SFO to Mill Valley -- best route? (San Francisco: rental car, rentals)

[Wallop the Spot]

Hello! Clueless Virginian (me) will be arriving at SFO around 10 AM on a Sunday morning, picking up a rental car, and attempting to drive to Mill Valley. Would a veteran of the roads please tell me the best way to get through, around, over, or under, San Francisco?

Thank you!!!

[Ruth4Truth]

You could avoid some stress by taking the Golden Gate Transit bus to MV, and from there calling Enterprise car rentals, and they'll pick you up. To get back to the airport, take GG Transit again. Pick up/drop off car in Mill Valley.

https://www.enterprise.com/en/car-re...lley-235a.html

[CarlosAtun]

Gplden Gate Transit does not serve the airport, contrary to what the above post says to do. Marin Airporter does, and stops at Manzanita park and ride lot in Mill Valley ($22), get it on the lower level of the airport where the airporters stop it is rainbow colored and stops every 1/2 hour, takes about an hour depending on traffic.

If you want to drive from the airport to Mill Valley, take 101 north for a short distance, turn off at 380, stay to the right and take the 280 exit, then stay to the left on 280 and look for 19th Ave Golden Gate Bridge Hwy 1 sign then you will be on 19th Avenue through San Francisco, which becomes Park Presidio as it curves through Golden Gate Park, continue north on Park Presidio, through a tunnel, and you will then merge back on 101 as it approaches the Golden Gate Bridge ramp curves left after tunnel. Across the bridge, then take either Hwy 1 exit or East Blithedale exit off 101 depending on where in Mill Valley you want to go. No toll on the bridge northbound. There is no way to avoid driving on SF city streets to get to Mill Valley from the airport. Lots of traffic and stop lights.

[tikkasf]

OP, the posting response above is the route I would also suggest. I have driven from SF to MV countless times.

[tikkasf]

OP. have you ever been to Mill Valley before? The Google St view image in link below is in downtown MV. You can use your computer mouse to move about the streets in the area almost like you were driving a car there.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Mi...!4d-122.547394

[Wallop the Spot]

Thank you all for the helpful directions and suggestions. I assume (but I probably shouldn't) that I should take the East Blithedale exit (rather than the Hwy 1 exit) off 101 to get to the northwest side of Mill Valley (Summit Avenue to be precise)?

[tikkasf]

Originally Posted by Wallop the Spot

Thank you all for the helpful directions and suggestions. I assume (but I probably shouldn't) that I should take the East Blithedale exit (rather than the Hwy 1 exit) off 101 to get to the northwest side of Mill Valley (Summit Avenue to be precise)?

You can take either.....since you don't know the area, East Blithedale exit likely your best choice. Unless approaching from the north, I always take HWY 1 exit for the simple reason that I like the scenery a bit better going that way

[tikkasf]

google street view link below is located on HWY 1 (known as Shorline HWY) a bit after exiting 101

use your mouse to follow it along to downtown Mill Valley

https://www.google.com/maps/place/15...4d-122.5163095

[tikkasf]

if you take the HWY 1 exit, it curves this way and that a bit. When you reach this intersection (link below), veer to the left on to Almonte Rd and after a couple of miles or so, Almonte Rd becomes Miller Ave.....Miller Ave goes all the way to downtown MV

https://www.google.com/maps/place/15...4d-122.5163095

[tikkasf]

approaching downtown from Miller Ave route.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/15...4d-122.5163095