sanfrancisco travel?
we're planning on visiting sanfrancisco on our way to LA and look around for a day. We will be getting a hotel near the I-5 but we haven't decided if we should take our car or just take public transportation. I heard parking fees are really expensive in sanfrancisco. What should I do? Which would be cheaper? and where should I visit other than the golden gate bridge.
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If you getting a hotel near I-5 then you want a car b/c I-5 is nowhere near SF. It's at least 100 miles away in the Central Valley. You can drive to a BART station in the East Bay and take BART into the city to avoid parking. There is a lot of public transit within the city, but the service isn't exactly stellar.
From I-5, you'll have to branch off to I-80 (in Sacramento) or I-580 (in Tracy) to get to San Francisco.
Ideally, it should only take one hour to get into The City. But if you're on the road during the morning or evening commute... don't count on it. If possible, park the car in El Cerrito (I-80) or Pleasanton (I-580) and take the BART subway to the Powell Street Station.
There's a tourist office next to the "Hallidie Plaza" exit. They have a load of information on the sights. They can also help you with transportation and reservations for shows/dinner.
Unfortunately, the cops and transit workers in San Francisco are notoriously rude to tourists. I've had disgruntled guests tell me it's worse than New York City. Although I'm not sure about all that...I'm fairly certain that angering those folks is a really bad idea. If you must ask for help, seniors are probably your best bet.
Something is wrong.... I-5 and San Francisco dont compute... The nearest point from I-5 to San Francisco is Tracey in the San Joaquin Valley---More than an hour drive away. If that is the case you may drive to Pleasanton Bart station leave your car there and take the train to SF. Once in downtown SF use MUNI or taxi. Dont drive into SF if you can avoid it... good luck...
The I-5 doesn't run near San Francisco. The traffic is terrible crossing the bridge,so time your trip so you won't be crossing the bridge during rush hour.
Parking is expensive and hard to find often.
Public transit does exist there, but it takes forever to get where you want to go, and is often crowded and smells bad.
Be prepared for major aggression on the streets and road rage on the freeways.
I live in San Francisco and find that public transportation is the best way to go depending on your destination. If you plan on staying at a hotel, it depends on how much you want to spend. I like the W hotel, Fairmont and the Mark Hopkins. You will pay a bigger price for these but they are worth it. As for visiting, you might like Coit Tower, Lombard Street, Fisherman's Wharf, Alcatraz, The Cliff House (located at Ocean Beach), Palace of Fine Arts, Golden Gate Park (it has a beautiful new museum now), Tommy's Joynt for a meal...a San Francisco landmark. I hope some of this is helpful to you and that you have a great time in this beautiful city of ours....ENJOY!
Trying to do San Fran in a day is like trying to see Paris in a day! And I-5 doesn't come closer to San Fran than Ripon or Stockton, more than an hour away when traffic is light (at least 2 hours at rush times).