Rosebud9802

My family and I are flying to San Francisco on Saturday, September 6th, arriving at 11:30 am. and leaving the next day at 10:00 am. Our main objective is to see Alcatraz. Through our research we are having difficulties figuring out how to get from the airport to Fisherman's Wharf. Does anybody have any suggestions?

My second question is a recommendation for a hotel in the near by vicinity of Fisherman's Wharf?

Thanks Again!!

pinniped

Check about a month before you travel - there might be BART service to SFO by then. It isn't open yet, but it could open later this summer. That might be the fastest and cheapest way into the city.

I'll let the experts recommend other bus/train connections if you are trying to go super-cheap and there is no BART at SFO. Whenever I've gone to SFO, I have been with other people, so we've just jumped in a cab.

Hotels: I stay at the Grand Hyatt downtown every time I go to the city. I think it's a great place, and I always find it for ridiculously cheap rates. Ordinarily I'm a Marriott/Hilton guy, but when there are $109 Expedia Special Rates for the Grand Hyatt and MR/HH want double that for a points-earning rate, I can't turn it down. Great hotel, big rooms with balconies, excellent service. It isn't near Fisherman's Wharf, but it's less than a $10 cab ride away.

Whatever you do, don't forget to stop and say hello to the sea lions at Pier 39. You could easily spend the entire day sitting there watching them. Or maybe that's just me!

cordelli

There is a Aan Francisco forum where you could get some good advice on traveling to and from the airport, depending on how big your family is a taxi may be the best way.

The Bart, the public transportation out there, begins airport service at the end of this month, that will certainly be the lease expensive method to get into the city.

http://www.bart.gov/index.asp

I like the Hilton at Fisherman's Wharf.

Make sure you get some crabs on the Wharf, and you may wan tot get your tickets for Alcatraz in advance too, those tours sell out and you don't have a large window of time to go if you are only doing an overnight.

http://www.blueandgoldfleet.com/

tom911

Well....if you want even cheaper you could use the SAMTRANS KX bus from SFO into the Trans Bay Terminal on Mission Street in San Francisco, and them Muni down to Fishermans Wharf.
http://www.transitinfo.org/Sched/SM/KX/
http://www.transitinfo.org/Sched/MU/New/

Personally, I'd opt for BART which starts running June 22 to the Civic Center Station ($4.75 one way), and then Muni out along Van Ness down to Fishermans Wharf ($1).

GoodKarmaGuy

No, no, no. (He said sternly.)

Take a cab.

The BART fares just went up. I would BART it myself but you'll pay like $5-6 (or more) each to BART into SF .. THEN you'll still need to ride a MUNI bus ($1 each) or take the MUNI streetcars ($1 each). The waiting for a BART train then the bus or streetcar will take another 30 minutes. The whole deal could take about 1-2 hours, since you wouldn't do it as quickly as I/we would. (A cab from BART would be $15 at least IF you get one on a Saturday on Market Street.) A cab from the airport will be @$40-50 (includes a tip) and take 45 minutes or less. No hassles with luggage, asking directions, finding the right corners to wait on, etc. You don't have a lot of time!

Have the cabbie take:
101 North out of aitport.
101 to Interstate 280 North
Exit 280 at 6th street
6th Street crosses Market street and bear immediatly R onto Taylor Street. Taylor is a timed-lights one way that will zip you over to F.Wharf.
Mapquest this to see what I mean.
BTW, that is also the route with the most stunning views. When you crest the rise on 280, SF will be laid out in front of you. Then the ride up and over Nob Hill on Taylor will be just like the TV and movies you've seen with steep SF hills!

The Courtyard Marriott is newest FW hotel and also one of the cheapest. Clean and smack dab in the middle of F Wharf.

They are so right about the crabs. When walking down to the FW area, bear LEFT and go to the local fish and crab shacks on the water. NOTE: This is opposite and away from the touristy Pier 39 which I do not visit but my out-of-town cousins love. The Hyde Street Pier is right there just past the eatin' shacks and is a floating (old ships) National Park. Worth the admission.

Please, please, please search Alcatraz online (I think you have to call to book, tho) and book yourself for the NIGHTTIME tour. If you don't book ANY tour ahead of time there is a good chance it will be sold out. Do ASAP. Alcatraz afterdark is unbelievably breathtaking and the tours are otherwise identical.

Lastly, if you post in the San Francisco forum, you will get a lot of good suggestions. (Though not as good as mine, probably. Hahaha. ) The SF forum is a busy place.

HAVE FUN!

Joe

------------------
Just trying to keep up with the gals in the trailer park next door.

[This message has been edited by GoodKarmaGuy (edited 06-09-2003).]

carlhaynes

The KX is super easy and fast and takes you right downtown with no stops HOWEVER you can not take luggage on the bus. Not that people don't carry luggage on, but your not supposed to. Without luggage, I think the KX almost as fast as taking a cab.

Boraxo

Supershuttle for family of 4: $18x4=$72
BART: 4x$5 = $5 taxi to hotel: $25
Taxi from airport: 20minutes at noon, $30.

You make the choice, as a native San Franciscan I would recommend taxi if you want to make it to Alcatraz that afternoon.

As for hotels, the Grant Hyatt is wonderful, but why pay $110 when you can get it for $65 on priceline?

KathyWdrf

NO, the SuperShuttle SFO fares are as follows:

SFO to San Francisco hotels: $12.50 per person

SFO to San Francisco residence/business: $17.00 for one person, $8.00 for each additional person riding together

Gratuity not included

( from www.supershuttle.com/htm/cities/sfo.htm#Sample and personal experience riding it)

I believe the taxi fare will still be less than SuperShuttle for a group of four, in any case.


Kathy

pinniped

It costs $4.75 to ride the BART?!?!?

Holy Cow! I thought it was a buck fifty or something. That has to be among the most expensive subway fares in the world.

ben1979

i think it is more of a lightrail than a subway :-)

birdstrike

People often mistake BART for a subway. It's not. BART is a commuter train that happens to run underground through parts of San Francisco. By itself it is not very useful for getting from one part of the City to another.

tom911

BART will be nice for those of us in the suburbs to get to SFO at the end of the month. An hour trip from Concord to SFO will be $6, and I have no problem paying that. Right now, I can get as far as Colma, and then SAMTRANS to SFO, for about the same total price. That's probably a total distance of over 40 miles.

MUNI runs light rail in San Francisco, and you can buy daily passes for bus, cable car, and light rail for use in San Francisco (but not out to the airport).
You can buy a daily pass for $6, and a weekly pass for $15. You can't buy daily/weekly passes for BART. Strictly pay as you go.

danM

I can't agree more with this -- if at all possible, get on the evening tour for Alcatraz -- especially since you can take the boat out in the light, and then return after dark... it's fantastic (if a little chilly -- bring a jacket! )

Dan

(edited to clarify my suggestion to "ring a jacket"... good thing i didn't take typing for a grade back in school)


[This message has been edited by danM (edited 06-09-2003).]

NHFL9

Just remember to buy tickets in advance. It's almost always sold out if you try to buy the day of departure or even a day or two in advance depending on the time of year.

Boraxo

BART fares vary depending on your destination. For example, I can travel from my office in downtown SF to Oakland Airport/Stadium for $2.75 one way. The airport shuttle bus is an additional $2.

The fares to SFO are higher (e.g. $4.75) because San Mateo county refused to contribute sales tax revenues to bart for the past 40 years. So there is a surcharge that will apply to all tickets south of Colma (including SFO). If you're traveling alone, it's still a great deal vs. $30-40 taxi to downtown SF, not to mention possibly quicker during bad traffic days.