San Franciso places to stay

[FoghornLeghorn]

Coming in a couple of days early for a cruise out of SF next year.

Want to go to the Disney Family Museum and then a drive up to Santa Rosa for the Charles M. Shultz Museum.

 

Can anyone suggest a place to stay that would be convenient to the Disney Museum?

 

We don't like B & Bs...prefer a nice newer hotel.

 

I'm assuming the best wiil be to rent a car once we land at SF, go to the hotel and then drive to Santa Rosa one day....unless someone has a better idea, or way to get to Santa Rosa for the day.

 

All suggestions welcomed! :)

[CruiserBruce]

Renting a car is by far the best idea.

 

I would be looking over on TripAdvisor, Cruise Critic's sister site, for hotel recommendations, as that is what they specialize in.

[skandls]

I would not rent the car until the day I was driving to Santa Rosa. Parking at SF hotels can be very expensive (I have seen $45 per day). So try to rent and return the same day.

[FoghornLeghorn]

Thanks Bruce and skandls

[CruiserBruce]

I would not rent the car until the day I was driving to Santa Rosa. Parking at SF hotels can be very expensive (I have seen $45 per day). So try to rent and return the same day.

 

Well...let's look for the rational here. Let's say it is $45 a day to park, plus, round number, $50 to go from SFO to a downtown hotel....is the rental less, or more than $50/day, or $95/day? (Depending exactly how you schedule your trips...) So, some careful calculations here, also including where your rental is going to be picked up and dropped off, and how you are going to get to the Pier. And the hours of the downtown rental site...are those going to limit your travel plans. Santa Rosa is close to 2 hours each way, plus your exploring time there, car check out and return time...

 

sklandls has some good points, and we have done it both ways. Sometimes it is obvious and smooth as glass. Other times the extra hassle is not worth the special effort. The point that caught my eye here is the $50 or more cost to get from the airport to the hotel.

Edited November 21, 2013 by CruiserBruce

[mjesf]

As one who lives here, I can vouch for the fact that driving and (especially) parking in San Francisco is one big pain. I would only rent a car for the trip to Santa Rosa.

 

Depending on the traffic I have done the trek in 1-2 hours. One thing to consider is spending one night up in Sonoma County giving you more time to explore the region.

 

Enjoy your trip.

[Bruin Steve]

Coming in a couple of days early for a cruise out of SF next year.

Want to go to the Disney Family Museum and then a drive up to Santa Rosa for the Charles M. Shultz Museum.

 

Can anyone suggest a place to stay that would be convenient to the Disney Museum?

 

We don't like B & Bs...prefer a nice newer hotel.

 

I'm assuming the best wiil be to rent a car once we land at SF, go to the hotel and then drive to Santa Rosa one day....unless someone has a better idea, or way to get to Santa Rosa for the day.

 

All suggestions welcomed! :)

 

First of all, the Disney Museum is located in the Presidio--sort of near the San Francisco end of the Golden Gate Bridge...The closest neighborhood to this is the Marina District--but there really aren't any nice new hotels there--just some smaller, older, not so first class motels..., but, just to the East of there is the Fishermans Wharf area...which is where I recommend staying anyway...Most of the major chains--Hyatt, Radisson, Marriott, Holiday Inn--are represented there with nice hotels...The Best Western Tuscan Inn also gets good reviews...From there, it is a short taxi ride over to the Disney Museum...or, you could take the #30 bus to the Marina District and walk through the Presidio from there to the Museum...

 

As others have said, DON'T rent a car IN the City...Parking is either expensive or impossible (and I can vouch for that--my daughter lives in the Marina at Scott and Chestnut and we visit often--and I have wasted hours wandering the streets searching for an open parking space within 10 blocks of her apartment!) Plus, it is a difficult city to drive in for the uninitiated--very steep hills, blind intersections, one way streets, heavy traffic, crazy drivers...OTOH, it is an EASY city to get around walking and using public transportation...BART is great for getting around the entire Bay Area, the Bus system is excellent if you know where you're headed and taxis are plentiful and not that expensive...plus there's always the fun of riding the Cable Cars...If you walk, plan your routes carefully--remember, the maps look flat, the reality isn't!

 

But, if you stay in the Wharf area, there are plenty of attractions and plenty of restaurants within close proximity...

 

Good luck!

Edited November 22, 2013 by Bruin Steve

[FoghornLeghorn]

Thanks for the suggestions and input Bruin Steve and mjesf.

 

Especially for the info about staying in the Marina area. I was having trouble finding any "chain" hotels by the museum, so this really helps.

 

So, I'm thinking getting a hotel in the Marina area and taking a cab over to the Disney Museum. I assume a cab from the airport to the hotel, too?

Then I'll just rent a car for the day to drive to Santa Rosa.

[Bruin Steve]

Especially for the info about staying in the Marina area. I was having trouble finding any "chain" hotels by the museum, so this really helps.

 

So, I'm thinking getting a hotel in the Marina area and taking a cab over to the Disney Museum. I assume a cab from the airport to the hotel, too?

Then I'll just rent a car for the day to drive to Santa Rosa.

 

I probably ought to again clarify: There are no really nice new hotels in the Marina District--which is near the museum. It IS an area with a lot of trendy bars and restaurants, but the hotels are largely smaller, older, two-star type places...Go to the EAST of there--to the FISHERMANS WHARF area...THAT is where you'll find those larger, nicer chain hotels...also where you'll find the terminus of the cable car, Ghirardelli Square, Pier 39, Harbor Boat Rides, Alcatraz Tours, etc. And the cab ride to the Disney Museum is short...

 

As for transportation from the Airport to The City, THAT is a LONG cab ride...Options would be a shuttle...or even taking BART into the Downtown Market Street area and catching a taxi from there...

Edited November 22, 2013 by Bruin Steve

[FoghornLeghorn]

Thanks so much Bruin Steve!

.

[skandls]

You can take taxis but the public transit is cheap and very good. We sometimes stay at the 'Cow Hollow' motels as they have free parking (if we drive up). Not fancy and kind of dated but we know where we want to be and what we want to do. If you have a free evening look into the Beach Blanket show (aka Hat Show) it is very SF.

 

We have gotten some nice hotels on priceline 4* for reasonable rates. Get a transit map and schedule and ask for help if you need it.