>our</I> Marshall as he is from St. Louis...
:S-
elnap & easyt- you two were so kind tonight-didn't read much before your posts-my hat is off to you-
Such decorum when it's so easy to be mean.

And thank you, easyt for your confidence in my North Bay/Coast advice-I do so love this area !

So, dear oh2doula,
I am a lighthouse lover, and of the four between
SF & Ft. Bragg-Pt. Bonita, Pt. Reyes, Pt. Arena & Pt. Cabrillo-
only Pt. Arena & Pt Cabrillo are open daily and then only until 4 PM.
June 8 you say ?
Has no one has mentioned the FOG to you ?
We do not have your "typical" summer weather around here.
The pea soup of fogs can hang around
until 10-11 AM that time of year (and I am talking about
the inland low lying valleys such as the Petaluma Gap
and Two Rock/Valley Ford areas-not to mention the coast)
and it will return around 4 PM the same day.

We are often outfitted with sweatshirts and blankets
to the 4th of July fireworks...

And, oh my, as much as I LOVE Hwy 1 from Mill Valley to
Mendocino I would be certifiable if I drove it all
on the same day, and seriously, it would be dangerous
if socked in with fog. I have driven Hwy 1 up here
along the coast with fog so intense, you are creeping along
to the next curve, the headlights on low beam (because all you will get is bounce back reflection on high..)
hugging the wheel and my breath until I reach a road
that will take me inland-I would never do it by choice.

Any way you could consider moving yoour SF stops to the
outbound part of your trip ?

Deep breath, all.

R5

Just to help those trying to fix this -- They aren't returning to the Bay area -- they are flying out of SMF after some time in Weaverville.