san Francisco parking (Napa, San Bruno, Millbrae: how much, hotel, transfer) - San Francisco - Oakland - California (CA) - City-Data Forum

penfold007 · 12-17-2008, 01:53 PM

hello, I live in sonoma and am driving to the city for a couple of days and staying in a hotel in the nob hill district. hotel parking is very high so looking at my parking options:

if i drive into the city, where is good and safe to park for 2 days?

if i get the ferry - which is better Sausailto, or larkspur? in terms of safe to leave a car for a few days.

thanks for your help

bayarea-girl · 12-17-2008, 01:54 PM

Leave you car, it's safe.

humboldtrat · 12-17-2008, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bayarea-girl

Leave you car, it's safe.

I don't think it's that safe. You can park at the hotel and pay a lot for it. Street parking is almost non existent and there are time limits with no parking on street sweeping days. You would have to keep moving the car every couple of hours to avoid a ticket.

You can park at the Larkspur ferry lot (don't know how much they charge if anything) and take the ferry to SF. I don't think there is any parking (for 2 days) available near the Sausalito ferry.

Plan B: for 2 days, park at the long term parking lot at SFO airport and take BART from the airport into the city (BART station in the international terminal) or park at the nearby BART station in Millbrae which has a 3 or 4 story parking garage.

bayarea-girl · 12-17-2008, 04:01 PM

Humbodtrat, I meant to park at the ferry lot. Sorry should have elaborated, both Larkspur and Sausilito parking lots are fine. NEVER park in the city!!!!

cardinal2007 · 12-18-2008, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by humboldtrat

Plan B: for 2 days, park at the long term parking lot at SFO airport and take BART from the airport into the city (BART station in the international terminal) or park at the nearby BART station in Millbrae which has a 3 or 4 story parking garage.

If you're going to pay to park at BART for a few days you might as well pick a closer station if you can, like Colma, SSF, or San Bruno, I regularly park long-term at San Bruno, and my car has never been broken into or damaged.

sonarrat · 12-18-2008, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cardinal2007

If you're going to pay to park at BART for a few days you might as well pick a closer station if you can, like Colma, SSF, or San Bruno, I regularly park long-term at San Bruno, and my car has never been broken into or damaged.

And I -have- had my car vandalized at the Millbrae station. It's a low foot traffic station because it's mainly used as a transfer point between Caltrain and BART, compared with San Bruno which is attached to the Tanforan mall and also the San Bruno police station.

nycbra · 01-13-2009, 06:05 PM

Is it safe to leave the car parked (with 2 suitcases in the trunk) in a private parking station?
Anyone that you recommend where from there it would be relatively easy to drive to the airport?
The idea is to drive back from Napa on Sunday and get in SF around 11am. We want to leave the car parked somewhere (with the bags in it) and explore the city by subway. So, a parking place that is close to a metro station would be great! We would return, pick up the car and drive to the airport around 7pm.

thanks!

humboldtrat · 01-13-2009, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nycbra

Is it safe to leave the car parked (with 2 suitcases in the trunk) in a private parking station?
Anyone that you recommend where from there it would be relatively easy to drive to the airport?
The idea is to drive back from Napa on Sunday and get in SF around 11am. We want to leave the car parked somewhere (with the bags in it) and explore the city by subway. So, a parking place that is close to a metro station would be great! We would return, pick up the car and drive to the airport around 7pm.

thanks!

Park at the San Bruno BART station, next to the Tanforan Mall. Plenty of parking at either the BART station (4 or 5 story parking garage) or at the mall. It's close to the I-380 freeway and within a mile or two of the SFO airport www.bart.gov/stations/sbrn/neighborhood.aspx

nycbra · 01-14-2009, 12:06 PM

Thank you humboldtrat. I will definitely try to park there.
One question though is that at the San Bruno's website it is mentioned that estimated filling time is 8AM. I would think this is an estimate for a weekday, right? We will be parking this Sunday... hopefully it won't be so packed! Thanks again.

humboldtrat · 01-14-2009, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nycbra

Thank you humboldtrat. I will definitely try to park there.
One question though is that at the San Bruno's website it is mentioned that estimated filling time is 8AM. I would think this is an estimate for a weekday, right? We will be parking this Sunday... hopefully it won't be so packed! Thanks again.

It shouldn't be a problem on a Sunday and there is always parking at the mall. The BART parking area is behind the mall near the Century Cinema. When going to SF, get off at the Powell St station. The end of the cable car line is just above the subway station and Union Square is about 2 blocks away. Just outside the Powell St. station, there is a SF tourist office where you can get free maps and brochures (and ask questions). Have fun!