Going to California - need advice

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Not this year, but next. I plan to take a week of vacation and visit Oakland and San Francisco. You can pretty much guess why.

Anyhoo, my questions are these:

- Which airport should I fly into? I checked my airline's (United) website and they do fly into both cities. Which one is considered the most 'major' in the area? I have never been to either of these areas so I don't know what they are like.

- On a related note, where should I stay? Which is generally considered to have the better hotels, Oakland or SF?

I figure since it looks easy enough to take BART back and forth between Oakland and SF, I could fly into, and stay in, either place. So I figure I'd ask just in case there's a lot of Californians here who can help. Much appreciatings.

 

[M'Sharak]

Not this year, but next. I plan to take a week of vacation and visit Oakland and San Francisco. You can pretty much guess why.

Anyhoo, my questions are these:

- Which airport should I fly into? I checked my airline's (United) website and they do fly into both cities. Which one is considered the most 'major' in the area? I have never been to either of these areas so I don't know what they are like.

- On a related note, where should I stay? Which is generally considered to have the better hotels, Oakland or SF?

I figure since it looks easy enough to take BART back and forth between Oakland and SF, I could fly into, and stay in, either place. So I figure I'd ask just in case there's a lot of Californians here who can help. Much appreciatings.

Both are major airports, but you'll probably be able to get a lower fare flying into Oakland. I think I'd opt for a hotel either in San Francisco (you can catch a five-minute shuttle ride from Oakland Airport terminal concourse to the Coliseum BART station and it's 20-25 minutes from there to downtown San Francisco) or on the Peninsula near SFO (many reasonably-priced accommodations to be found along South Airport Blvd. in South San Francisco, just north of the airport.)

 

[Gaith]

I plan to take a week of vacation and visit Oakland and San Francisco. You can pretty much guess why.

Baseball?

- Which airport should I fly into? I checked my airline's (United) website and they do fly into both cities. Which one is considered the most 'major' in the area? I have never been to either of these areas so I don't know what they are like.

Both are fine, but SFO is nicer, just as (if not more) transit-accessible, and, provided you book a decent amount ahead, no more expensive. Plus, you get to avoid Oakland.

- On a related note, where should I stay? Which is generally considered to have the better hotels, Oakland or SF?

Call it my native SF bias, but unless you're specifically interested in Berkeley, the As, the weirdness that is Lake Merritt or some other aspect of the East Bay, there really isn't much to see or do in Oakland at all, certainly not anything you can't find much better in SF (though it is generally warmer).

As for places to stay, SF hotels are not really plentiful on the low-budget side, and skew toward the most urban of areas, but why not AirBnB it? Meet locals, get many more geographic options, etc.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Call it my native SF bias, but unless you're specifically interested in Berkeley, the As, the weirdness that is Lake Merritt or some other aspect of the East Bay, there really isn't much to see or do in Oakland at all, certainly not anything you can't find much better in SF (though it is generally warmer).

Well, you are right, I am going primarily for baseball (I'm working my way through every ballpark in the majors, and the Coliseum and AT&T Park - in that order, of course - looks like a good way to spend a week). Although I am of course not going to sit in my hotel room all week when not at a game, I do want to see the area in general.

 

[M'Sharak]

Call it my native SF bias, but unless you're specifically interested in Berkeley, the As, the weirdness that is Lake Merritt or some other aspect of the East Bay, there really isn't much to see or do in Oakland at all, certainly not anything you can't find much better in SF (though it is generally warmer).

Well, you are right, I am going primarily for baseball (I'm working my way through every ballpark in the majors, and the Coliseum and AT&T Park - in that order, of course - looks like a good way to spend a week). Although I am of course not going to sit in my hotel room all week when not at a game, I do want to see the area in general.

While there are a few things worth seeing in Oakland & vicinity—Jack London Square and the USS Potomac, the Hornet Museum at Alameda, the Chabot Space & Science Center in the Oakland Hills, to name three—I would agree that San Francisco is a much better value for sightseeing, with possible side trips to Alcatraz, Angel Island, Sausalito, Treasure Island, etc.

 

[SmoothieX]

MLB - Are you going to California with an aching in your heart?

 

[tomalak301]

I recommend people to fly into either Oakland or San Jose. SFO is a nice airport, don't get me wrong, but you then deal with some crummy service (Based on various stories I've heard, this hasn't happened to me though) but worst of all, you have to contend with the Fog and possible delays. Also, the fares going to Oakland are cheaper.

As for where to stay, I live 30 minutes south of San Francisco so I would say somewhere on the Peninsula. (Between SF and San Jose) I think either area would get you either to Bart, or Caltrain (which serves SFO to San Jose and the SFO station is just a few blocks from AT&T Park).

I wish I actually "knew" you better (As in face to face interaction) because I actually would love to go to a game with you. I need more Baseball friends.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

MLB - Are you going to California with an aching in your heart?

I am going to San Francisco but I would not wear any flowers in my hair. If I had any.

While there are a few things worth seeing in Oakland & vicinity—Jack London Square and the USS Potomac, the Hornet Museum at Alameda, the Chabot Space & Science Center in the Oakland Hills, to name three—I would agree that San Francisco is a much better value for sightseeing, with possible side trips to Alcatraz, Angel Island, Sausalito, Treasure Island, etc.

I will definitely write those down. One thing I am really interested in is science museums. I will definitely be searching for those things you mentioned!

Also I am a huge mass transit geek so as long as I can take BART or Caltrain or the Muni Metro where I need to go, I will be happy.

And of course there are the nuclear wessels.

 

[Gaith]

worst of all, you have to contend with the Fog and possible delays.

Er, SFO is hardly in a foggy part of town. It's not even in SF, for that matter... and I've never in all my years been delayed because of fog there. Fog ain't like heavy/stormy weather; it's just a few low-lying clouds.

Although I am of course not going to sit in my hotel room all week when not at a game, I do want to see the area in general.

Then again, I'd suggest AirBnB-ing. Even if you weren't planning on getting a rental car anyway (and no reason you should), it'd be far more convenient, cheaper, and more interesting than just about any hotel (unless one really loves the Marina, and doesn't mind getting a lame-o room there).

 

[1001001]

For the most part, Oakland is a shithole. So is the stadium there.

Go to San Francisco and enjoy all it has to offer. Great ballpark, great museums and restaurants. A lot of character.

 

[Maurice]

As someone who's lived in the bay area for 15 years, and lived in Oakland and SF, I'm not going to entirely agree with the previous posts.

SFO v OAK: SFO does have fog problems. In fact, a friend of mine just last week had a flight delayed for hours because of fog. The fog comes in over Daly City and right down onto the airport. I've never personally had a flight delayed because of fog, but I know people who have. OAK is a nice smallish airport, but you have to catch a shuttle to BART and then BART into the city. From SFO you can get BART directly from the airport, if that matters.

BART doesn't go everywhere. It follows a single corridor through the city, so if you take BART you may need to switch to MUNI or grab a cab if your hotel isn't right along BART. Not a big deal, but worth knowing.

OAKLAND is not a shithole. Parts of it are terrible, parts of it are really nice. Having lived on Adams Point at Lake Merritt, there's no "weirdness" to the Lake at all, albeit neighborhoods on the west and SE sides of it aren't great.

WHAT TO SEE.
SF is generally more scenic and there's a lot more to see in a more compact space than in the East Bay. There are things to see in Oakland/Alameda, but they're more effort to get to if you're not renting a car.

Driving and parking in SF is not for everyone. It can be a maddening experience until you get the hang of it.

If you decide to stay in Oakland for cost reasons, try to stay right near the downtown and the 12th Street station. It's not the best neighborhood for walking around, but there's a number of big hotels right next to BART, and it's only two stops from downtown SF.

If you're a Trek fan, when you're here I'd be happy to meet up with you and take you on my "Double Dumb ass" tour of the Star Trek IV filming locations, and even show you Starfleet HQ's location from Enterprise over at Fort Baker.

 

[1001001]

One thing I am really interested in is science museums.

Then you'll definitely want to go here.

http://www.calacademy.org/

The aquarium is awesome.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ And I see it has a plane'arium as well. Excellent!

 

[tomalak301]

worst of all, you have to contend with the Fog and possible delays.

Er, SFO is hardly in a foggy part of town. It's not even in SF, for that matter... and I've never in all my years been delayed because of fog there. Fog ain't like heavy/stormy weather; it's just a few low-lying clouds.

There are always Fog delays at SFO. It might not be in the city, but it is where Most of the Fog is anyway, which is that South City down to Millbrae area.

 

[1001001]

^ And I see it has a plane'arium as well. Excellent!

Yes it does. It is an incredible facility. You can easily spend all day there. Be sure to check out special events and exhibits on the website when the time comes.

worst of all, you have to contend with the Fog and possible delays.

Er, SFO is hardly in a foggy part of town. It's not even in SF, for that matter... and I've never in all my years been delayed because of fog there. Fog ain't like heavy/stormy weather; it's just a few low-lying clouds.

There are always Fog delays at SFO. It might not be in the city, but it is where Most of the Fog is anyway, which is that South City down to Millbrae area.

I was fog-delayed three f&^%* hours at SFO once. In the middle of the summer!

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Thanks for the fog warnings, everyone. As long as it's easy enough to get from Oakland airport to BART, then I guess that is an acceptable tradeoff.

Although: BART's website says that there is a new people-mover system currently being built at the Oakland airport which will directly connect to BART and Amtrak (and be directly integrated into the BART payment/ticketing system)...

For the most part, Oakland is a shithole. So is the stadium there.

The Coliseum definitely does appear to suck (at least it has since the Raiders built that ass-ugly Mount Davis). I hope the Athletics can get Cisco Field built.

 

[Gaith]

^ And I see it has a plane'arium as well. Excellent!

Yes it does. It is an incredible facility. You can easily spend all day there. Be sure to check out special events and exhibits on the website when the time comes.

Go Thursday evening between 6 and 10pm if you can - the admission is nearly half off, and it's 21+ only!

 

[MANT!]

If you have a day free..see about the following..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SF-88

 

[Nerys Myk]

San Jose

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ Ah, but the A's aren't there *yet*...