So, you’ve decided on San Francisco as your next vacation destination. That’s wonderful! Year-round the city promises fun, beauty, and style. The weather is one of S.F.’s main attractions and while it can get chilly here -- and while sometimes the sun can be obscured -- more often than not, the weather is just fine.
Temperatures hover around 60° and a light jacket or sweater should be all you need to enjoy a day exploring the city. But of course, first you need to get here. How? That depends; whether by car, train, ferry, or plane...
Let’s take a look first: “by plane.”
.jpg)
Most likely, you’ll be flying into San Francisco International Airport (SFO), though some visitors choose to fly into Oakland or San Jose. Reasons could be crowds or airfare or flight availability. Oakland especially is a good alternative, as it’s home to a number of low-cost carriers. Over the years, local travelers have benefited from this very fact, as SFO has opened up to low-fare carriers as well, while major airlines have lowered their fares to try and remain competitive. Bottom line: You have choices.
Oakland International Airport (OAK) is approximately 20 miles from San Francisco, located over the Bay Bridge in the East Bay. To reach the city from OAK, you can either rent a car, take a taxi (average $50), or ride BART. Similar to SFO, the BART route will cost less than $5 and take about 30 minutes to reach Union Square. If you don’t have many bags, this may be the best way.
From San Jose International Airport (SJC), the distance to travel is much further. San Jose is about 45 miles west of San Francisco and transportation options don’t include a BART ride, and a taxi could cost $150 by the time you reach your hotel. For some though, flying into San Jose makes sense, due to perhaps airfare or the need to visit both San Jose and San Francisco (like on a business trip).
And finally, there’s SFO, which is about 15 miles from Union Square. For convenience, there’s a direct BART route from the airport to the Powell Street station, which offers proximity to over half of the hotels in the city (thus, likely near where you’ll be staying). In a half-hour, you can be at your hotel. As is the case with Oakland, if you don’t have many bags, BART could be ideal. The fare is only $5.35.
Note: Keep in mind that security is high at all airports and upon your return trip, you should give yourself enough time to check in and be ready for departure. An extra hour at least, just to be safe. If you’re flying out of SFO, pass the time at the on-site museum or the various gift shops. Depending on the time of year, you may even encounter roving musicians.
For further reading, visit these resources:
SmarterTravel.com: “Travel to San Francisco” (website)
Frommer’s: “Getting There” (website)
Comments