When exactly is San Fran rush hour?
 

My husband and I are staying in SF next week, and will be driving over the GG Bridge during the week, to head up to Muir Woods and then on to the Napa Valley. We are New Yorkers, so we are used to morning rush hour traffic, but when exactly is morning rush hour traffic in SF? I thought it started and ended a little earlier than NY. Does it taper off by 9:00? Also, what is the best route for this trip?

I don't know from your post whether you'll be driving the route on a weekday or a weekend, but I presume its a weekday. In which case, I can't be of help, since I'm from the Midwest...

OTOH: My wife and I were in SF last weekend, and did the drive across the GGB on Saturday at approximately 9am. I have to admit that I was really surprised that traffic on US 101 lasted until at least 10:30 or later!! It was a nice day so perhaps lots of city folks were headed to Napa with us....but it was clearly a "later" rush hour than I had anticipated...

Have Fun!! Napa Valley is a great spot! Best wishes, Dave

Heading to Muir Woods in the morning, you should be going opposite commute. I used to go to school in Marin County and didn't ever have traffic on the way there. Comming home in the afternoon/evening there can be traffic from Marin City to the bridge.

If you are going to Marin in the a.m. on the GGB you will not be in rush hour traffic no matter what time as the commute traffic is coming into to City.

Remember also you will hit commute traffic going North as you leave Muir Woods. If you plan on travelling on 101 North you will begin to hit traffic starting about 3-4 pm in San Rafael and really hitting it as you approach Petaluma and Santa Rosa.