Convertibles in San Francisco
Great Highway, Skyline Boulevard and the 17-Mile Drive — bring a jacket, the fog is real.
from $59 /day
See Cars →San Francisco packs a world of scenery into a small city, but the Bay Area's best days spread far beyond it: Napa's vineyards, Big Sur's cliffs, Silicon Valley and the redwood forests all begin where the city ends. A rental car from SFO ties them together.
The AirTrain takes you from any SFO terminal to the rental car center. From there, the Golden Gate Bridge is 30 minutes north, and Marin's headlands open the road to Point Reyes and the Sonoma coast. Head south instead and Highway 1 unspools toward Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz and Monterey.
Many SFO renters skip the car inside the city itself — parking is steep and the hills are famous for a reason — then grab a car for the days that leave town. Split plans like that are exactly what our flexible returns are for.
Renting in San Francisco: What Locals Know
San Francisco compresses a dozen microclimates into seven miles: the Mission bakes while Ocean Beach sits in fog, sometimes on the same afternoon — locals watch the marine layer pour over Twin Peaks like a slow waterfall and call him Karl. Driving here is a craft: cable-car tracks get slick, the crooked block of Lombard backs up for photos, and forty-five-degree grades on Filbert and 22nd test both brakes and nerve. Across the bay, Oakland's Jack London Square and Berkeley's Gourmet Ghetto make a food day, while Highway 1 south through Pacifica and Devil's Slide is pure coastal theatre. Rental-car break-ins concentrate at the Palace of Fine Arts, Fisherman's Wharf and Twin Peaks lots — the trunk rule on this page is the single most repeated advice in the city, from police and locals alike.
Driving Tips for San Francisco
- Never leave anything visible in a parked car in San Francisco — break-ins target rental cars at viewpoints. Trunk everything before you arrive, not after.
- The Golden Gate Bridge toll is electronic only; it is billed to the car's plate automatically, and our toll pass covers it.
- Downtown parking garages can top $40 a day — factor that in, or park near a BART station and ride in.
Day Trips from San Francisco
- Napa Valley — about 1.5 hours north, winery roads made for a slow day
- Monterey and the 17-Mile Drive — 2 hours south on Highway 1
- Muir Woods — 45 minutes north, giant redwoods (reserve parking ahead)
Good to Know at SFO
Pick-up is at the San Francisco International Airport rental car center. Counters are open daily from 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM local time, and WhatsApp support runs 24/7 if your flight lands late. SFO's AirTrain Blue Line circles all terminals to the Rental Car Center in about ten minutes; photograph the car's condition at pick-up, since city garages are tight and door dings are the most common return conversation. A popular local pick is the Ford Mustang Convertible — see why on its page. Planning a longer stay? Monthly rates apply at this location too.
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