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RV-Dreams.com Home -> RV-Dreams Community Forum -> General Travel -> Taking the RV through or around San Francisco
Post Info TOPIC: Taking the RV through or around San Francisco
Wait for me


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Taking the RV through or around San Francisco
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Going through the San Francisco area [either side of the bay] turns me into a basket case in the car, bet you will be able to guess how I'm feeling now. Near the end of the month, we need to get the 40' RV plus toad to a campground on a road about 30 miles north of SF [Santa Rosa area], and will be starting from Highway 101 down near San Luis Obispo. Any suggestions for getting from A to B while avoiding the SF area?  No, how about suggestions on the best route or techniques to survive going through the SF area? Please note I don't drink or do drugs, but might be forced to consider it. Oh ya, we have to get back to the starting point ten days later.  Thanks for the help.

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ersanta


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I share your feeling about driving on 101 through San Francisco.  To avoid the drugs and drinking, I always by-pass downtown San Francisco by going via the Richmond Bridge.

Head North on 101, merge onto I-880 North toward Oakland keep Right to take I-980 East toward Walnut Creek, Merge on to I-580 West ---- I 580 will take you across the Richmond Bridge and will merge with the 101 North ABOVE San Francisco.  Even though driving is through Oakland, it is all freeways, instead of 101 through SF, which is city streets.

Note:   There will be a Toll to cross the Richmond Bridge, but cannot remember in which direction.  Coming back just reverse the directions.  The Toll of the Richmond Bridge is in only in one direction, the opposite way is no charge.

Santa Nellie
Garden Grove, CA.


-- Edited by ersanta on Sunday 12th of July 2009 11:28:13 AM

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bjoyce


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US101 to I-680 in San Jose, then I-780 west after crossing the bridge into Benicia, then a short run in I-80 to SR37 west, and then turn north on Lakeville Highway (also called Lakeville Rd) is probably your best route. You will be in city traffic in San Jose, and again in Walnut Creek/Martinez, plus a bit in Vallejo. This route will have less city traffic than following US101 (Golden Gate), I-280/19th Avenue (also Golden Gate), or I-880/I-580 (Richmond Bridge and lots of truck traffic).

Note: You pay toll to leave the Bay Area, so there is a toll north on the Golden Gate, north on the Richmond Bridge and north on the Martinez/Benicia bridge.

-- Edited by bjoyce on Sunday 12th of July 2009 11:34:37 AM

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Bill Joyce,
40' 2004 Dutch Star DP towing an AWD 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid
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pierreandcolleen


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I'm not good with directions, so I'll leave that for the other Dreamers.  My only advice is to avoid driving in the area during rush hour.  We sat in traffic for a long time In San Francisco around 5:30 at night.  That is probably the case with any city (which is why I like to avoid them).

-Colleen

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Wait for me


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Thank you for your help getting through the big city, we will give it our best try and hope we come out the other side still smiling.

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thebearII


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Aw heck go for it.... 101 straight through the heart of SF and across the Golden Gate bridge.
Horn blaring and lights flashing.... they'll get out of your way, there's no other experience like it, if you do it at 3AM in the morning. The adrenalin rush alone is worth the effort, you'll feel like you're 16 again.

Just don't try it before 2:45AM or after 3:15AM .... just a small window of opportunity after the drunks are gone and before the commuters begin.


Or you can take the easy way out and go the other routes suggested above and pay the toll.

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Larry
"Small House, Big Yard "
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Wait for me


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Ya I think there is going to be a toll any way we go, money or nerves, probably both.

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