Location Transport

My g/friend and i are flying into San Francisco on the 28th of Sept?

We are looking for a nice hotel to stay in thats not to far from the airport, also we want to visit Alcatraz and the golden gate bridge. Can you recommend anywhere to stay, we are only there for 3days and would you recommend anything else to do, any idea what the weather is like around that time. Can you get public transport to these places or would i be better renting a car

Public Comments

1. Well the airport is about 45 min. away from SF, so it would be best if you rented a car, because south SF is far away from a lot of the tourist things. I can't really help with the hotels.
2. Many of the chains have hotels quite near the airport (Marriott, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, etc.), with shuttles back and forth. However, for a quick visit to the city, I also would recommend renting a car. Public transportation is available, but would be quite time-consuming (and somewhat confusing), especially to get to the bridge. Be aware that parking is a challenge, so check out garages/lots near the areas you want to visit. There are several along the Embarcadero for your Alcatraz visit. The end of the September is (ssh!) some of the nicest weather all year in SF.
3. The San Francisco airport is some ways out of town. To really experience SF, you want to stay in the city. Lucky for you, the Bart (Bay Area Rapid Transit) train runs from the airport to the city. Just check out their website for times and connections. If you are interested in the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. YOu might want to stay in the northern region of the city. Also, the area near Union Square has a wealth of hotels to choose from in any price range. Getting back to the airport by Bart will not be difficult and you will be glad that you stayed in the city and had the "true SF experience". As for things to do, I think that viewing the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz are very great ideas. The DeYoung museum/Exploratorium/and SF MOMA are all museums worth checking out. Definitely spend an afternoon in the gigantic and beautiful Golden Gate Park...it has grassy fields/water/museums/botanical garden. On the western edge of the city you have some beautiful beaches with views of the Pacific Ocean. Another MUST in SF is the food. There are a lot of great restuaraunts....walk through bustling colorful ChinaTown and get some Chinese food. Some great restaurants to try are Burma Superstar and The Slanted Door (for more upscale). There is so much to do in SF and it has a lot of great public transportation...you don't need a car. Just spend your days exploring the beautiful neighborhoods on foot. The weather in September will be around 60's-70's during the day and 50's at night. It is less foggy in fall, so you are going at a great time. Check out this website for great tips on things to do and hotels to stay in. The results are based on traveler reviews. http://www.kango.com/best/san_francisco_ca_hotels_29.html http://www.kango.com/best/san_francisco_ca_vacations_things_to_do_123.html Hope this helps. Have a great trip! -Kango Traveler
4. Walk over the golden gate. Visit the headlands on the other side. Check out the houses and buildings. Stintson beach and watch the tide. At its worst it will be cool and rain. If you get a mile or two away from the water it will be warm.
5. The San Francisco airport is actually about 20-25 minutes outside of downtown San Francisco. You don't really want to stay in a hotel near the airport b/c you'll be staying in either Millbrae or San Bruno. While they are fine towns, they are really just the suburbs and you will just have to drive into the city anyway to see the sights. One of the nicest hotels in the city is the Sir Francis Drake and it is in the heart of downtown (and in a pretty safe part of town). Alcatraz and Golden Gate Bridge are both must see tourist attractions, though if you had to pick one go to the Golden Gate Bridge. You might also want to try riding a cable car. Other things to do include going to a Giants game. They play in a great stadium and are home the weekend you are going (though they are playing the rival Dodgers which may make it harder to get a ticket). You could also go a bit north of the city to Napa and go wine tasting. Or you could go to Muir Woods and walk among the Redwoods. (There is actually a lot of other things you could do, but with 3 days I only listed my favorites) The weather at the end of September is usually the best of the year (though to be safe bring a jacket b/c the fog could roll in at anytime). You can take public transportation from the airport into the city (it's called BART), but once you are in the city the best way to get around is by taxi. I would recommend renting a car only if you want to do things outside of San Francisco during your stay, otherwise you can probably get by without it. Hope you have a great trip.