updated on September 17th, 2017
If you’re staying downtown and want to take a day trip up through the Marin Headlands to Sausalito, or through Point Reyes to Drakes Beach, get a car.
Some of the most beautiful coastal driving we’ve done were day trips just north of San Francisco.
Check out our day trip guides:
Driving the Marin Headlands
Driving to Point Reyes from San Francisco
In order to get a car, we’ve used Turo several times with great success. Turo is a car sharing app where members rent out their vehicles for daily (or longer) rentals. Think AirBNB for cars. Same-day pickup and drop-off will also save you the overnight hotel parking charge.
We’ve also been able to get much nicer cars for much less money than found at common car rental companies, and being able to drive over the Golden Gate Bridge in a convertible is a memorable experience.
Turo cars are available all over San Francisco, so there’s a strong likelihood that you’ll find the car you want close to where you’re staying. Some renters even offer drop-off to your location.
Quick tip: Make sure to verify your identity with Turo prior to your trip to ensure you can get a car when you need. This typically means taking a photo of your driver’s license and securely submitting it to the company. Also take the time to read over their policies and make sure you understand how the process works- typically you are asked to fill the car up with gas and submit a photo of the receipt, for example.
