# Which airport near San Francisco which rental car agency?



## jules54 (Jul 25, 2012)

Going to CA in Sept. first to SF flying on Sept. 1am staying in SF on Sept. 4and 5 at Wyndham Canterbury. Going to rent a car and tour the area before the check-in on Sept. 4. Do not want to take car to resort as won't need it and there is a 30.00 night parking fee. On Sept. 6 leaving SF to fly to Orange County on Southwest airlines.
What airport to you suggest we fly into SFO, San Jose, Oakland? We will be touring the area for a few days NAPA and maybe coast north of SF.
Where is the best rental car location? Knowing we want to return car before we ck-in on Tues to Wyndham. Plan on taking shuttle back to airport on Thurs Sept. 6.
I would have just flown into SFO, but it seems so many people fly into Oakland and I am wondering why?
Thanks all for any advice.
Jules


----------



## DeniseM (Jul 25, 2012)

SFO would be the easiest, because you can take BART (subway) directly from the airport, back to San Francisco, however you will have to walk a few blocks from the BART station.  If you each just have a rolling bag - it's very doable (we've done it) but it you have a lot of luggage, you may want to take a taxi from BART to the Wyndham.  

My 2nd choice would be Oakland, but only if it is a lot cheaper: you can take the BART bus from the Oakland airport to BART, and then BART across the Bay into San Francisco.  I don't think I'd consider San Jose - it would be an expensive shuttle ride.

However, I would spend more time in San Francisco and less time in Napa.  I would probably spend all my nights in SF and just rent a car for one day to drive to the wine country and return it at the end of the day.  There is a lot more to see and do in San Francisco.


----------



## vacationdoc (Jul 25, 2012)

I would fly into OAK and drive the 45 miles to Napa Valley from Oakland if one way air is your plan.  BART provides good transportation from both OAK and SFO to downtown San Francisco and the #2 Clement Street Bus goes right by the Wyndham Canterbury from downtown.  SFO has been awful for delays this summer with runway closures and fog.  OAK has far fewer delayed flights than SFO in my personal experience recently.  I don't know about the car rental situation because I have never rented a car in Oakland.  I always take the Airporter bus and BART by the Raiders' Stadium to embarcadero downtown. 
Judith



jules54 said:


> Going to CA in Sept. first to SF flying on Sept. 1am staying in SF on Sept. 4and 5 at Wyndham Canterbury. Going to rent a car and tour the area before the check-in on Sept. 4. Do not want to take car to resort as won't need it and there is a 30.00 night parking fee. On Sept. 6 leaving SF to fly to Orange County on Southwest airlines.
> What airport to you suggest we fly into SFO, San Jose, Oakland? We will be touring the area for a few days NAPA and maybe coast north of SF.
> Where is the best rental car location? Knowing we want to return car before we ck-in on Tues to Wyndham. Plan on taking shuttle back to airport on Thurs Sept. 6.
> I would have just flown into SFO, but it seems so many people fly into Oakland and I am wondering why?
> ...


----------



## jet dreamin (Jul 25, 2012)

Since you are staying in SF, it's probably easiest to just fly into SF.  I do find that delays and hassles are greater at the SF airport.  Oakland is a smaller, easier airport, which I think is why people prefer it.  Definitely don't consider San Jose for what you're doing.  Have fun!


----------



## sue1947 (Jul 25, 2012)

In addition to the airports you listed, there is also the one at Santa Rosa right in the middle of the Napa Valley area and Sacramento.  The airlines and at least some of the rental car agencies that I have used, consider Sacramento as one of the SF cluster which means there is no additional drop fee.  Check and see if the rental car taxes are lower at either of those and pick up there and drop off at SFO.  

Sue


----------



## vacationtime1 (Jul 25, 2012)

If there is no drop off fee for the car, I would fly into Oakland, rent a car, drive directly to Napa, tour Napa, drive to SF, check into your unit, and return the rental car to the rental company's downtown SF location immediately after you check in.

When leaving, you can take a shuttle to SFO, or if you are strong and adventurous, wheel your luggage to BART and take BART to SFO.

I would not want to shlepp luggage from OAK to downtown San Francisco via BART, and especially not on the #2 Clement Street bus (with which I am quite familiar).  Nor would I want to be driving in downtown SF any more than absolutely necessary, especially during rush hour (7:30 - 9:30 and 4-7).


----------



## Luanne (Jul 26, 2012)

vacationtime1 said:


> If there is no drop off fee for the car, I would fly into Oakland, rent a car, drive directly to Napa, tour Napa, drive to SF, check into your unit, and return the rental car to the rental company's downtown SF location immediately after you check in.
> 
> When leaving, you can take a shuttle to SFO, or if you are strong and adventurous, wheel your luggage to BART and take BART to SFO.
> 
> I would not want to shlepp luggage from OAK to downtown San Francisco via BART, and especially not on the #2 Clement Street bus (with which I am quite familiar).  Nor would I want to be driving in downtown SF any more than absolutely necessary, especially during rush hour (7:30 - 9:30 and 4-7).



I agree that this plan sounds the best.

We avoid SFO when possible and prefer flying in and out of Oakland.  Of course part of that is that Oakland is closer to where we live.  The bigges complaint we have with Oakland is the baggage handling.  They have got to be one of the slowest I've ever encountered.


----------



## yoohoo (Jul 26, 2012)

If you are flying Southwest, the fares could be different between SFO and OAK.  The lowest fare may be in one airport and out another.  When picking your flights note that BART does not run 24 hours a day.  The walk from the BART station to Canterbury is little over a mile and is mostly flat.  I have done it in the rain.

It good you decided not have car in San Francisco.  You do not need one and it very difficult to find parking.  You should get three day bus pass good for cable cars and bus within San Francisco.


----------



## daventrina (Jul 27, 2012)

We vote for Denise's plan.
There are enough wineries in the Bay Area that unless you really want to go to Napa for other reasons .... you could skip Napa.


----------



## jules54 (Jul 29, 2012)

*Thanks made some solid plans*

Flying into SFO sat. Sept. 1 renting car going North or South for drive. Staying at Clear Lake-Nice,CA on Sept. 2. Going back to SFO turning in rental car and probably taking BART to Canterbury for Sept 3,4,5 nites.
On Sept. 6 flying from SFO-Orange county renting car driving to Oceanside staying there Sept. 6,7 checking out on Sept. 8 driving to Pasenda going to football game at Rose Bowl staying overnight and flying out of Ontario, CA early Sept. 9.
Thanks for all your suggestions. Tuggers are the best


----------



## DeniseM (Jul 29, 2012)

I hate to tell you this, but that Clear Lake timeshare is not a great place to stay - that is a pretty depressed area around the timeshare.  I would find a nice hotel in a better area of the wine country.  It's a waste of your vacation  time to spend a night there.  That really isn't the "real" wine country.  

To be quite honest with you - I'd spend all 4 nights in San Francisco instead.  I'm not sure what you are looking for in the wine country, but unless you are big into wines, I don't think it's worth taking a day out of your trip.  The wine country is rolling farm land with all kinds of crops - not just grapes, and wineries, medium and small sized towns.  In September, it will be brown and dry looking after a our dry California summer.   Personally, I don't think it's anything to write home about, and there is FAR more to do and see in San Francisco.  If you want a day trip outside SF - I'd go to Carmel/Monterey.


----------



## sue1947 (Jul 29, 2012)

I like the Clear Lake Worldmark.  It's a very relaxing place.  The units are large and the grounds are nice.  There are quite a few wineries in the area, so while it's not THE wine country of Napa, it certainly has some nice spots.  I find Napa overpriced and over hyped.  However, it is north of the main wine area which is why it has availability when Windsor is all booked.  It's an easy drive down to Healdsburg which I like alot.  

Sue


----------



## VacationForever (Jul 29, 2012)

To Napa and surrounding areas (St Helena, Sonoma etc.) or not has to do with how much of a wine person you are.  We do day trips to Napa about 6 times a year, mainly to pick up wine from various wineries where we are club members.  There are lots of fabulous restaurants in Napa area.  The drive around the entire area is very scenic.  We just spent 2 nights at Westin Verasa using Starpoints (checked in on Fri, left this morning) and had an amazing dinner at Westin La Toque on Fri night.  We also bought dinner tickets ahead of time to a big dinner party (like crush parties) at one of the wineries and did that on Saturday night.  

We like San Francisco as there are lots to do, plays and shopping, but we get to Napa more often because Napa always seems so much more relaxing and accessible.  You always feel like you have to fight traffic in San Francisco.


----------



## DeniseM (Jul 29, 2012)

sue1947 said:


> I like the Clear Lake Worldmark.  It's a very relaxing place.  The units are large and the grounds are nice.  There are quite a few wineries in the area, so while it's not THE wine country of Napa, it certainly has some nice spots.  I find Napa overpriced and over hyped.  However, it is north of the main wine area which is why it has availability when Windsor is all booked.  It's an easy drive down to Healdsburg which I like alot.
> 
> Sue



I like Healdsburg too - in fact I'd stay there.  I don't like the area that Worldmark is in - very depressed.


----------



## daventrina (Jul 30, 2012)

DeniseM said:


> ... If you want a day trip outside SF - I'd go to Carmel/Monterey.


There are some wineries in that area that are rather good....


----------

