txflyer77

Yeah, that's what I was wondering about. What's a reasonable amount of time to allow myself to get from Pescadero back to SFO via Hwy 1 up through Pacifica?

squeakr

It kind of depends on the day of the week. Weekend or weekday. Weekends are likely to be busier if it's a nice day, less busy if it's been cloudy.

I say it's hard to predict because we just went down to half Moon Bay this past Saturday. It was a gorgeous day and we assumed we'd hit traffic as we left rather late – we left San Francisco around noon time. However there was no traffic either way and even coming back around 7 PM, when the beaches we're starting to thin out was not a problem.

That may have been just an odd day or there's a window where there's less traffic. I would certainly leave a couple of hours and as I am very paranoid about driving times more like three.

txflyer77

Yeah, the fact that I'd be stuck with only one route back to SFO has me a bit worried compared with going into the city.

txflyer77

Update: went with my plan, worked out great.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/29090297-post7.html

JDiver

The new SFO outdoor observation deck “is located at the far end of the G side (United/Star Alliance) of the airport's international terminal. It will be open daily from 7:00 am until 11:30 pm “as of Wednesday, 6 Feb 2019. “Only passengers using Terminal 3 (United) and the International G-side will have access to it...The 2,997 square foot, roofless deck, offers expansive 180+ degree views of the ramp and runways on the north side of the airport and beyond.” Link to full article and slideshow from sfgate.

SFO allows passengers ticketed for same day departure to access other terminals than their departure terminal, so I’m not sure other outbound passengers will be restricted from access. Let’s hope someone can update the sfgate information soon.

Added to Wikipost.

QTFLYER

Hi,

Im arriving into SFO on NZ at around 11am on a week day. I have 6 hours until I depart on VS to LHR. These are on separate tickets. I have no checked bags apart from a roll on.

I am looking for ideas on how to kill 6 hours. Anything considered, stay in airport, head to town for lunch? Anywhere close by to the airport I should look at? Is there anywhere to leave my carry on bag? City tour from airport?

Thanks in advance

dhuey

Hi there, QTFLYER. We have a sticky thread here on this very subject. Keep in mind that you might have a long wait at immigration, so it might be that you have closer to 5 hours, once you've crossed the border.

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

Hi all

I have a stopover in San Francisco in March next year and I will take the time to go visit a family friend. Arrive 6pm, international. Family friend is in the Mission District. Could get a taxi, but I see I can also take the BART to the station at 16th Street. How easy is it to get a taxi from there? Or is it not the sort of place with lots of taxis you can get one pretty easily? It's about 2/3rds of a mile from the Bart station to their place. It will only be a short visit, I need to be back out at SFO that night for my hotel and an early departure at 6am. Taxi and ride share are the obvious options but are quite expensive - around $60 each way. Makes for an expensive couple hours in the city!

squeakr

It's a super busy intersection with lots going on. You might be able to flag a taxi but you could definitely get an Uber or Lyft from there. There's a lot of restaurants nearby so maybe your friend would like to meet you for dinner somewhere?

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

Thanks!

MDtR-Chicago

I would also agree with the concept of taking BART to that station and then Uber/Lyft (not taxi), with a number of caveats:

• The area right around that station has always been a favorite spot for unsavory characters to loiter and has only gotten worse during the pandemic. I would not be comfortable carrying any luggage, especially at night.
• The BART system runs very few trains on weekend evenings, especially Sunday nights. You may be looking at 20+ minute waits in either direction on Sundays, and right now the entire system closes at 9pm on Sundays, so check schedules carefully depending on day of week
• Might be a good compromise to take BART to 16th (or 24th), meet your friend somewhere nearby for dinner, then take an Uber/Lyft directly back to the airport at the end

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

Thanks!

It's a weeknight - so that's ok. Unfortunately it seems the family friend is now housebound due to mobility issues, so I will need to go see them. I will have luggage so might just have to bite the bullet and pay the $$.

There's also been a suggestion in one of the SF tripadvisor forums to get the BART to Embarcadero and then a taxi from there to the mission district?

dlaue

Head for the nearest large hotel when you arrive in the city. The valet staff there will help get you a cab (for a tip, of course).

BTW, my wife and I walked with luggage from the Salesforce building in the Mission district to Chinatown at midnight. We never felt unsafe and the streets are well lit at night in SF.

MDtR-Chicago

This is actually not a terrible idea. The farthest forward exit of the BART station at Embarcadero, on the left side, is directly below the Hyatt Regency at the Embarcadero. You'd walk out of the station half a block to the lobby and there are always taxis waiting at that hotel, in my experience. It has an on-street taxi waiting area that holds roughly 5 taxis.

But I would make sure you map out how much time this will take because there would be a significant amount of backtracking depending on exactly where you are going... you're adding about 10 minutes to the train trip then 10-20 minutes to the taxi ride.

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

Thanks everyone. A few things for me to consider before March. I guess part of it will depend on how early we arrive, and how long immigration takes. If I'm really pressed for time it will have to be a taxi. If I gain an hour with an early arrival and fast immigration I can BART/taxi it