San Francisco car hire

Expensive parking charges mean that public transport is generally the cheapest San Francisco travel option, but if you’re planning to explore beyond the city limits, you’ll need a car.

Language: English | Currency: Dollars ($) | Avg. Flight time: 11 hrs

San Francisco is within striking distance of some of North America’s most spectacular natural sights.

Mount Diablo, with its knockout panoramic views of the Bay Area, and the golden sands of Half Moon Bay are both just a 45-minute drive from downtown San Francisco.

An hour away is Napa Valley, one of the world’s most famous wine-producing regions and a paradise for gourmands.

Fancy a scenic road trip? Skyline Boulevard, a vertiginous route through the Santa Cruz Mountains, offers the perfect chance to put your San Francisco car hire vehicle through its paces.

Mosey 64 kilometres (40 miles) up the coast and you’ll reach Point Reyes National Park, with its fragrant pine forests and sandy beaches.

A two-hour drive in the opposite direction is Pinnacles National Park, a geological wonderland of monoliths, spires, canyons and peaks that’s perfect for exploring on foot.

If you really want to make the most of cheap San Francisco car hire, brave the three-and-a-half-hour trek east to Yosemite, one of the USA’s largest and most beautiful wildernesses.

It makes sense to hire a car on arrival, and there are dozens of rental companies to choose from at San Francisco Airport. Alamo, Avis, Budget, Hertz and other agencies share the Rental Car Center, which is accessible via the AirTrain Blue Line.

Steep competition makes cheap San Francisco Airport car rental easy to come by, though some of the cheapest San Francisco car hire deals are available from off-airport rental agencies. An airport shuttle bus serves a number of hire companies.

Use TravelSupermarket to compare car hire deals well before you travel – you can survey the best deals for you, pore over the fine print and make the arrival process an absolute doddle.

If you only need a car for a day or two, consider renting from city-centre agencies. A wide selection of international and local companies operate downtown.

Many hotels charge for overnight parking and car-parking garages across the city tend to be pricey, so hiring a car on a per-day basis is a nifty way to escape extra costs.

1. Some on-street parking is available only during off-peak times, so be sure to check the details on the signage.

2. Sneakily, the prices advertised in bold print above some parking lots are often based on 15 or 20-minute slots. The longer charges are so high that travellers considering a San Francisco car rental might be better off paying the per-day prices asked by hotels.

3. Before you collect your San Francisco car hire vehicle, download a handy parking app, such as SFpark, to take the hassle out of finding a parking spot.

Fair fuel policy

A fair fuel policy (also known as full-to-full or same-to-same) means you’ll only pay for the fuel you use. All car rental deals compared on TravelSupermarket come with a fair fuel policy, so you can book your hire car safe in the knowledge there will be no nasty surprises at drop-off. More information on TravelSupermarket’s commitment to fair fuel policies can be found here.

No hidden fees

All rental deals compared on TravelSupermarket include mandatory fees (for example, one-way and young driver surcharges) in your rental quote at the time of booking, meaning you’ll know the full price of your car hire upfront.