Beysus

Hi all, I'm planning my first visit to SF. Husband and I are staying a few nights in San Jose first. I have a few newbie questions.

We fly into SFO. What's the best way to get from SFO to downtown San Jose? (We are not renting a car) Uber? Caltrain? Our flight lands at 10am if that helps.

After a few days in SJ, we're traveling back to SF to stay a few nights there. Again, what transportation do you recommend? Or should we just suck it up and rent a car for the SJ portion, and return it once we get back to SF? I know we won't need a car there, but I'm a bit worried about feeling stranded in San Jose.

Which is the better hotel for SF - Kensington Park or Harbor Court? I'm partial to Kimptons, but the price is right at KP and it seems very nice. Not sure I want to stay in Union Square though. I live in NYC so I would like something 'different'. I feel like if we stay in Union Square, I won't feel like I'm on vacation, if that makes any sense.

Any advice is appreciated!

MDtR-Chicago

San Jose and SF are two different worlds...

There is not a cheap way to get to San Jose that is also fast.

If you take a taxi or Uber, plan for it to be well over $100 and then you still have to get to SF later. You could also take SuperShuttle but you could easily be the last stop on the run.

What are you planning to do in San Jose? You may very well want to have the car anyway and then drop it off in downtown SF later.

If you do decide you want to take public transit, if you're arriving at 10am on a weekday, it's convoluted. You'll take Bart to San Bruno, then switch trains (same platform) to a Millbrae train. At Millbrae switch to Caltrain. If your timing is good, figure it's just under 2 hours to make that happen.

From San Jose to SF, the Caltrain stops farther south in the city than downtown. You'll take Caltrain to the end (4th and King) then switch to either N or T Muni streetcar. Alternately, you can leave Caltrain early at Millbrae and take Bart into the city from there. Either way, it's going to be close to 2 hours.

If you have a rental, most of the major agencies have strategically placed locations around the city. Usually there is no one-way fee from the airport to the city.

Union Square feels as close to Times Square as anything in SF. But Harbor Court is in the Financial District and there isn't much nearby, especially at night.

If you're really looking for something different, have you considered an Airbnb or VRBO in one of the nicer residential areas within the city? Depending on what you actually want to do while you are here, you can be strategic about the streetcar lines for transit.

Beysus

Thanks so much for the info. We are in San Jose for an event at Levi's Stadium. Now I'm leaning towards renting a car for the first leg of our trip and just dropping it off in downtown SF once we start our stay there. Seems it would save a ton of time and hassle.

Is the area around Union Square really as bad as people make it out to be? I feel people tend to slightly overexaggerate when it comes to that sort of thing. I feel as long as you are aware of your surroundings and use common sense, then it's fine. Plus, I'm a born and raised NYer - I'm pretty sure I have street smarts.

mikew99

With respect to getting from SFO to SJ, it would help to define what you mean by "best": Cheapest? Fastest? Easiest?

Cheapest would be to take the bus, but it would be horrendously slow. Fastest would be a taxi, but it would be very expensive. Renting a car might be a good option, but rental surcharges and downtown SJ parking fees can add up over a few days. I usually take BART and Caltrain, which is needlessly complicated but a good compromise for my purposes.

Also, what else do you plan to do in SJ? A car isn't necessary to get to Levi Stadium, but I'd recommend one for doing anything else outside of downtown SJ. You can save money (but not time) by renting a car in downtown SJ to avoid airport fees and surcharges, and you will need to pay only for the day(s) that you need the car.

The Union Square area of SF reminds me a lot of Manhattan -- perhaps that's why I like it so much. It isn't a "bad" area at all, but if you want something different from NYC, Union Square isn't it.

I tend to associate Times Square with Fisherman's Wharf, because both of these areas are overrun with tourists and shunned by locals. I'd never want to stay in Fisherman's Wharf, but if you want a uniquely non-NYC experience, you can give it some consideration.

MDtR-Chicago

I find this map to be shockingly accurate: http://www.yelp.com/wordmap/sf/sketchy

It's less a concern about violence and more aggressive panhandling, relatively inconspicuous drug dealing, and overall filth.

There is also an Avis/Budget location in the parking lot of the mall right next to the San Bruno Bart station. That's also an option - pay the exorbitant Bart fare for that one stop and rent from there. (Not sure if they block people who are traveling in, tho.)

squeakr

Re hotels: The Kensington Park is very nice and Union Square itself is not a problem. HOWEVER Sf is very tolerant of panhandlers and street people who are not dangerous but annoying. I've traveled in many first world cities and SF has to rank among the worst for street people. Not dangerous, just annoying. Keep that in mind and you'll be fine.

Beysus

Good to know. I can deal with filth and panhandling, no problem. I'm also now looking at Hotel Del Sol in the Marina district. I made a free-cancellation booking there if nothing good else pops up.

Re: transportation, by 'best' I mean a combo of what's most cost efficient but also time efficient. I think we're going to go with renting a car for the SJ portion.

Thanks very much for the info, folks! Looking forward to visiting your beautiful city.

squeakr

Not my favorite. Noisy, a remodeled motel on a main street. Near GG Bridge if that's what you want to be near. I don't love Union Sq but I much prefer your choices there to Hotel Del Sol.
Unless you like revamped old motels.

darthbimmer

That's what I would do. Public transit is cheaper but painfully slow. A one-way rental is probably not going to be terribly expensive. If it's coming in at, say, $80+/day then it's worth considering other options.

Union Square is actually one of the less dodgy parts of SF. That said, nearly all of SF fits under the rule, "As long as you are aware of your surroundings and use common sense, then it's fine."

Beysus

Darn. Cleanliness and location are mostly my priorities when it comes to a hotel. What about Hotel Tomo? Looks like it recently became a Kimpton but I'm not sure about that location. The price is decent though. Is Japantown much removed from the action? This is our first time in SF so we sort of do want to do the touristy things.

MDtR-Chicago

Japantown is a nicer part of town but it is definitely removed from the action, and your only public transit option is bus.

If you're only going to be in town for a few days, it probably makes sense to stay in either Union Square or Fishermans Wharf, depending on what tourist attractions you plan to visit.

You could also look at a property like the Hyatt at the Embarcadero. It's right at the end of Market Street, so you're close to both of the major tourist areas without actually being within them. (Harbor Court is close-ish to that intersection, as well.)

HSaxa

As someone who has lived in both NYC and SF, I'd be surprised if anything in SF shocks a New Yorker. Unless you are someone who never steps outside of the UWS or UES, there is very little in the areas you are considering that will shock you. I suggest staying out of the area west of union square but otherwise you'll be fine. For a first timer, anything between union square and the embarcadero should work. the beauty of SF, as with NYC is the variety of neighborhoods and the views. Union sq offers plenty of hotels and a central location to go visit things outside of union sq (think a nicer midtown).

JerryFF

One side note - Levi Stadium is actually in Santa Clara and you might be tempted, or someone suggest, eating at a restaurant called Parcel 104 in the Marriott Santa Clara. The restaurant is owned by celebrity chef Bradley Ogden. My personal recommendation is don't do it. More people have gone there (including myself) because of the chef's reputation and been disappointed than other any in the area. There are many much better restaurants to choose from, if you are interested in foodie-type places.

squeakr

But Hotel Tomo has NOT been renovated since being acquired and it's a bit dated. Friends stayed there recently and were very disappointed.

lhrsfo

Agree that Hotel del Sol is merely a nicely remodelled motel (and over-priced) but it's not on a main street (Greenwich & Webster) and it benefits from being in a much more fun area, one where locals live rather than tourists. I'd stay in the Marina or Cow Hollow (where the del Sol is) over Union Square any day.

The Tomo is in Japantown which is also a fun area but different character again.