SFO - how to kill a few hours?
 

Hi all,

Off on my first trip to SFO next month. I'm travelling out of LHR with a friend (great use of a 241 in J) and I've another friend following us out 3 hours later. I've just got my Global Entry sorted, and will enjoy making use of that. However as I'll not be in a stupidly long queue (most recent experience at JFK T7) does anyone have any suggestions of what to do landside at SFO whilst we wait for our friend to catch up? I can't see any landside lounges (lounge/priority pass or otherwise) but my google-fu may be failing me.

Any input appreciated.

You can always take a look at the various display cases offering various exhibits.

SFO is one of the few airports that has it's own museum as well - landside in the international terminal - but the other terminals do have display cases land and airside.

I've never been in personally, given I always head straight downtown to my hotel, but as has been highlighted there is an Aviation Museum in the International Terminal - limited opening hours compared to the airport, from 10.30am to 4.30pm, but it might pass a few minutes.

I'm afraid that other than that the airport is merely functional landside - the next level down for excitement would probably be riding the train between the terminals and parking lots ...

No PP landside lounges remain. The only remaining landside lounge that I'm aware of is a VS lounge.

The Int'l terminal has a museum (separate room), as well as the airport itself being a museum. The Int'l terminal has a series of display cases along each end (the A and G sides) as well as along the back wall - currently displaying flight crew uniforms from years' past.

There are a series of restaurants on each side of the landside portion of the Int' terminal, but at least one end is undergoing a large renovation.

The loop around the landside portion of the airport is a nice walk (maybe 20 minutes) but if you have much luggage, perhaps not so fun.

Exactly. However, I've only noticed the display cases in the international terminal.

You can also ride the free landside tram that connects terminals and the rental car center. IIRC you get some views.

In N Out run?

Thanks all - there's a few options there. Whilst I could head off to the hotel, feels a bit harsh given friends arrival not too long after.

Perhaps we'll locate a coffee house landside with some wifi and that'll suffice, too much mooching around with suitcases will be tiresome.

Cheers

Not a bad plan. As everyone noted, there's quite a bit of art in the International Terminal. Once you clear customs, you can go up one level to the Departures level - there are three rows of art displays right there in the main terminal and, once you get bored, there's a coffee stand with seating. The entire airport has free wifi. The BART train to the city is also in the Departures level of the International Terminal, if you plan to use that.