San Francisco Golf Trip Transportation Service

[CBearse]

Have an upcoming golf trip with 8 people in San Francisco. Evaluating the idea of hiring a transportation service to drive us to courses and dinner in evenings.

 

Not from the area and the idea of either renting a 12-person van or two SUV's and driving them around San Francisco traffic is slightly intimidating.

 

Also traveling to Pebble Beach for back half of trip. Does anyone have any experience with this in the area and could recommend someone reputable?

[jzkhockey]

I live in San Francisco. I would recommend against renting a car and bringing it in the city unless you 100% have to. Not as much the traffic, but the breakins are bad(especially for rental cars) and parking is expensive. I drive a few days a week and have a car, but most of the touristy areas are targets. If you are playing harding park I would just get a couple of uber xl's from the city to bring you down. I'm not sure where else you are playing, but if you are going down the peninsula it may be best to rent cars after leaving the city.

 

I don't have knowledge on hiring a car service here, but they are popular for trips to Napa so I'm sure you can find someone if you want to pay for rides that way.

 

Also, don't stay in or around union square or the Tendorloin. It's a trap.

[carrera]

As a backup, Uber/Lyft are everywhere and a reasonable option with no upfront commitments.  There are private transportation services like Bauer/Black Tie etc that would be a good idea for a longer drive (like SF-Monterey).  

 

I would advise against renting SUVs and having to park them in SF wherever you are staying.  Also, someone would have to volunteer to drive and that is a drag.

[PJE]

I second not renting a car and taking Uber or a taxi in SF. Parking is a pain. 

If you do rent a car, do not leave ANYTHING in the vehicle in SF (actually pretty much the entire Bay Area). 

In SF, stay out of the Tenderloin.  SF gets kind of a bad rap but there are nice parts of it, still. 

You can rent cars to go to Pebble or you can probably get a shuttle. 

[Mullenboy]

I  think it's strange to do a golf trip involving San Francisco... unless I am included the private clubs you couldn't pay me to do that.  😉

 

But then again I hate traffic and parking hassles more than I love anything in SF.  I am an old curmudgeon who's lived in the Bay Area a long time.

 

This being said, I do understand the tourist attraction.  Just do listen to the others.  Take Uber.  It'll work just fine.

 

 

[CBearse]

1 hour ago, Mullenboy said:

I  think it's strange to do a golf trip involving San Francisco... unless I am included the private clubs you couldn't pay me to do that.  😉

 

But then again I hate traffic and parking hassles more than I love anything in SF.  I am an old curmudgeon who's lived in the Bay Area a long time.

 

This being said, I do understand the tourist attraction.  Just do listen to the others.  Take Uber.  It'll work just fine.

 

 

I hear that, I’m not real big into large cities and traffic either. Biggest portion of the trip will be spent in Monterrey @ Pebble. Reason for hitting San Francisco is because it lengthens the trip and lets us see more of the state and drive a portion on Pacific Highway. If I’m flying across the country (from WV) I want to see as much as I can and make most of it. Also getting to play TPC Harding Park and Presidio is probably the biggest driver for that leg of the trip. We start in San Francisco for three nights, then drive down to Pebble, stopping @ Half Moon Bay on the way.

[carrera]

OK, if you are staying in the city (hotel or Airbnb), just use Uber for everything except the drive down to Carmel.  Look into a shuttle service like Bauer or Black Tie for that.  Will be spendy, but much more enjoyable.  The only negative with not having rental cars for the SF part of the trip would be if you wanted to do something fun like drive across the GG Bridge and park up on the Marin hillside overlooking the bridge...something like that, you won't be able to.  But sounds like this is a golf trip so make it easy without worrying about parking or car break-ins.

 

SF is a very small city (49 square miles) so walkable - as noted above the only area you need to avoid is the Tenderloin.  Easy to avoid.

 

Hope you get good weather.

[jzkhockey]

Please choose your hotel wisely if you want to have a good trip.

 

Some ones I’ve heard are nice:

The Inn at The Presidio(If you are coming to play in the presidio)

The fairmont(not the best location, but safe and centrally located)

Hotel Kabuki

The metro hotel - fun neighborhood. Little bit of a cheaper hotel

 

 

[CBearse]

6 minutes ago, jzkhockey said:

Please choose your hotel wisely if you want to have a good trip.

 

Some ones I’ve heard are nice:

The Inn at The Presidio(If you are coming to play in the presidio)

The fairmont(not the best location, but safe and centrally located)

Hotel Kabuki

The metro hotel - fun neighborhood. Little bit of a cheaper hotel

 

 

Agreed. One of the guys actually had the idea to stay in Pacifica. Make a short drive to town and keeps us out of the fray. Thoughts?

[carrera]

Yes the courses you are playing are easily accessible from Pacifica.  But Pacifica isn't the fanciest town, so no 4 star places.  You can even stay at a place near the airport.  Book a dinner reservation at Westlake Joes which is near Harding Park.  You will thank me later (assuming you can get a table).

[Mullenboy]

All great advice.  This Carrera guy has been around the block a few times - listen to him.  Westlake Joe's is good stuff.  🙂

 

Just do keep an eye on weather.  Highway 1 tends to close often due to landslides, which happen sadly frequently in large winter/spring rain.

 

 

[jzkhockey]

Now I'm gonna have to go get Westlake Joes for dinner this week. It's the only east coast style Italian restaurant close to me. Also, if you want to go more traditional you could go to House of Prime Rib.