Parking for the day in San Fran - suggestions?

[viluvsdisney]

Hi

We'll be in SF on June 1st with our own car (we'll be driving in from the Sonoma area). Any suggestions on where to park for the day as we tourist around the city? Most of our time will be spent around the wharf/GG Bridge. Thanks!

 

[bcla]

Parking garages are pretty pricey - especially around Fishermans Wharf. On a weekend there might be some options I'd recommend, but on a weekday they would become no-stopping zones during rush hour. Residential parking is hard to come by, and even then it's supposed to be a 2 hour limit on most weekdays (and Saturdays in some areas).

I'd recommend finding a prepaid parking lot somewhere and then taking MUNI around town.

 

[StageTek]

The garages run from as low as $10/day to a more typical $20/$30/day. The closer you park to the Wharf
the higher the rates. If you're willing to park in the Broadway/Columbus area and use public transportation
you can find several lots in the $15/$20/day range. Many have small lots so it can't hurt to make a reservation.

 

[viluvsdisney]

The garages run from as low as $10/day to a more typical $20/$30/day. The closer you park to the Wharf
the higher the rates. If you're willing to park in the Broadway/Columbus area and use public transportation
you can find several lots in the $15/$20/day range. Many have small lots so it can't hurt to make a reservation.

Thanks! I didn't realize you could make a reservation. Do you happen to have a link on where to do this??

 

[bcla]

Thanks! I didn't realize you could make a reservation. Do you happen to have a link on where to do this??

There are lots of them. However, quite a few of these places have hourly rates save with an insanely high maximum daily rate.

http://www.parkwhiz.com/p/san-francisco-parking/
https://www.parkingpanda.com/san-francisco-parking

Some places have early bird parking if you can get there really early, but then they ask for your key to move around cars for maximum customers. My mom used to work in SF and would park at these lots.

Another option would just be taking Golden Gate Ferry into town. It would be even cheaper if you have Clipper cards. It might not necessarily be cheaper than parking, but it's a really nice view of San Francisco Bay. Parking is only $2 at Larkspur, but you'll probably want to pay onboard.

http://goldengateferry.org/parking/

 

[viluvsdisney]

There are lots of them. However, quite a few of these places have hourly rates save with an insanely high maximum daily rate.

http://www.parkwhiz.com/p/san-francisco-parking/
https://www.parkingpanda.com/san-francisco-parking

Some places have early bird parking if you can get there really early, but then they ask for your key to move around cars for maximum customers. My mom used to work in SF and would park at these lots.

Another option would just be taking Golden Gate Ferry into town. It would be even cheaper if you have Clipper cards. It might not necessarily be cheaper than parking, but it's a really nice view of San Francisco Bay. Parking is only $2 at Larkspur, but you'll probably want to pay onboard.

http://goldengateferry.org/parking/

Thank you very much!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

You can also park in many hotel lots for a fee.

 

[usnuzuloose]

It's getting so you can't park somewhere without paying. Even staying at a hotel they still charge, even though you paid a high dollar rate for the room. Even the MGM in Las Vegas is now charging.

 

[bcla]

It's getting so you can't park somewhere without paying. Even staying at a hotel they still charge, even though you paid a high dollar rate for the room. Even the MGM in Las Vegas is now charging.

You can find free parking in San Francisco, but for how long and where? The residential permit areas are two hours on weekdays (and some on Saturdays) unless you have a valid residential permit. There are actually residential parking spaces near Fishermans Wharf, but what good will they do for a tourist? Golden Gate Park has 3 or 4 hour free parking. The streets surrounding Golden Gate Park have no theoretical limit other than the standard 72 hours, but on weekdays they turn into no stopping zones during commute hours. The parking on Sloat Ave by San Francisco Zoo is free, but that's a long way from any other tourist spots other than Ocean Beach. You could certainly take public transportation from there, but it's going to eat up a lot of time. A lot of residential neighborhoods away from touristy areas have free all-day parking, but who is going to do that?

So they're charging for parking in Vegas now? What has the world come to? I looked it up, and MGM isn't charging for parking at Circus Circus. I've been to downtown Las Vegas, and the garages at the casinos charged for parking but with something like 4 hour validation at a restaurant.

 

[usnuzuloose]

You can find free parking in San Francisco, but for how long and where? The residential permit areas are two hours on weekdays (and some on Saturdays) unless you have a valid residential permit. There are actually residential parking spaces near Fishermans Wharf, but what good will they do for a tourist? Golden Gate Park has 3 or 4 hour free parking. The streets surrounding Golden Gate Park have no theoretical limit other than the standard 72 hours, but on weekdays they turn into no stopping zones during commute hours. The parking on Sloat Ave by San Francisco Zoo is free, but that's a long way from any other tourist spots other than Ocean Beach. You could certainly take public transportation from there, but it's going to eat up a lot of time. A lot of residential neighborhoods away from touristy areas have free all-day parking, but who is going to do that?

So they're charging for parking in Vegas now? What has the world come to? I looked it up, and MGM isn't charging for parking at Circus Circus. I've been to downtown Las Vegas, and the garages at the casinos charged for parking but with something like 4 hour validation at a restaurant.

MGM has just started the charge. I don't stay on the strip, I use a resort which is right behind the Hooter's and Tropicana. I use the deuce unless we go to freemont st. You wait the other hotels will follow suit. They will make a fortune.

 

[bcla]

MGM has just started the charge. I don't stay on the strip, I use a resort which is right behind the Hooter's and Tropicana. I use the deuce unless we go to freemont st. You wait the other hotels will follow suit. They will make a fortune.

I can imagine, sort of like with airline luggage fees and resort fees. I remember when Harrah's used to proudly declare that they didn't charge a resort fee. Until they merged with Caesar's.

Living in Northern California, I'm more used to Reno. It was a kid, but I do remember when they had a nominal charge for parking at some of the big casino-hotels. However, they gave a refund (in a roll of quarters no less) somewhere inside.

 

[My3Princez]

We used spothero dot com for a spot today. It was perfect. We paid $18 for 12 hours of parking in the Anchorage Parking Garage right near the waterfront.

 

[viluvsdisney]

We used spothero dot com for a spot today. It was perfect. We paid $18 for 12 hours of parking in the Anchorage Parking Garage right near the waterfront.

Excellent - Thanks!

 

[GrandBob]

You could park at the Daly City BART station for $3 per day, and then take BART downtown.

 

[DisCatGirl]

We use parking panda. Guaranteed a spot and it is typically cheaper than just driving up.

 

[LucyM123]

I try and use parking panda when I drive into SF, or park at one of the BART stations and take that into the city.