Friday, August 8, 2008
There are some very popular two-seater cars that you can rent. MUNI is certainly not too bad but you will just have to get a map to guide you – provided of course you do not turn bus sick.
Again, some people recommend not driving a car as the traffic is very hard to get through if you are not an aggressive and highly skilled driver. It is also extremely hard to find parking if you do not have the city’s parking permit. There are also a lot of one way roads, and you can easily lose your way if you are unfamiliar to the city. Ignore if friends had told you "roll your windows up to keep all the filthy air out". San Francisco is one of the top 10 cleanest cities in the US.
Many people in San Francisco do not own cars but get around perfectly fine without any complaints. However, it must be noted that most of the local people rarely leave the city, and generally are not going from one end of town to another for sightseeing purposes. They are also aware of their way around the city and familiar with all the bus routes. Local people suggest not using a car if you can avoid it. However, if you feel uncomfortable not knowing where you are, then driving a car is the only alternative.
If you finally decide to drive or rent have a car, inside San Francisco, then take the 49 Mile
Drive starting on the market. This is the best scenic drive around the city you can witness. You get to see Coit Tower, Fishermans Wharf, Union Square, the Embarcadero, the Exploratorium, the Presidio, the Golden Gate Bridge, Haight/Ashbury, the Golden Gate Park, Chinatown, etc. There are a couple of steep streets that you need a car to appreciate: the twisty one is Lombard, and the really steep one is Filbert. If you have the time, it is probably worth stopping at the Exploratorium.
posted by wilson @
3:24 AM
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There are conflicting views whether one needs a car or not in San Francisco. Some people strongly urge you not to rent or bring your car when on a visit to San Francisco. Parking space is elusive and often expensive. If you are staying in a hotel the daily parking rate can be exorbitant. You will find the hills too difficult to navigate if you are not used to that type of driving. Most places are easily accessible through public transport and taxis are a better option if you plan on staying out late. Further, you will see the city better on foot than driving/riding a car.
The Bay Area has an excellent public transportation, and with BART and the ferry facility, you can easily reach places outside the city as well. In the city, you can use the bus and cable cars, and the occasional cab ride may not drain your purse.
Some say never think of a car while in San Francisco. There's the bus system which runs almost every 5-10 minutes, there's the BART system which connects you to Oakland, Richmond, Fremont, San Jose and so forth. It's a great thing too because traffic is unbelievably hard to get away from. And if you do rent a car, be careful of the one way streets and read the signs
carefully lest you run into trouble.
Others opine that the bus system (MUNI) is fairly frequent although not always reliable and one thing you should do if you want to enjoy sight seeing is ride the cable cars. But if you are planning to sight see and also have other engagements, either request your local friends to drive you or rent a car for a couple days.
posted by wilson @
3:09 AM
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