San Francisco Transportation Tips by Pounder73

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Other
Getting TO/AROUND: Cars are just a pain in the arse to have in San Francisco. (read: no parking, cars get broken into often and the parking tickets, about $50.00 now, are written freely) While staying in the city, the public transportation and cabs is the much preferred method of transportation.

Cabs rides seem to generally be in the $7 to $12 dollar range wherever we go. We only use them late night, going to and from bars and clubs.

Busses and other public transportation cost $1 for about 90 minutes worth of usage – basically a one-way ride. Plus you get to see the characters of the city this way.

Leave a Comment

'Mode': TO
Category: Subway/Metro
Getting TO/AROUND: WOOO-WHOOO for you.

JUNE 22 ’03 is when BART finally has service to SFO (the grey portion). BART is sort of the Bay Area’s Subway system, although much of it is above ground. This will probably be the most efficient way for travelers to get into SF from the airport.

Check out the website and map for more details.

Leave a Comment

Website: www.bart.gov/

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Car/Motor Home
Getting TO/AROUND: The rest of the Transportation Section will be used to give you some ideas on where to go from SF and how long it will take – whether it could be a day trip or someplace else to stay for a couple of days.

*all these destination are by car, unless otherwise noted.
*times may very greatly, depending on time of day, route taken, holiday weekend or not, weather etc… for example, I have made it from Reno NV to the (south) Bay Area in under 3 hours one time. (Leaving Reno at 5am Sunday morning and traveling about 100 to 110 mph (about 170 k/mh) most of the way with 2 stops included) and another time it took the better part of 12 hours to get home from Lake Tahoe after New Years during some VERY bad weather.
*rule of thumb – don’t try to get in or out of the city during “rush hours” 6am – 9:30am and 3:30pm to 7pm – Friday afternoons even worse.

Leave a Comment

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Subway/Metro
Getting TO/AROUND: Use BART from SF (Orange or Yellow lines) – don’t drive -

Day trip

Get off at Berkeley Station and walk up hill. You will eventually either run into the University or Telegraph Ave.

Leave a Comment

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Car/Motor Home
Getting TO/AROUND: Sausalito / Tiburon

Day Trip

*by car, drive over the golden gate.
Sausalito – take ALEXANDER exit – head towards Bay and North.
Tiburon – take the 131/ Tiburon Exit and follow around the Bay
*There are the Blue & Gold Ferry’s (www.blueandgoldfleet.com) that dock at Pier 41 as an alternative method to get to these places for about $6.00 each way.

Both are small wealthy communities that reside on the Bay across from SF; small stores and restaurants – good for an afternoon lunch. Sausalito more artsy-fartsy touristy & Tiburon more quietly rich. Great views of the City from over here.

Leave a Comment

'Mode': TO
Category: Car/Motor Home
Getting TO/AROUND: 5 hours

Take the 80 to 580 East (near Oakland) work your way on the 5, then the 205 and finally Hwy 120 which runs through the National Park. Incredible landscape, camping hiking

Leave a Comment

'Mode': TO
Category: Car/Motor Home
Getting TO/AROUND: All coastal cities south of SF (listed in Order from North to South).

It can be done in a day by car. However, this is not something I would recommend. SF to Monterey, inland route takes about 2 hours, coastal route, a 3-hour drive.

Quick synopsis: you will have to do the coastal drive at least one of the ways. Cool drive from SF to Santa Cruz – awesome drive from Monterey to Big Sur on down south.
In-between SC and Monterey - so so…

Skip Santa Cruz – unless you have an infatuation with the movie “The Lost Boys”

Monterey – go to the Monterey Bay Aquarium – better food and shops outside of Canary Row and the Warf. Just south of there is Pacific Grove, 17Mile Drive & Pebble Beach – all picturesque.

Carmel is Nice! Cool art, good food in a pleasant town – as in the words of Ferris Bueller, “it is so choice” Lots of Art gallery from glass to painting to photography to import stores. Then once you’ve had your walk around, lunch and coffee, walk down the hill till you hit the ocean.

Big Sur – 26miles south of Carmel, it is the California Coast you’ve seen in books.

Leave a Comment

'Mode': TO
Category: Car/Motor Home
Getting TO/AROUND: 4 ½ hours – take Hwy 80 east. At Sacramento, you have to pick North Lake, stay on the 80, or South Lake Tahoe, and take Hwy 50.

Beautiful Sierra Mountains and water with renowned skiing, mountain biking, hiking, fishing and gambling.

Leave a Comment

'Mode': TO
Category: Car/Motor Home
Getting TO/AROUND: If you can, I would suggest staying up in St Helena Calistoga area over Napa. Napa itself is kinda ghetto. Napa Valley is where you want to be – not that town of.

With only about 1 ½ hours away from SF, you CAN do it in a day, but do you really WANT to? Especially after visiting one of the world’s premier wine making areas? I think not. There are several roads to get there.

I do not EVER condone drinking and driving – but keep in mind that it is tolerated or excepted a little bit more here than in any other part of the state. So be careful and watch for the other guy on the road!

Leave a Comment