Rent a Car in San Francisco

San Francisco itself rewards walking and public transit — the cable cars, BART and Muni cover Fisherman's Wharf, Union Square, the Mission and Golden Gate Park well, and the city's famously steep hills plus scarce, expensive parking make driving downtown more hassle than help for a short stay.

The car becomes essential the moment you want Northern California beyond the city limits. Napa and Sonoma's wineries are about an hour north, Muir Woods' redwoods are 45 minutes across the Golden Gate Bridge, and the coastal drive down Highway 1 toward Big Sur — about three hours — is one of the most scenic road trips in the country. Yosemite National Park is a four-hour drive east, and Lake Tahoe is about the same distance, both realistic if you're hiring for longer than a city stay.