DL & San Francisco

[budafam]

My sister wants to take a trip to California. She mainly wants to tour San Francisco. They don't want to have to rent a car at all. If they stay at a good neighbor hotel near Disneyland, does anyone know of any tours they could take part in for the San Francisco area? or any way of getting there easily without having to drive? I'm completely clueless when it comes to California.

 

[VandVsmama]

DL is in southern California. SF is in northern CA. Easiest way to get there without a car is to fly. The airlines usually have tons of low cost fares between Northern CA and Southern CA. SF is easy to do without a car. My sister lived in SF for two years without a car. Southwest Airlines usually has economical fares and they do not charge you to check luggage.

 

[lana772]

That is probably not feasible to stay in a hotel near DL and tour SF. It is around 400 miles away. We live about an hour and a half east of SF and it takes a good 6 hours for us to get to DL which is straight south of us.

Lana

 

[melissac]

We are doing something similar but starting in SF then going to DL. We got tickets from SF to LAX for $53 on SW. If they haven't bought airline ticket yet look at flying into either SF or LAX and out of the other(that's our plan). Southwest had great rates from Milwaukee to both and where direct flights.

 

[PinkBudgie]

Keep in mind, flying up and down takes just as long or longer than driving when you allow for time to get to the airport, arrive early for your flight, etc. We are just north of SF with an 8 hour drive to DLR. We've found it much easier to just drive and leave on our time schedule. Either way, that one day will pretty much be a travel day.

 

[lana772]

Keep in mind, flying up and down takes just as long or longer than driving when you allow for time to get to the airport, arrive early for your flight, etc. We are just north of SF with an 8 hour drive to DLR. We've found it much easier to just drive and leave on our time schedule. Either way, that one day will pretty much be a travel day.

This is what we have found also.

Lana

 

[Aspoonfullofsugar]

This is what we have found also.

Lana

Lana,

We live in the same city as you and we would also much rather drive it. That way we can leave, on both ends, when we want to and we have the flexibility of a car when we're there.

 

[lana772]

I think what everyone is trying to say is that California is much bigger than a lot of people from the east coast states realize. When your in North Carolina and someone says " hey lets go to Raleigh for dinner" it's only a couple hours from you at the most. Where in Ca if you are in NoCal going to L.A. for dinner is not quite so easy.

Lana

 

[Joluru]

I'd also drive it. We live 30 miles south of SF and made it to DL in 6 1/2 hours the other day. By the time you factor in getting to the airport early, waiting for the flight, flying, getting a shuttle to your hotel, etc. you're already in it for 4 hours. At least you have the flexibility when renting a car that you can stop and see other things on the way, or go to the drugstore if you forgot something.

Also, SF is very easy to tour using the 49 mile drive around the city. It's a marked path and there is a book and websites, and maps at the visitor's center. It's the way we take all of our out of town friends to tour. It can be done on public transportation, but I prefer driving it myself so I can get out and see the stops I want and skip the things of less interest.

 

[Malcon10t]

Lana,

We live in the same city as you and we would also much rather drive it. That way we can leave, on both ends, when we want to and we have the flexibility of a car when we're there.

Make me #3 in the same area, and agree with the drive.

I do have friends who will drive to Sacramento or Oakland to fly, but I cannot figure out why!

 

[mmmears]

Since it's a 7 hour drive, I don't think there are any tours of SF you can take from Anaheim. If it's something you really want to do, I would suggest flying there on the way to Disneyland or after your trip on the way home.

 

[disney4cam]

I agree with the above comments. It's a long distance from San Francisco to Southern California. Does your sister want to go to DL? I'm assuming so since you are posting on here, but you didn't state that outright. If she doesn't want to do DL, she should just stay in SF and forget the DL area.

 

[bcla]

As noted, not practical as a day trip since San Francisco is about a good 400 miles away.

There are tours from Anaheim, but they're multiple days and involve hotel stays near San Francisco.

You've got other options if driving isn't in the plans. There's Amtrak as well as bus service.

 

[NewbieMouse]

I agree with the above comments. It's a long distance from San Francisco to Southern California. Does your sister want to go to DL? I'm assuming so since you are posting on here, but you didn't state that outright. If she doesn't want to do DL, she should just stay in SF and forget the DL area.

Agreed. We do SF & Disney every year when we go, but we feel really strongly about both. If she's not really interested in DL, it's way out of her way and definitely not a day trip.

 

[larina]

I see most everyone telling you to drive but since you asked about alternatives to driving I am going to go against the group withe those who say save yourself time and trouble and just fly. I live in Northern California, too (Sacramento) and my nine year old offered to save up and fly alone if the rest of fly for our next DL trip because she is so tired of the drive. My dad and I completely agree. Next trip, the 6 to 8 of us will fly down. Our last two trips we left property once, to go to dinner, and we totally regretted it. Should have stuck closely. You do not really need a car in SF or at DL unless there's a specific reason you would.

 

[pjpoppins]

Not to hijack the post but seems appropriate here:

We are going to SF for a wedding in September and then going to DL. We plan to drive for same reasons as previous posters. Plus if we fly SFO to LAX we would have to deal with renting a car twice, once in SF and one in LA. On the map there looks like there is NOTHING to stop and see along the way. We wouldn't want to veer off the path too much as we would want to get to DL ASAP. But is there anything along the drive that we should stop and see, or stop and eat at? Thanks.

 

[yoyoyo]

Not to hijack the post but seems appropriate here:

We are going to SF for a wedding in September and then going to DL. We plan to drive for same reasons as previous posters. Plus if we fly SFO to LAX we would have to deal with renting a car twice, once in SF and one in LA. On the map there looks like there is NOTHING to stop and see along the way. We wouldn't want to veer off the path too much as we would want to get to DL ASAP. But is there anything along the drive that we should stop and see, or stop and eat at? Thanks.

If you're taking highway 5, then no. I haven't taken the 101 yet, but I've heard there are many more things to see and do on the way down then 5.

 

[CaptainEIEIO]

Nice thread. SF was exactly what my wife and I were thinking of doing on our next trip to Disneyland since we have done about all there is to do in San Diego. I just hadn't asked the question yet, but driving does look like the answer to me, especially since we already do a rental car when we arrive at LAX every trip.

Anyone know how many days you should do in SF to see things like Fishermans Warf, Chinatown, Golden Gate Bridge, and of course the Walt Disney Family Museum (thats close by isn't it?)?

How far is Visalia out of the way, I have family in Visalia?

 

[danaesacto]

Nice thread. SF was exactly what my wife and I were thinking of doing on our next trip to Disneyland since we have done about all there is to do in San Diego. I just hadn't asked the question yet, but driving does look like the answer to me, especially since we already do a rental car when we arrive at LAX every trip.

Anyone know how many days you should do in SF to see things like Fishermans Warf, Chinatown, Golden Gate Bridge, and of course the Walt Disney Family Museum (thats close by isn't it?)?

How far is Visalia out of the way, I have family in Visalia?

I live close enough to the City that we go about twice a year for touristy things- so we have seen a lot, done a lot. Still- we spent 4 days there a year ago just to see and do more and it still wasn't enough. San Francisco is very family friendly, you could spend a week there and not be bored. There is the deYoung Museum, the Exploratorium, the California Academy of Science Museum, Golden Gate Park, the zoo, Alcatraz, Lombard Street, the Presidio.... If you have to limit it to the highlights then plan 3 or 4 days minimum IMO. Yes, the Walt Disney museum is nearby. Visalia is in the middle between Sacramento and LA off the 99 freeway- you wouldn't go past it if you take 5 or the 101. There are several good current threads in the California and the West board about SF.

 

[VandVsmama]

To the OP:
A lot of people do prefer to drive from southern CA to northern CA, but if you want to do this trip w/o a car, then that is totally do-able. Especially for a 1st-time visitor to San Francisco, driving in SF can be rather intimidating. A lot of folks swing it just fine. But my own dad could never get the hang of it even when my parents lived in the Bay Area for over 25 years. Every time we'd drive in SF, he'd get lost, flustered, turned around, and really stressed out.

SF has a GREAT public transportation system and cabs can take you just about anywhere there. Like I mentioned in my other reply, my sister lived in San Francisco for 2 years without a car. You can easily fly into SFO or OAK (Oakland) and take a cab or Supershuttle from the airport to your hotel and then use cabs or public transportation (MUNI bus, BART, trolley, Caltrain for jaunts down the peninsula). The benefit of not having a car in SF is that you won’t have to pay to park your car in the city, at the hotel, etc.

Hope you have a great time!