San Francisco parking

[AntiM]

Question, we're planning a trip to SF in May, staying at a place downtown without parking. Anyone have a good suggestion (or offer) for parking for a week? We figured out it was cheaper to drive than fly four people! Just figuring out some details.

[Simon of the Playa]

now i know this probably wont work for a whole week stay, but, i have a sure fire method to get that parking spot when you really need it, especially in SF where parking is a competitive sport.

every now and then throw money out of your window.....i'm serious, bless it SPECIFICALLY to the PARKING GODS and then go about your business...

you can NOT expect to get a spot if you need a spot and THEN throw money out of your car window, it must be a GIFT to the parking gods, with no pre-intentions or pre-nups, or whatever...if this is done on a fairly regular basis, like when you have change, fuck, it's dead weight! Toss it!....the finder will feel lucky and special, if only for a moment.

and i assure you, when you REALLY REALLY need that parking spot, one will open up as if Moses himself was the Attendant on Duty, and you WILL get that spot, right in front, Rock Star Stylee.

[BitterDan]

Well, I don't know where downtown you are staying but I usually park in the lot across from the Hilton when I go downtown. It's $25 a day. I can never find anything cheaper than that when I need it. It's centrally located and within a mile of almost everything you want to see. Plus, there is always the Muni for getting around.

[AntiM]

Oh, I used to live in Sf, down in the Mission, but that was in the 70s. I know Muni is wonderful; we'd fully planned on bus, trolley and train while in the city. No way are we going to drive around if that can be avoided! We're thinking parking by the week, although we may want to run out to Sonoma or up the coast on day trips.

Um, 590 Bush, used to be a hotel, now a trendwest.

[StevenGoodman]

Question, we're planning a trip to SF in May, staying at a place downtown without parking. Anyone have a good suggestion (or offer) for parking for a week? We figured out it was cheaper to drive than fly four people! Just figuring out some details.

Where downtown? And do you need your vehicle while in the city?

Martini Steve

[AntiM]

590 Bush St., and yes, we'll need it a couple days, but not daily.

[Eric]

I just mapquested your hotel address, and it looks like your only a block away from the Sutter/Stockton garage. It's city owned, probably about $30-35 a day (I don't drive so I'm not positive on the exact rate). It's a major garage, so should be a fairly safe place to park.

[StevenGoodman]

590 Bush St., and yes, we'll need it a couple days, but not daily.

Then my idea won't work. Which would be to park in the burbs, or the airports, and take transit into the city.

Or my place in Mt View, and take Cal Train to the city. But any place like that is going to be a long trip to get your car when you need it.

Steven Goodman

[AntiM]

Still, that was also one of my ideas. A train ride isn't so bad, is it? Just takes a bit of planning the day before. I just have no clue what airport parking is like at SFO; I'm almost afraid to look it up. ($60 a week in SLC at ParkNJet, and I'm betting that's cheap.)

Still have a couple months to iron it out.

[somekind]

There is weekly parking in neighborhoods surrounding downtown. (Somewhere). All you need is a good space, and leave your car there for a few days.

[StevenGoodman]

There are various places in the city with OK park for a week. Or find a burner with space. But it is unlikely to be downtown. When I go to SF I normally stay in SOMA, at the few places that have parking.

Or I take Cal Train.

There are many places in the burbs where you can park for free (my place) or $1 per day. But you will need to get from there to (4th*Townsend or Cal Train or BART) to your hotel.

Martini Steve

[AntiM]

There's pay lots near the airport where you can make reservations, they cost about the same as here in Utah. Larry says he can drop us of at the hotel, go park and ride the BART back into town.

Or we could park at your place, and we'd just forgo the side trips. Not like there isn't a million things to do in the city when you're playing tourist. Dropping me and the luggage off in town makes sense though, less Caltrain fare. Larry's familiar enough with the Bay Area he doesn't mind a commute.

[StevenGoodman]

From the BART website:

"Airport/Long Term Permit Parking

Airport Parking BART offers Airport/Long Term Permit parking for $5 per day at all East Bay stations with parking (except Coliseum and West Oakland). Airport/Long Term parking is also available at the Colma, South San Francisco, San Bruno and Millbrae BART stations for $6 per day.

A limited number of spaces will be available in the Monthly Reserved parking area. Spaces are guaranteed until 10 a.m. After 10 a.m., any unoccupied parking space will be available on a first-come, first-served basis."

I have never tried it.
http://www.bart.gov/guide/parking/overview.asp

Note, the Millbrae BART station is also a Caltrain station.

Martini Steve

[mdmf007]

Now that sounds like a savings. I wonder how security is?

[barnz]

Now that sounds like a savings. I wonder how security is?

Extra-super-fancy-special-fabulous-minimal.

[Bounce530]

Alot of the hotels in South City offer a park and fly deal, stay 1 night and leave your car for 7 days. They don't have to know that you're not flying anywhere. You could prob get one of those deals for about $150 for the week.

[AntiM]

There's much cheaper than that, I found a reservation service:

http://airportparkingreservations.com/

The parking fees are very similar to what we'd have to pay here at our airport. Although imposing our SUV on Martini Steve sounds pretty darn good ... hehehe.