SF: please help
 

Hi,
We are planning a trip in SF in the last week of December. Our flight reaches SDO at 11PM . I was wondering if I should book a hotel near the airport for that night..or take some public transport to union square(thats where I am planning to stay for next 3-4 days)
Is there any public transportation from airport to Union square area?

I would take a shuttle as opposed to public transportation (usually runs about $15 per person plus tip). Or, it may be more economical to take a cab (about $35), depending on how many people you are travelling with. BART stops running around midnight and that is the public transporation option. You don't need to reserve the shuttle in advance, just follow the arrows to the pick-up spot for "door to door shuttles". Plus, at that time you probably won't have to share the van with too many other passengers...last time I took a shuttle later at night we went right to my house.

Don't get an airport hotel. The trip to Union Square isn't that long, can be cheap (on BART) and if you stay near SFO you'll just waste a significant part of the next day moving since most hotels won't let you check in before 1 PM.

Does the hotel at Union Square offer an airport shuttle service? Some will actually pick you up at the airport. Definitely don't want a hotel near the airport, nor in San Bruno...

I did BART to the airport from Montgomery Station (one station after Powell which is the station you'd use for Union Square) and I was quite impressed and happy with the experience. Very easy to hop on and off right after the north terminal (United).

It's a 30 minute or less cab ride into SF at that time of night.

Hi All,
Thanks a lot for your reply!

If you like the Union Square area, I can recommend The Hotel Rex. It's a boutique type hotel owned by Joie de Vivre group-- small and charming, wine receptions, coffee in the lobby, friendly staff, well-sized rooms and baths, good value. Its location is great for walking or catching public transit. And there's public indoor parking within a block.

Jbush, I believe you misspelled the airport and arriving at SFO, right?

No need for an airport hotel, just make sure the SF hotel will hold your room for "late arrival".

Even staying in the Union Square area (some of it is safe, some is not, depends on the hotel) I wouldn't take BART arriving that late. Take a shuttle, as ALG said around $14-15 per person depends on the shuttle company. They'll take you to the door of your hotel.

Just walk out of the airport building and get into the first available shuttle, that simple.

If there are several people with you a taxi may be more economical.

Last BART out of SFO is at 11:51. If you decide to go that way, it's really a quick walk to the Intl. Terminal cab pick-up.

Hello Friends,
Thanks for your suggestions! Looking at your helpful suggestions, I am tempted to ask for more guidance on overall vacation:

Me and my wife (both late mid-20s) will be spending time in California from 24th December to 3rd Jan. As I said before, we will be arriving SFO on 24th at 11PM and will depart back on 3rd Jan at 6AM.

So we really have 25th to 2nd- overall 9 days. This is our first trip to california...We are planning to visit SanFransisco, LA definitely..We are interested in: drive from SF to LA (one way), red woods, Yosemite and Disneyland. I know all of this is not possible in 9 days. So I would appreaciate if you can suggest some iteneries.
thanks a lot -JB

I second the idea that you shouldn't stay near the SFO airport-- it's not that far to Union Square-- and who wants to pack and unpack unnecessarily?? Ask your hotel for transport suggestions.
And search this forum for the destinations you are interested in. You'll find lots of good info. about travel routes, times, places to go and stay.
What are your priorities and preferences for your 9 days' stay? How much driving do you want to do? How often can you stand to change hotels? Because Yosemite is gorgeous, so is Tahoe, the Muir Woods, Big Sur, Napa, ... so much beauty is driveable from SF.
I think you might want to consider limiting yourself to northern Cal. this visit, and southern Cal the next time. Or do S.F., Yosemite, and LA. But then you skip a lot of the surrounding beauty of both areas.
Too many places, too little time-- always the lament of the traveler!

Yosemite is already having heavy snows.

Jbush - check out the Hotel Triton in San Francisco. Not too pricey, near Union Square, and it's all fun and hip and whatnot. That's where we usually stay when we visit the City.
Yosemite is awesome - my favorite place on the planet....but....at that time of year it'll likely be a bitch to get in and out of. Add to that the fact that Yosemite is almost directly east of San Francisco, and it makes it a pretty tough itinerary if you're planning to end up in L.A.
Better would be to drive down Highway One through Carmel, Big Sur, Cambria, then to Los Angeles. Highway One at that time of year might be tough if a big storm came through that day, but if that happens you could always take a more inland route down the 101.
If you do a search here on Fodor's using my screen name you'll find a post I made with some tips on this route. Believe me, you'll have a very good California experience with this drive...and you'll see Coast Redwoods through the whole Big Sur portion of the drive.
Stay at Deetjen's in Big Sur....