Things to do / Travel Guide
Flying to San Francisco and the Central California Coast
In terms of airline service, San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is a large hub; an international as well as domestic gateway to the region. Virtually every major American air carrier flies in and out of SFO and many international destinations are serviced via either U.S. flag carriers or a gaggle of international airlines that fly in and out. Other airports in the San Francisco area are the San Jose Airport (SJC) and the Oakland International Airport (OAK). San Jose's airport has flights to San Diego, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, New York, Portland, Reno, Seattle, and Washington D.C. From OAK you can connect to Portland, Honolulu, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Boston, New York, Washington D.C., Denver, Chicago, and many more.
The Monterey Peninsula Airport (MRY), located about four miles from downtown Monterey, has commuter flights, mainly to and from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, Denver, and Salt Lake City.
Driving to San Francisco, Napa Valley, and the Central California Coast
Travellers arriving by car will most likely be coming from either Southern California or Inland. From Southern California there are two main routes - I-5 if shooting straight up the middle of the state and skipping the coast (hopefully, not for good) or California 1 (also known as the Pacific Coast Highway or PCH), one of the worlds most popular scenic drives. The coastal route is not for those in a rush - the distance is longer, the roads are slower, there may be traffic and you will definitely want to stop for the views. US-101 bypasses parts of California 1.
Inland, from points East, you will most likely be arriving to the Bay Area via I-80, which extends as far east as New York City or I-580 if coming from points due east, including Yosemite. It is difficult to approach the coast below Monterrey with only smaller roads crossing the Coast Range mountains.
From the North, access to the region is, again, either by California 1 and US-101 or by I-5, extending inland to Oregon and beyond.
Below you'll find the approximate distances and driving times to San Francisco from other cities outside the region.
- Yosemite National Park - 200 miles, about four and a half hours
- Los Angeles - 380 miles, about six hours
- Oregon Border - 350 miles, about six hours
- Las Vegas - 575 miles, about 10 hours
- Lake Tahoe - 215 miles, about five hours
Taking a Train to San Francisco and Oakland
Train service within the region is available from Oakland, San Jose, Salinas, Paso Robles, and San Luis Obispo. The “Coast Starlight” line begins in Seattle and runs south through Oregon into California and terminates in Los Angeles (a trip of approximately 25 hours). There is service in both directions daily.
Taking a Bus to the Central California Coast
Greyhound provides regular bus service out to the Monterey Peninsula from Santa Cruz, San Francisco, Salinas, and Los Angeles and also offers statewide service that links all the major population centers with one another.
Airports in San Francisco Bay Area, Carmel, Napa Valley, Central California Coast
Getting-There
Oakland Metropolitan Intl Airport (OAK)
Sacramento Metropolitan Airport (SMF)
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
San Jose Municipal Airport (SJC)
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